A brief guide to keeping your PC protected, your data secure and your children safe on the internet.
General Security |
| Ensure your wireless network is secure |
An unsecured wireless network allows unauthorised access to both your internet connection and the data on your PC.
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| Enable password protection on your PC |
Without password protection, the data on your PC can easily be accessed. If your PC is stolen, a thief has access to your data within minutes.
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| Dispose of old PC's carefully |
Make sure the data on an old PC cannot be accessed before disposal by removing and destroying the hard disk.
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| Backup your data regularly |
Taking a backup of your data ensures you always have an up to date copy of your data. Backups can be made to a range of devices. |
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Safety for Children |
| Supervise your child's use of the internet |
It is advisable not to allow young children to access the internet anywhere where you cannot see what is on the screen, such as in their bedroom.
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| Encourage awareness of the misuse of personal information |
Sites like Facebook, Bebo, Youtube, Myspace, Profile Pic, Club Penguin, Stardoll & MSN all encourage users to enter personal information which can then be viewed by others. This increases the risk of a stranger contacting them and knowing their details.
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| Restrict the websites your children can visit |
It is possible to restrict the internet access by only allowing the websites you choose to be viewed, an alternative is to select keywords which prevent access to websites containing these words. |
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Anti-Virus |
| Keep your anti-virus up to date |
If your anti-virus is out of date it cannot detect any recent viruses, the most common outbreaks are caused by newly released viruses. Anti-virus software can be downloaded free of charge from the internet and can work just as well if not better than commercial products. |
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Email |
| Never open junk emails |
When you open junk emails, this tells the sender they have discovered a valid email address and they will continue to send you junk emails as well as passing your email address to other junk senders.
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| 'Forwards' / chain letter emails |
Like the chain letters of yesteryear, these are generally sent by people who are collecting email addresses, if you intend to forward on jokes etc sent by email it is good practice to use the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) field to hide the recipient addresses. It is also good practice to edit the email and delete all other email addresses shown in the message. |
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Internet Shopping |
| Look for the padlock |
Before entering any personal or payment details, look for the yellow padlock - this will be shown either in the address bar at the top or in the status bar at the bottom. The padlock symbol signifies that the website has adequate security in place to protect your details.
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| Pay by credit card where possible |
Some credit card companies offer protection when buying goods or services on the internet over £100, protecting against breach of contract or bankruptcy - click here for more info. |
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