Protection Tips

**Emails:**

It’s advised that you don’t accept or even read emails that come to your inbox from strangers or entities that you don’t know. More often than not they always contain fraudulent, spam, virus and or inappropriate advertising that will essentially be harmful or deceitful. What ever you do, don’t open their attachments either!

**Email Attachments:**

If they’re not from someone you know, it could be wise to delete attachments and there emails immediately. Lots of these types of emails with attachments can hold Spyware or Viruses of some description. And if you ever have to open an attachment, ‘Save it to disk’ first rather than directly opening it so that your Anti Virus software has a chance to scan it.

**Passwords:**

It’s recommended that you don’t store online banking passwords (or any other for that matter) on your computer. If you cannot remember them, store them somewhere else away from your computer. Prevention is better than cure!

**Spyware:**

Promotional CD’s that you may get with magazines or with other items may install spyware on to your computer in an attempt to gather your profile. Spyware can also come from visiting insecure sites or joining up to servicesthat require an email address. There are some ‘free’ software programs around such as Lavasoft’s ‘Ad-Aware’ that detect and remove spyware along with unwanted advertising and tracking components from your computer. Its also handy to use at least two email accounts: A legitimate email for more responsible tasks and associates along with a ‘Spam’ email account which is handy to use at sites or services that you’re suspicous of. This way if you do happened to get spammed or your email goes onto a unwanted subscribers list, it can be differentiated from your legitimate mail.

**Bank Email Messages:**

Banks do not generally email you outside your online account with them. If you get an email from your Bank outside their website, it’s most likely fake and a fraudulent attempt of ‘phishing’ to acquire your bank details! Contact your bank to double check anything suspicious.

**Child Protection Filters**

Protect your children from online predators, exposure to pornograpghy and other contreversial or prohibited material.

**Further Protection Tips:**

More information on Protection can be found at Microsoft's['Protect yourself' page.](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/yourself/default.mspx "Title")

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