Data security will be one of your greatest concerns if you use the internet regularly, particularly if you wish to shop online, use internet banking or store personal information on your PC or laptop.
The key issues around data security broadly fall into four categories:
- spyware, and hijackware,
- viruses,
- malicious hacking, and
- 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. Without data security, 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
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 every time you go online. This is why you should always have a backup process in place to ensure your data security. See also our virus detection page.
DATA SECURITY AND 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 preserve your data security and protect against hackers.
DISPOSAL OF UNWANTED COMPUTERS
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 hard drive even if it is reformatted and cleaned! This is a breach of your data security and 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 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 limit your internet experience.
ChalkHill Systems will help you create a secure system to ensure optimum data security and 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 01737 845980 to ensure your computer is safe from prying eyes and attack!