With holiday shopping upon us, the most frequent question I’m asked is, "Is it safe to shop online?" The answer is, of course, "that depends." Not all online–or even brick-and-mortar–stores engage in safe security practices. And even those that do may have third-party partners–for processing orders or credit cards–that are not secure.

We see the numbers–47 million customers of TJX had their credit card data stolen–but the reality, as I found out when talking with Dan Geer, CTO of Verdasys, a data loss prevention company, the overall numbers may not be that bad. Why? Because some people have had their personal data stolen many times. It could that they were unlucky in choosing with whom they did business. But the problem might not be with primary retailer; the issue might actually be with someone that retailer does business with down the line. Security Watch: Some truth behind identity theft - CNET reviews

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