UK's 17 million e-shoppers show security savvy

Online sales are increasing and so is awareness of security, according to a BCS survey

Internet shopping in the UK grew rapidly in the past year and online shoppers improved their precautions for security, according to survey results released by the British Computer Society (BCS) this week.

The number of online shoppers increased by over two million from around 15 to 17 million, and over 90 percent said they take precautions when purchasing via the internet.

The precautions usually involve using a secure payment area of a web site when buying online, or ensuring home PCs are protected by antivirus and anti-spyware tools, the research found.

"The fact that the British public are ensuring that their computers are protected from the potential pitfalls of the internet is very encouraging," said BCS chief David Clarke in a statement. "Without taking these precautions, users can run into many problems, including losing files or releasing personal banking information with the serious risk of being defrauded or having their ID cloned."

However, respondents questioned the safety of online banking services - 32 percent said they had such concerns. In an attempt to reduce fraud and reassure its customers that banking online is safe, Barclays recently announced it would provide all online customers with two-factor authentication devices.

Graham Titterington of analyst Ovum predicted such authentication would become increasingly popular in the UK, to prevent fraud and allay consumers’ fears, and in other countries such as the US and Australia it is being mandated by legislation.

"Despite the obvious concerns the fact is that online banking has significant security measures around it and is probably now safer than its off-line equivalent," said Zamir Cajee of ecommerce web design company UKWebCo. "I believe it will simply be a further cultural change that is required for this to become more widely acceptable."