If you use the internet regularly, security will be one of your greatest concerns, particularly if you wish to shop online, use internet banking or store personal information on your PC or laptop.

The key issues around security broadly fall into four categories:

a) spyware, and hijackware,

b) viruses,

c) malicious hacking, and

d) disposal of unwanted PCs and hard drives

Spyware and hijackware

Spyware is a type of programme that watches what people do with their computers and then sends that information over the internet. This information is used to inform organisations about how the internet and indeed PCs/laptops are used. This information is used to target individuals with popup advertising and other promotional items.

Malicious spyware can attempt to load onto your computer and subvert its operation. This could include searching for passwords, credit card details or other personal and financial information.

Firewalls are effective means of stopping spyware attacks, but can be difficult to install and configure.

Viruses

See our virus detection page. Many viruses are relatively harmless and can be easily detected, quarantined and disposed of, however some are deadly and can scramble the data on a hard disk or terminally corrupt an operating system. Even with virus protection the threat is a very real one faced everytime you go online. This is why you should always have a backup process in place. (See Data Recovery).

Malicious hacking

As broadband offers people the opportunity to be online for extended periods – perhaps even twenty-four hours a day – so too does it encourage ‘hackers’ to attack and gain control of computers directly. This ‘peer-to-peer’ activity can be devastating to a user.

Again suitable software firewalls can help to protect against hackers.

Disposal of unwanted PCs and laptops

As the replacement of computers becomes ever cheaper, PCs and laptops almost become disposable items. The problem is that when they are disposed at council tips, given to friends or to charities, much of the data still remains on the computer even if it is reformatted and cleaned! This residual data can be accessed by criminals to ‘steal’ someone’s identity. There is currently a worldwide network of gangs who take second hand disks and extract the data for criminal purposes.

ChalkHill Systems can ensure that your unwanted PCs are properly ‘cleaned’ and all data is removed.

Why ChalkHill Systems?

While the internet is booming, so too is identity theft and the threats from ‘cyber-hackers’. Building a fortress around your computer may be desirable but could reduce functionality and make the limit your internet experience.

ChalkHill Systems will help you create a secure system to reduce the threat of attack:

• identify spyware, highjack-ware, malicious-ware or viruses on your computer
• advise and implement a software firewall, virus protection and privacy solution
• ensure that you clearly understand the sources of identity theft and dispose of unwanted hardware properly.

Call us now on 0845 430 9066 to ensure your computer is safe from prying eyes and attack!