Here are some useful tips to help keep your computer and network secure:

• If you are using an ADSL router to connect to the Internet - do not enable the port forwarding or DMZ features of the router unless you know exactly why and its for a specific reason / application as this can by-pass the protection afforded by the NAT / firewall system on the router.

• Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date but take sensible precautions anyway - i.e. do not open files from people you were not expecting them from (remember it could contain a new virus that the anti-virus companies are not aware of - yet!).

• Keep your copy of Windows up-to-date by going to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com - there are frequently patches for both the main operating system and key applications like Outlook Express / Internet Explorer.

• Remember to keep frequent backups of all (or at least important) data and ensure the backups are tested on a regular basis.

• If you were especially concerned with the safety of data on your machine - backups help but if it is very sensitive you can get applications like PGP that can encrypt email and other data on your machine.

If you have any other questions please contact us.