過去電子商務安全研究多注重資料通訊的私密性，然而許多電子商務網站即使採用SSL或SET電子安全交易機制，交易安全資料被竊取或篡改的情形仍時有所聞，主要原因不在於加密機制不夠安全，而是電子商務網站應用程式本身的安全漏洞所致。這些漏洞多由於網站應用程式並沒有從安全的角度嚴謹地驗證網站輸入資料，使得惡意攻擊者能趁虛而入，竊取或篡改交易資料。資料隱碼攻擊為其典型的例子，類似的攻擊尚包括跨網站命令稿、更改標價攻擊、以及毒餅乾等。 每個網站應用程式設計目的不盡相同，很難使用一致的輸入檢查程式避免上述各式攻擊。本論文提出一個利用XML Schema驗證技術的網站安全防護架構，網站開發者只需使用標準的XML Schema文件作為網站應用程式的安全政策描述語言，用以描述網頁輸入資料的屬性，此防護機制便能自動對輸入資料進行驗證。位於Web伺服器與應用程式之間的防護機制會將輸入資料轉換為XML文件，然後利用XML程式本身的驗證功能判斷有無應用層級的安全攻擊。與先前相關研究比較，本論文所提網站安全防護機制，使用標準的XML Schema作為網站安全政策描述語言，容易學習且無需複雜的編譯器。此外，此安全防護機制不必改變網路組態及現有網站應用程式，均優於以往的作法，是一個簡易又有效的網站安全防護機制。

Many previous studies on web security focus on the data confidentiality issue. However, confidential data in web applications may be revealed even that security mechanisms like SSL or SET are adopted in web sites. This is because there exist potential security vulnerabilities in web applications themselves. Most of these vulnerabilities are caused by the lack of solid input validations for protecting web applications. SQL injection is a typical example of attacks based on the vulnerabilities. Cross-site Scripting (XSS), price changing attack, and poisoned cookie are other known security threats of web applications. It is a challenge to develop a unified method to validate web inputs for all web applications. In this paper, we propose a framework for protecting web applications based on the XML validation technology. We use the standard XML schema as a security policy description language (SPDL). Developers can use XML schema to specify the properties of web inputs. In the proposed framework, located between the web server and web applications, web inputs are first encapsulated in an XML document generated on the fly. Then, the XML document is validated by using XML schema. If no errors are found after the XML validation, the web inputs are valid for web applications. Hence, web applications can be protected effectively. Compared with previous approaches, our framework uses the standardized XML schema as the SPDL for web applications. Therefore, no any particular compiler is required. In addition, no any network configuration is needed in our framework. Legacy web applications can also be protected without any modifications. In summary, our framework provides a simpler and more effective mechanism for securing web applications.