This is Volume 83 of the Advances in Computers, subtitled Security on the Web. This series, continuously published since 1960, is the oldest series covering the development of the computer industry. With the impact that the World Wide Web has on every facet of our lives today, this volume focuses on the security aspect of computing. How can we be sure that our computing needs are secure and reliable from intrusion by others? When we put most of our private, financial, and business information out there “on the Web,” how can we be sure that the information is available when we need it and that unauthorized outsiders cannot gain access to that information? In this volume, we present six chapters. Four are directly related to the theme of Web security, whereas the other two are related to software engineering goals to produce correct software, a major precondition to obtaining Web security.

In the first chapter, “The State of the Art in Identity Theft,” Amit Grover, Hal Berghel, and Dennis Cobb define one of the growing threats in using the World Wide Web—that of identity theft. What is the impact of others finding out your account password; personal identity number, such as a Social Security number in the United States; credit card number; or other Web site password? Using such information, thieves can easily empty bank accounts, charge thousands of dollars of goods to your account, and generally play havoc with your personal information. After reading this chapter for the first time, I quickly felt like I never wanted to see a credit card again—but using such “plastic” has become an unavoidable aspect of everyday life. This chapter explains many of the ways thieves gain access to your online information and provides a list of actions you can take both online and in your everyday life to minimize the possibility of unauthorized intrusion into your accounts.