Privacy

Collection of recet article links from techWeb
1. SECURITY: PRIVATE MATTERS
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Protecting Privacy

Security

CNN Interactive: Insiders the biggest security threat
Jun 21 2001: Malicious hackers are much less of a threat to companies than disgruntled current and former employees, according to a new study.

The study, carried out by Digital Research, found that 57 percent of firms say their worst breaches of security occurred when their own users accessed unauthorized information.

The next major problem happened when user accounts remained functioning after those users had left the company concerned. Only 21 percent of the corporate respondents said external cracking was their biggest security concern.

Cracking tends to receive much higher media attention because companies are generally reluctant to disclose internal security breaches.

Analysts commented that corporate users tend to have access to far more information than they need to do their job.

Broadband demographics

Arbitron New Media: A third of US Net users have broadband
Jun 22 2001: Thirty-one percent of US Internet users have broadband access at home, work, or school, according to Arbitron.

Fifty-eight percent have broadband access only at work, 27 percent have it only at home, while 15 percent have broadband at both locations.

Of those college students with access, 38 percent say they are likely to get broadband at home when they are finished college.

Broadband users spend about as much time online as they do consuming traditional media. The average time online per day per broadband user is two hours and 16 minutes.

Every day, broadband users listen to the radio for an average of two hours and 28 minutes, watch television for an average of two hours and 11 minutes, and listen to music for an average of one hour and 25 minutes. Forty-five percent say they consume more than one media product at a time. This research was carried out in conjunction with Coleman, a media research firm.

Ecommerce

E-Commerce Times: Online retailers finally reaching profit
Jun 21 2001: In a new report, McKinsey & Company says the age of profitability has begun in the world of ecommerce.

At least 20 percent of pureplay dotcoms are now making an operating profit, but McKinsey says the gap between the successful and the struggling online firms is growing all the time.

The strongest pureplays are now outperforming their traditional competitors, and have higher operating margins. While most online retailers are improving their balance sheets, online content providers are still mired in difficulties.

The McKinsey research confirms this week’s report by ActivMedia that bricks-and-clicks firms are most likely to be successful online.

Overall, the McKinsey report found that clothing sites had the highest average operating margin, at 21 percent. This is also the only category with a positive operating margin. In other reasonably healthy categories such as books, gifts, and electronics, the average operating margin is negative.