Compatibility with Existing Systems - Launching an e-commerce site is a tremendous process.  Therefore, you should not make it even more complex by setting yourself up to encounter technical problems.  Whether it is a shopping cart or payment gateway, make sure any e-commerce component you plan to integrate is compatible with your existing hardware, operating system and applications.

Ability to Support Existing Data – An ideal e-commerce solution is one that allows you to easily import data from one location to another.  This becomes a must for large stores that maintain databases in environments where it could be complex and costly to manually transfer large amounts of data into a new system.  Keep in mind that this feature is usually included in high-end enterprise solutions but may not be included in cheaper, entry-level systems.

APIs with Linking Support – Integrating inventory management and finance systems is one of the most challenging aspects of e-commerce.  If this is something you wish to do, you may want to look for a solution that offers flexible APIs.  Short for application programming interfaces, these APIs enable developers to write code that will connect your legacy system to your e-commerce server.

Functional Shopping Cart - The shopping cart is the most obvious and important feature of any e-commerce solution.  You need to put special emphasis on this application as it will allow visitors to browse your store and purchase the items they want to purchase.

Diverse Payment Systems – Most consumers prefer to shop online with credit cards or third-party services such as PayPal.  On the other hand, a complete e-commerce solution goes that extra mile and supports additional payment options.  This will give you the opportunity to maximize your profits by catering to a broader range of customers.

The features listed in this article are just a few that must be obtained to form a complete e-commerce solution.  This means you need to keep your eyes peeled for several more qualities.  Despite how insignificant some of these features may seem, each is equally critical as they will determine the failure or success of your venture with e-commerce.

Don’t do it yourself

Instead of attempting to do this on one’s own, it is prudent and recommended to seek out and hire an SEO consultant.  A professional SEO consultant will be able to determine which services are needed to make one’s business web site optimized for search engines and how to incorporate SEO marketing.

There are dozens of specific tasks and elements that go into good SEO and going the “do-it-yourself” route may end with one’s web site not showing at all in the major search engines.

Check their previous work

The first thing to ask for when looking for the perfect SEO expert is previous examples of SEO content as well as web sites they have helped optimize in the past.  Check the rankings of these web sites with the major search engines – Google and Yahoo are perfect examples – and use the Alexa web site to view overall rankings.  Alexa is a free web traffic metric analyzer that will give one a good overview of how well a web site or company is doing over time.

A good showing with increased rankings over time is an indication of how effective an SEO consultant can be.  Rankings that are dropping or maintaining an unchanged level would indicate locating another SEO expert would be in order.

Look at rates

Check the rates of the SEO consultants one is considering.  Very low rates can mean the person in question is just starting out and is trying to build up their portfolio.  Very high rates but with a less than stellar portfolio can also indicate a novice in the SEO field or one that isn’t terribly good at what they do.

Alternatively, as the world economy has taken a beating lately, many professionals have dropped their rates accordingly.  This is an important factor to keep in mind when researching rates.  Check to see if the SEO professional in question has recently dropped their hourly or project rates – one may get a bargain out of this.

Cheaper isn’t better

Don’t attempt to take the cheapest route.  While initially it may seem like a good idea and cost effective, a low rate SEO consultant can mean poor work produced for one’s business web site.  This, in turn, will mean ineffective search engine optimization, low rankings (if at all) within the major search engines and pretty much a loss of money overall.

Careful research should be done when looking to hire an SEO consultant.  Look at their previous results, experience and rates.  Remember that great search engine optimization can mean more customers and hiring a professional to do it correctly can only bring about a return on one’s investment.

Easy Item and Category Management

It is important to know that e-commerce systems range from simple shopping carts to fully integrated solutions that can help you build an entire website. While the functionality you require all depends on individual needs, features like image resizing, comprehensive listings and the ability to copy those listings to multiple categories will make it much easier to get your storefront up and running. Another useful capability comes from integration features that allow you to import product listings from an existing store into your new setup. For example, you have some programs that let you import product listings from your current store, a spreadsheet or the location of your choosing.

Extensive Customization

The last thing you want is an online storefront that looks just like what everyone else has. This is when an e-commerce software package that offers customization comes in handy. There are some applications that allow to customize your store through a variety of pre-designed templates. Others allow you to use development technologies such as HTML, CSS and PHP to change the look and feel of your store. These programs generally require that you have a certain level of technical skills in order to make the modifications. In either scenario, an e-commerce solution that enables customization can help to ensure you have an online store that is uniquely your own.

Integrated Shipping Calculators

The ideal e-commerce software will not only calculate your order totals, but also accurately calculate the shipping and handling charges associated with those orders. To ensure flexibility, you may want to opt for something that gives you multiple ways to determine shipping. For example, you may choose to charge for shipping based on the total of the order, or do so based on the weight of the item. Another consideration that deserves attention is making commonly used shipping channels such as UPS, USPS and FedEx available to your customers.

Not all e-commerce software is created equal. Then again, neither is every storefront. Online stores differ greatly and so do the individual requirements of the merchants who maintain them. Regardless of how feature-rich and powerful it may be, there is no single program that makes the perfect solution for everyone. It is all about accessing your needs and understanding what it takes for your business to be successful. One of the best approaches you can take is evaluating a few products, determining their value, and then selecting one that best suits your requirements.

How Twitter works for business

As social media outlets go, Twitter is quickly becoming one of the more popular micro-blogging sites around.  The list of businesses currently using Twitter in one fashion or another is constantly growing.  Comcast, JetBlue, and Dell are just a few companies that realized early on that Twitter has great potential to help them get in contact with and support their customers.  Comcast is a perfect example of how a business can use a micro-blogging service to give fast and courteous service to their existing customers as well as garner new business by word of mouth from happy and support customers.

How Twitter lists work for business

Once a business has set up their Twitter account, it is very easy to start racking up the number of users being followed.  At last count, the official support Twitter account for Comcast has over 32,000 users it’s following.  Trying to keep track of that many conversations at once is completely impossible.  So, what is the solution?

Simple – Twitter lists.  Creating a list is a very quick and easy process.  Log into Twitter and click on the “New list” link found on the right-hand side of the web site.  A new window will open up where a name can be typed in as well as the type of list it should be (private or public).  Once the list is created, it’s then a simple matter of going through the “following” list of the account and adding members to the newly created list.

One great example for a business use for a Twitter list is a company that has offices and customers across the states.  If this business wished to group its customers by area, lists such as “northwest_customers” or “Oregon_clients” could be created.  Then, support teams could have direct access to specific customers based on geographic location.

Taking it one step further

Twitter has made it convenient to include user lists within web sites.  By going to the Goodies – Widgets area, one can find the easy to customize Twitter list widget.  Once customized, the code then can be grabbed and integrated easily within a business web site.  This widget provides a quick way to keep tabs on customers and makes it very simple for new customers to join in on the conversation.  The list widget can be placed on a front page of a web site or even within a support section.  Either way, including this bit of coding is a perfect way to generate more business.

Conclusion

Including Twitter within a social media campaign is a smart move.  Twitter is continuously adding new features to make the experience of micro-blogging easier.  The latest addition of Twitter lists is a splendid way to monitor topics and people who matter most and a great way to keep in contact with and give support to customers and clients.

1.) Engage Your Audience

There are a number of features you can incorporate to encourage interaction amongst your visitors.  On today’s highly advanced internet, interactivity is key.  Combine this with original, quality content and you could have an e-commerce site that keeps your audience tuned in.  This is how to convert repeat visitor into long-term customers.

2.) Make Purchasing Simple

This should go without saying, but the large number of failed e-commerce sites leads us to believe otherwise.  Most internet users could do without the lengthy sales pitches, technical jargon, and all the bells and whistles that make it difficult to uncover hidden order pages.  After all this time, many online merchants still fail to cut to the chase and give their customers the options that make them feel comfortable making a purchase.  If want to drive home sales, get to the point, and do it quickly.

3.) Open the Doors to Communication

When doing business online, you should make your contact information easily accessible.  This includes email addresses, business addresses, toll-free phone numbers and fax number.  By doing so, you are demonstrating the credibility that will instill the confidence consumers need to feel to do business.  Potential customers will know that you are there to address their questions or concerns and by making various options available, you can target a larger market and their preferred communications channels.

4.) Post Information in Fulfillment and Return Policies

Before purchasing something online, most customers want to know how much an item costs, how it will get to them and when it will get to them.  Most importantly, they want to know that they are covered if the item should be defective or damaged during transit.  While publishing this information will not sell your products or services, if do not include these details, there is a great chance that you will end up losing sales.

5.) Travel the Low Road

Surviving in the realm of online business requires detailed planning and sound budgeting.  Therefore, it is important to consider all your low-cost budgeting endeavors before throwing money into most costly campaigns.  There is a lot you can do, including networking, building strong partnerships and designing a website that is optimized for search engine traffic.  Spend a little time researching some cost-effective avenues to promote your site and you will have a much better chance of coming out with your bottom line intact in the long run.

6) Price for Profits

Unreasonably low prices are great if you’re in the non-profit business, but not when you are trying to generate steady revenues and brand loyalty.  There are many ways to keep your customers around without sacrificing profits.  It is up to you to determine how to achieve this while keeping a competitive edge and making profits in the process.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/08/13/six-essential-tips-towards-e-commerce-success/

A major release of an operating system typically brings significant changes that require users to learn new skills.

But backers of the open source FreeBSD 8 operating system say that’s not necessarily going to be the case with its next major version.

FreeBSD 8 is currently in its beta release cycle with a final release targeted for August. The new release will be the first major release since FreeBSD 7 in February 2008, with the most recent point update being the 7.2 release in May of this year.

While the jump to 8.0 might seem a big step, FreeBSD contributor and Absolute FreeBSD author pointed out that most users have little to worry about.

“FreeBSD has a two-tier development process,” Lucas told InternetNews.com. “This two-tear method lets our users be very conservative, using only well-tested and widely deployed code, while we can further improve the code and add new features.”

“The newest version of FreeBSD, including the changes that were made just minutes ago, is called FreeBSD-current,” he explained. “Any new features go into FreeBSD-current for community testing and further development. Every so often, we cut a major release from FreeBSD-current. This is a .0 release, such as 8.0.”

Lucas added that once 8.0 is released, FreeBSD-current will continue receiving new features and further development. Once those features are tested and debugged, they might be backported to FreeBSD 8. As a result, the latest FreeBSD 7.2 release is based on an older version of FreeBSD-current, but includes bugfixes and additional features that have been tested on the development version of FreeBSD.

Another longstanding focus of FreeBSD is on simplifying the technical task of migrating to new releases.

Matt Olander, CTO at enterprise hardware systems vendor iXsystems, told InternetNews.com that his firm will be working to help his customers migrate from older versions of the OS to the new release when it’s out.

But Olander, who also serves on the FreeBSD Project’s marketing and public relations teams, described FreeBSD as “notoriously famous” for its easy migration across versions, with successful migrations to FreeBSD 7.x from far older editions like 4.x.

That makes it easy to recommend to customers, he added.

“We will install whatever platform the customer chooses, although we’re certainly partial to BSDs and FreeBSD in particular,” Olander said. “Usually my first question, if I’m brought into discussions for an opportunity and the customer is using another operating system, is ‘Have you tried that on FreeBSD?’”
What’s new in FreeBSD 8

FreeBSD is one of the earliest open source operating system projects and is a direct descendant of the original, open source BSD work performed at the University of California, Berkeley. According to Lucas, the FreeBSD Project is driven largely by volunteers with very few actually working as paid developers on the effort.

“While the FreeBSD team has excellent communication skills, many of our people have lives and careers outside of FreeBSD,” Lucas said.

That certainly hasn’t stunted the new capabilities baked into FreeBSD 8, however, with the OS — often thought of as primarily a server-based operating system — offering big improvements that may benefit desktop users, too.

“FreeBSD 8.0 includes many new features and abilities over the 7.x series,” Kris Moore, founder of the PC-BSD project, told InternetNews.com. “On the desktop side of things, probably the most important feature will be the new USB stack, which greatly improves support for USB devices, and fixes lots of long-standing bugs. Improvements to drivers [and] speed improvements are also in the works.”

PC-BSD is a desktop derivative of FreeBSD that is currently owned by iXsystems.

“So far, we’ve seen some major improvements from the newer FreeBSD base, such as the USB fixes, greatly improved Wi-Fi support, and a significant desktop responsiveness improvement,” Moore said, adding that work on PC-BSD version 8, which will based on FreeBSD 8, has just begun.

Despite the improvements in FreeBSD 8, the project’s supporters reaffirmed that the idea is to keep disruption to a minimum.

“The FreeBSD team works hard to minimize user surprises,” Lucas said, adding that the fact makes his book still relevant, despite having been first published in 2002. “Absolute FreeBSD’s usefulness will decrease over time, as with any tech book, but I expect it to be useful for a few years yet.”

Source: http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3830041

Thousands of vulnerable websites are exploited everyday.  In many cases, your site can be victimized without you having the slightest clue.  Unfortunately, there are also instances in which your site can be used in malicious ploys without being directly compromised   In the best interests of both you and your visitors, it is imperative that you take the appropriate measures to ensure that your site is a safe place to visit.  In this article we will talk some of the more unusual ways hackers and malware writers plant their harmful seeds.

Malicious Banner Ads

Although most attacks involve taking advantage of vulnerable web applications, attackers have several other weapons that can be used to maliciously exploit your site.  One popular method is through the use of banner ads.  The person you think you’re networking with could be using your site as a medium to propagate their malicious code.  As soon one of your visitors clicks on the compromised banner, they are redirected to a malware hosted site or directly infected depending on the nature of the code.  If you insert third-party advertisements on your website, it is imperative to make sure they do not put you or your visitors in danger.  The best way to do this is knowing how to properly access obfuscated banner code for signs of malicious values.  You could also do some checking to find out if the advertiser you’re working with has a reputation for participating in such activities.

Sneaky Uploads and Downloads

Most website attacks focus on HTML code but it is also possible for malicious items to be uploaded to an improperly secured site.  If you allow users to upload content to your site, they can easily sneak in executables such as Javascript, .exe, .bat and. cmd files.  Attackers have also been known to bundle their harmful programs with applications given away as free downloads.  You will become unpopular if every time someone downloads your free software, they end up with a nasty infection on their PC.  You can learn if your site or applications are being used to distribute malware by downloading the source code from the live site onto a virtual machine and scanning it with a reliable anti-malware tool.

A Few Security Tips

It’s a jungle out there in cyberspace, filled with more hazardous creepy crawlers than you could imagine.  Following these simple tips should help make your website a much safe place to hang out.

Transfer Data Securely – If you allow users to upload to your site or require root access, be sure to utilize SSH and SFTP rather than Telnet or FTP.  These protocols have both been considered insecure because of their tendency to transmit data in plain text.  When using FTP or Telnet, sensitive information such as user names and passwords can be easily read by anyone eavesdropping on the network.  SSH and SFTP are encryption-based protocols that scramble data so it appears in the form of unreadable characters.

Scan Your Website – There are a number of scanning technologies that will comb your site for vulnerabilities.  A good one will not only help you detect insecure applications, but also software packages that require immediate patches.

Secure Hosting - You can take all the preventive measures you want, but if the server you’re hosting on isn’t secure, all those efforts will prove futile.  Make sure your web host is taking the necessary steps to keep you protected behind the scenes.  If they are not making use of features such as firewalls, anti-malware and DDoS protective software, you need pack up your website files and head elsewhere.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/05/07/protect-your-site-from-maliciously-activities/

Thousands of vulnerable websites are exploited everyday.  In many cases, your site can be victimized without you having the slightest clue.  Unfortunately, there are also instances in which your site can be used in malicious ploys without being directly compromised   In the best interests of both you and your visitors, it is imperative that you take the appropriate measures to ensure that your site is a safe place to visit.  In this article we will talk some of the more unusual ways hackers and malware writers plant their harmful seeds.

Malicious Banner Ads

Although most attacks involve taking advantage of vulnerable web applications, attackers have several other weapons that can be used to maliciously exploit your site.  One popular method is through the use of banner ads.  The person you think you’re networking with could be using your site as a medium to propagate their malicious code.  As soon one of your visitors clicks on the compromised banner, they are redirected to a malware hosted site or directly infected depending on the nature of the code.  If you insert third-party advertisements on your website, it is imperative to make sure they do not put you or your visitors in danger.  The best way to do this is knowing how to properly access obfuscated banner code for signs of malicious values.  You could also do some checking to find out if the advertiser you’re working with has a reputation for participating in such activities.

Sneaky Uploads and Downloads

Most website attacks focus on HTML code but it is also possible for malicious items to be uploaded to an improperly secured site.  If you allow users to upload content to your site, they can easily sneak in executables such as Javascript, .exe, .bat and. cmd files.  Attackers have also been known to bundle their harmful programs with applications given away as free downloads.  You will become unpopular if every time someone downloads your free software, they end up with a nasty infection on their PC.  You can learn if your site or applications are being used to distribute malware by downloading the source code from the live site onto a virtual machine and scanning it with a reliable anti-malware tool.

A Few Security Tips

It’s a jungle out there in cyberspace, filled with more hazardous creepy crawlers than you could imagine.  Following these simple tips should help make your website a much safe place to hang out.

Transfer Data Securely – If you allow users to upload to your site or require root access, be sure to utilize SSH and SFTP rather than Telnet or FTP.  These protocols have both been considered insecure because of their tendency to transmit data in plain text.  When using FTP or Telnet, sensitive information such as user names and passwords can be easily read by anyone eavesdropping on the network.  SSH and SFTP are encryption-based protocols that scramble data so it appears in the form of unreadable characters.

Scan Your Website – There are a number of scanning technologies that will comb your site for vulnerabilities.  A good one will not only help you detect insecure applications, but also software packages that require immediate patches.

Secure Hosting - You can take all the preventive measures you want, but if the server you’re hosting on isn’t secure, all those efforts will prove futile.  Make sure your web host is taking the necessary steps to keep you protected behind the scenes.  If they are not making use of features such as firewalls, anti-malware and DDoS protective software, you need pack up your website files and head elsewhere.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/05/07/protect-your-site-from-maliciously-activities/

Distinguishing the Two

A good way to compare the two systems would be to look at the fundamental differences.  With Joomla, you can place ten different menus on a web page in any position or style you like.  Much of this can be done from scratch in a few easy clicks.  Its functionality is ideal for multiple users who have their own roles on the site as well as the administrator who needs to control the whole operation with ease.

If it has to be a user-friendly publishing tool for simple content that only requires one administrator, WordPress is the way to go.  This platform covers the blog scene with more efficiency, which is exactly what is designed to do.  It is very useful for attracting search engine bots with features such as ping and tracks, tag capabilities, and optimized URLs.  Though Joomla can be configured to produce clean URLs, it does take a little more work.  The overall theory is that blogs are search engine friendly and WordPress makes up a good portion of the argument.

WordPress as a CMS

WordPress has many beneficial uses but the results aren’t always that good when using it for larger jobs.  When the page count starts to add up in different categories, you may start to experience management issues  Joomla on the other hand, is made to handle such jobs and does it with relative ease.  If you’re looking to use WordPress for something that was created with a true content management system, you could be in for a rude awakening.  This platform will support a couple of hundred pages and basic content but don’t expect more than that.  Try to over do it and you could find yourself spending time on things that wouldn’t have been an issue with the proper software.

The Last Word

If your goals call for a blog or even a more interactive website, WordPress could be a viable option.  This platform is highly regarded as the most streamlined publishing tool available, allowing you to get online fast with little to no technical knowledge.  Joomla is better for managing a larger amount of more complex content.  In the end, an expert user should be able to make the most of both solutions.  With all the available plugins, WordPress can be extended to the point where you wouldn’t know the site was power by a blogging tool.  If this platform can’t deliver the functionality you need, a genuine CMS such as Joomla makes a great choice.  The key is knowing what you need to get the job done and making the right choice from the start.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/04/24/a-worthy-cms-battle-joomla-vs-wordpress/Joomla vs. WordPress has become one of the hottest topics around the web.  In actuality, the comparisons aren’t all that fair because these platforms are designed with different purposes in mind.  WordPress is more of a website engine based on the premise of installing the software, running it and publishing basic content in a fast and easy manner.  Joomla is completely different, built for publishing and managing all types of content.  This gives Joomla many capabilities WordPress lacks.

Distinguishing the Two

A good way to compare the two systems would be to look at the fundamental differences.  With Joomla, you can place ten different menus on a web page in any position or style you like.  Much of this can be done from scratch in a few easy clicks.  Its functionality is ideal for multiple users who have their own roles on the site as well as the administrator who needs to control the whole operation with ease.

If it has to be a user-friendly publishing tool for simple content that only requires one administrator, WordPress is the way to go.  This platform covers the blog scene with more efficiency, which is exactly what is designed to do.  It is very useful for attracting search engine bots with features such as ping and tracks, tag capabilities, and optimized URLs.  Though Joomla can be configured to produce clean URLs, it does take a little more work.  The overall theory is that blogs are search engine friendly and WordPress makes up a good portion of the argument.

WordPress as a CMS

WordPress has many beneficial uses but the results aren’t always that good when using it for larger jobs.  When the page count starts to add up in different categories, you may start to experience management issues  Joomla on the other hand, is made to handle such jobs and does it with relative ease.  If you’re looking to use WordPress for something that was created with a true content management system, you could be in for a rude awakening.  This platform will support a couple of hundred pages and basic content but don’t expect more than that.  Try to over do it and you could find yourself spending time on things that wouldn’t have been an issue with the proper software.

The Last Word

If your goals call for a blog or even a more interactive website, WordPress could be a viable option.  This platform is highly regarded as the most streamlined publishing tool available, allowing you to get online fast with little to no technical knowledge.  Joomla is better for managing a larger amount of more complex content.  In the end, an expert user should be able to make the most of both solutions.  With all the available plugins, WordPress can be extended to the point where you wouldn’t know the site was power by a blogging tool.  If this platform can’t deliver the functionality you need, a genuine CMS such as Joomla makes a great choice.  The key is knowing what you need to get the job done and making the right choice from the start.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/04/24/a-worthy-cms-battle-joomla-vs-wordpress/

When it comes to emerging web technologies, AJAX is leading the charge as one of the most dynamic tool sets on the development market.  Short for Asynchronous Javascript and XML, AJAX is attracting the attention of developers and businesses around the world.  Unknown to some, AJAX isn’t a programming technology like HTML or PHP, yet a collection of technologies that provide a robust facility for developing powerful web-based applications.  The power of AJAX is seen in many applications today including Google Maps and Yahoo!  mail.

What Makes AJAX So Different?

The purpose AJAX is to enhance speed, interactivity and usability.  The combination of technologies provide a more feature-rich, user-friendly experience.  Instead of loading the requested page at the start of the session, an AJAX engine scripted in Javascript is loaded.  This engine acts a middlemen between the user and the web page, enabling communication between the client and server.  The end result of this interaction is noticed almost instantly.  When making a request to an AJAX page, you may see individual elements of the page update before your eyes (asynchronously) rather than waiting for the page to load completely.

The AJAX Disadvantage

AJAX is a very powerful weapon but one must be aware of the security vulnerabilities that exist.  Some developers have the misconception that AJAX applications offer tighter security because it is believed that the server-side script can’t be accessed without the rendered user interface, which is simply the AJAX-based page.  Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  The mere factor of increased interactivity within the application results in increased text, XML and HMTL network traffic.  This in turn, could lead to the exposure of back-end applications that may have not vulnerable otherwise.  Without adequate server-side protection, it could also give unauthenticated users the ability to manipulate privilege configurations.

Another AJAX vulnerability is associated with the process it utilizes to formulate server requests.  Its engine uses Javascript to capture user commands and convert them into function calls.  These function calls are transmitted to the server in plaintext, making them visible to savvy eavesdroppers.  This could allow an intruder to easily access database fields that contain user login credentials and other critical variables that can be manipulated for malicious gain.  With this information, a hacker can victimize AJAX functions all without directly creating specific HTTP requests to the server.  Coupled with the known vulnerabilities of Javascript, AJAX applications are susceptible to attacks like cross site scripting and similar threats that plague scripts created by other development technologies.

While the evolution of web technologies has enabled applications to enjoy more responsive, interactive, efficient functionality, they also increase the vulnerabilities developers and businesses face on a daily basis.  The growing prevalence of AJAX applications has considerably broadened the threat window, essentially giving hackers a greater opportunity to compromise sensitive data and thieve invaluable assets.  For this reason, developers must stop living under a false sense of security and take every measure possible to ensure that their AJAX applications are completely secure.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/04/13/the-vulnerability-of-ajax-applications/

When it comes to emerging web technologies, AJAX is leading the charge as one of the most dynamic tool sets on the development market.  Short for Asynchronous Javascript and XML, AJAX is attracting the attention of developers and businesses around the world.  Unknown to some, AJAX isn’t a programming technology like HTML or PHP, yet a collection of technologies that provide a robust facility for developing powerful web-based applications.  The power of AJAX is seen in many applications today including Google Maps and Yahoo!  mail.

What Makes AJAX So Different?

The purpose AJAX is to enhance speed, interactivity and usability.  The combination of technologies provide a more feature-rich, user-friendly experience.  Instead of loading the requested page at the start of the session, an AJAX engine scripted in Javascript is loaded.  This engine acts a middlemen between the user and the web page, enabling communication between the client and server.  The end result of this interaction is noticed almost instantly.  When making a request to an AJAX page, you may see individual elements of the page update before your eyes (asynchronously) rather than waiting for the page to load completely.

The AJAX Disadvantage

AJAX is a very powerful weapon but one must be aware of the security vulnerabilities that exist.  Some developers have the misconception that AJAX applications offer tighter security because it is believed that the server-side script can’t be accessed without the rendered user interface, which is simply the AJAX-based page.  Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  The mere factor of increased interactivity within the application results in increased text, XML and HMTL network traffic.  This in turn, could lead to the exposure of back-end applications that may have not vulnerable otherwise.  Without adequate server-side protection, it could also give unauthenticated users the ability to manipulate privilege configurations.

Another AJAX vulnerability is associated with the process it utilizes to formulate server requests.  Its engine uses Javascript to capture user commands and convert them into function calls.  These function calls are transmitted to the server in plaintext, making them visible to savvy eavesdroppers.  This could allow an intruder to easily access database fields that contain user login credentials and other critical variables that can be manipulated for malicious gain.  With this information, a hacker can victimize AJAX functions all without directly creating specific HTTP requests to the server.  Coupled with the known vulnerabilities of Javascript, AJAX applications are susceptible to attacks like cross site scripting and similar threats that plague scripts created by other development technologies.

While the evolution of web technologies has enabled applications to enjoy more responsive, interactive, efficient functionality, they also increase the vulnerabilities developers and businesses face on a daily basis.  The growing prevalence of AJAX applications has considerably broadened the threat window, essentially giving hackers a greater opportunity to compromise sensitive data and thieve invaluable assets.  For this reason, developers must stop living under a false sense of security and take every measure possible to ensure that their AJAX applications are completely secure.

Source: http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/04/13/the-vulnerability-of-ajax-applications/