Certificates and trust in electronic commerce

Suggests that for electronic commerce to thrive among parties who have never met each other, trust must become a commodity item. Certification authorities (CAs) are the standard mechanism by which online entities can identify one another. The policies and practices followed by a CA are just as important as the basic security of the electronic commerce network. This recognition is now standard, and "trust models" are emerging wherein diverse online business partners can trust one another, through the mutual recognition of their respective CAs. Overviews security and trust in electronic commerce. Discusses the role of certificates, with particular reference to the Australian Public Key Authentication Framework. Presents a vision for electronic commerce, premissed on electronic trust as a commodity.