Staying Safe on the Internet

The Internet is a world wide community and resource that can make everyone's life better. However, it is also important to be safe online and so this page provides a brief summary or check list. Sadly, there are a lot of villains out their who want to hijack your PC, steal your credit card details and turn a simple bit of online shopping into something much more sinister. Adopting the following rules and be vigilant at all times.

7 Rules to Internet Safety

1. Only enter your credit card information on Secure Sites (check for the padlock symbol)
2. Log out of websites before leaving if you're using a public website or accessing the internet from a café, for instance
3. If a website asks you to install something, make sure you trust them – if unsure, don’t do it.
4. Be vigilant for email scams – see our scam guide below
5. Keep your PC up to date. On windows, visit Windows Update every now and again for security updates
6. Install Antivirus and a Firewall AND KEEP THEM UP TO DATE!!! (see our recommendation below)
7. Install a spyware scannner to get rid of programmes that hijack your browser or tell people private information

Our recommendation

Norton is second to none and we heartily recommend it. It has antivirus, firewall, spam-filtering and spyware filters and they are quick to respond to new threats & viruses. Order it from the above link and you can have it download and install virtually by itself – it’s definitely the easiest way.

Protecting your details

The vast majority of websites are safe places to be run by legitimate companies, organisations and individuals so there's no need to be frightened about putting your name, address and email address into a sign-up form. If you are a little concerned, take a look at the site's privacy policy (they tend to stick the link at the bottom of the page because it's boring!). If in doubt, speak to a company. Be wary of those where it appears impossible to find an address or phone number.

Email scams

One of the commonest threats to people’s security is email scams. They take many forms, for instance:

• Emails from someone abroad who wants help to get funds out of/ into a country for a share
• You’ve won a lottery you didn’t know you had entered
• Update your online banking details (often with a major bank logo in the email)
• There has been a security threat to your PayPal account and we need you to log in and update
• We’re about to close your account with…
• Thank you for your order for something you didn’t at a hefty price…

Most of these are what we call ‘identity fraud’ where someone is trying to encourage you to release private information. View all of these as suspicious and although it would be lovely to think that someone you didn’t know wanted to give you $3 million, be realistic about it! Delete them and think about it no more.

When something goes wrong...

Despite all your hard work at security, installing things correctly and keeping your PC or laptop running smoothly, we all know that things can go wrong. When you’re on your own without a ‘technical department’ to help out then the best solution is to take a support package from a provider like zuuAssist. For most things you won’t even have to send them your computer!