SmartSwipe: Ensuring a safe online shopping experience

Dong Ngo | Jul 15, 2009

(Credit: NetSecure Technologies)

One of the most dangerous things about shopping online is the fact that you have to enter your credit card information. This is when malicious software like Keylogger can steal your private data without you even knowing it.

Even if your computer is safe, entering all that info can be tedious. Luckily, there's now a way to eliminate the hassle of payment entry and ensure the safety of your computer, too.

The catch is, it costs US$99.95.

The solution is SmartSwipe from NetSecure Technologies. SmartSwipe is a USB credit card reader that you connect to your computer via USB port. It allows you to actually swipe your credit card when an online retailer requires payment information, just the way you would at a store.

Apart from speeding up information entry, NetSecure claims SmartSwipe adds another layer of security to your online shopping. It does so by scrambling and encrypting the credit card data before transferring it to the computer. Traditional online security programs protect your sensitive information when it's on the way to the Internet, but not beforehand while it's sitting on your computer.

If the company's claims are true, it means that if you have SmartSwipe installed, your credit card data will be safe even if your computer is infected. This doesn't mean, however, that you can be negligent when online.

According to NetSecure, SmartSwipe features simple plug-and-play installation and is designed to work with nearly every major credit card and credit-debit card combination, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. The device works with Windows XP and Windows Vista, and Internet Explorer 6 or higher.

In case it doesn't work out for you, SmartSwipe comes with a 90 day, no-hassle, return policy. Now, hurry up and go make your last tedious online purchase that's potentially insecure. You won't ever have to again.

Via CNET Crave

Filed under: Gadgets
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