The book is a general introduction to electronic payments on the Internet, based around SET. The book reads like an article in a magazine. It is well written but has not got much depth. It is a good introduction for people who have no previous knowledge of this subject.

It explains card based payments, Points of Sale, the stages in a card based transaction like authorisation and capture. The various encryption techniques are explained in basic terms, together with Digital Certificates and Certification Authorities and the various participants in a SET transaction.

The message flows in the SET transaction are described. The contents of the SET messages are explained in over 50 pages with a poor layout. The listing has up to five dots in front of the data members, to indicate a subtype.

The last chapters of the book cover the analysis, design, installation, testing and operating of a SET system. Only in the later chapters is the book more critical about the SET protocol and brings the protocol in relation to other new developments. It is a pity that this book describes a standard, which is not universally accepted and might never be.