ptic curve cryptography (Integrity Sciences 1).
             Privacy is a huge issue, with many different aspects to it. The most generalized concern is that unauthorized users could access data. In banking and financial Internet use, this issue is critical. No one wants private accounts readily available for perusal by anyone who is interested. Some people have fears about money being stolen or criminals being able to charge purchases to their credit accounts. Consumer doubts about the safety of shopping online keep some consumers from purchasing on the Internet. In a recent survey, 61 percent of those responding said that they were "less likely to do business online" (ITTA 36) due to security fears. Concerns include criminal access to credit information, the tracking of user's buying habits by interested parties, and fraudulent practices by eMerchants. The so-called "e-tailers" also have difficulties conducting business on the Internet, experiencing an increasing amount of fraud each year. A recent survey indicated that 83 percent of online merchants believe that fraud is a critical issue, a 13 percent higher number than in 1999 (Delio 1).
             One aspect of the issue of privacy is the opportunity for online businesses to share or sell customer information to other businesses. They also can participate in the common practice of placing "cookies" (small text files that tag Web site visitor's computers and track where they've been online) on the user's hard drive that many
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