Developing Internet Leadership
A recent roundtable between Radiate, AltaVista, Arbitron, MediaMetrix, Nielsen Media Research, OgilvyOne, DoubleClick, AdForce and Motorola has resulted in the formation of the Radiate Internet
Roundtable, intended to provide industry leadership in key Internet issues. The first topic on the group's agenda is the development of an understandable and accurate digital consumer measurement metric that maintains the highest level of consumer privacy. The RIR will meet again in early autumn to begin issuing industry recommendations and solutions.
A New Global Internet Index Developed
Nielsen//NetRatings, a service jointly provided by ACNielsen eRatings.com, Neilsen Media Research and NetRatings, Inc., has released the premier results of its global Internet index. The new global Internet index
provides results across the U.S., the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Ireland and Singapore. It measures two-thirds of the global Internet population. June figures showed that more than 207 million people across those countries have Internet access, with 117 million actively using the Internet during that month. The global Internet index was developed to measure how Internet audiences surf across national borders, giving advertising agencies, Internet marketers and corporations an accurate gauge of global Internet audience, advertising and usage activity.
Patching the Leaks
Microsoft has released an update to eliminate a recently found security vulnerability in the Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express email programs that could allow malicious users to execute commands on a victim's computer. Outlook and Outlook Express users whose mail is accessed using either POP3 or IMAP4 are vulnerable to the security hole. Further information is available at the Microsoft TechNet site. Microsoft officials, however, are brainstorming for yet another patch after today's announcement that a security hole was found in Microsoft Word and Excel. Using this vulnerability, a hacker could take over control of a victim's computer.
Meanwhile, Netscape's Web browser needs a security patch, according to a recent AP story. Hackers using "Brown Orifice" have already victimized nearly 1,000 people by accessing and controlling files on their computers. Netscape users are being advised to disable Java on their browsers while the company develops a patch for the security vulnerability. Security officials are particularly alarmed that Brown
Orifice could be easily turned into a self-copying virus.
Payment Solutions Developed for M-Commerce
MasterCard International has joined forces with InterVoice-Brite Inc. to develop, market and deliver global solutions for conducting secure payment transactions over mobile phones, personal digital assistants and other wireless devices. "Mobile commerce is now poised to deliver financial and payment solutions into the exploding wireless markets," explains Chris Jarman, senior vice president, global mobile commerce for MasterCard. "MasterCard recognized the need to develop secure payment solutions for the growing m-commerce market and our agreement with InterVoice-Brite provides the ideal blend of wireless telephony and electronic payment technologies."
Securing Debit Card Transactions Over the Internet
The successful routing of encrypted payment transactions was accomplished today by GlobeID(R) Inc., a SafeDebit partner, via @Pay(TM)IIP. @PayIIP enables Internet PIN-secured debit by leveraging the existing Internet payment network infrastructure. Through the system, retail banks can leverage online payment transactions into PIN-secured, authenticated access to existing and emerging Internet retail banking services like home banking, bill payment, brokerage accounts, teen spending accounts and peer to peer payments.