Personal data protection advice given

2010-02-04

People in the home, such as remote workers, should secure their network to protect their online privacy, it has been advised.

Steps such as password protection should be implemented, said the Online Trust Alliance (OTA), as it handed out advice in celebration of the World Data Privacy Day.

The company also recommended installing software updates, which vendors often provide to fix any security issues with their applications, such as vulnerabilities that may allow cyber criminals to access data.

Operating systems, applications and internet browsers, as well as spam and virus filters, should the kept up to date, the OTA advised.

Additionally, system preferences should be set up to automatically check for updates at a certain day and time every week and to remind people to install them, the organisation added.

Tony Neate, managing director of Get Safe Online, said it is disappointing that some people are not recognising that cybercriminals are out there trying to appropriate their funds.

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