ENTHUSIASTIC Internet users should be interested to hear that Bank of Ireland is participating in the world's largest pilot for secure payments by credit card over the Internet. Called SET, which stands for Secure Electronic Transaction, the pilot aims to provide totally secure credit card instructions on the Net.software, called digital certificates, to authenticate themselves to each other. Transmission of card details on the Internet should then be as secure and as easy as using them in retail stores.

Bank of Ireland customers participating in the pan-European pilot (which involves 80 European banks in 16 countries) are currently restricted in availing of SET on Bank of Ireland's own Internet shopping mall, Shop Ireland, but the scope of use is expected to expand as the project develops.

For more information about SET, contact Conor O'Toole, Bank of Ireland Internet Businesses, (01) 703 9590.