Stay Safe Online with Norton 360

The internet is an incredible place for finding information. From health care to gardening tips; from finding old friends and sharing photos of grandchildren to keeping in touch via Skype, the worldwide web can enrich your lifestyle in many ways. But while the internet is an exciting place to explore, everybody who uses it needs to be careful not to fall prey to tricks and scams.

Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report found the number of web-based attacks per day increased by 93 percent in 2010 compared to 2009. Today’s high-tech criminals use phishing scams, which masquerade as emails from legitimate companies such as banks and lottery groups, to acquire sensitive information like usernames, passwords and credit card details. In 2010, 65 percent of malicious links observed by Symantec used shortened URLs, commonly referred to as Tiny URLs.

The Norton Cybercrime Report found that 70 percent of New Zealand adults have experienced some form of cybercrime. The average cost to Kiwis of resolving a cybercrime issue is $529 and these attacks are on the increase. So, just as you need locks to keep criminals out of your home, you also need locks to keep them out of your computer. To help protect your online activities, Norton has teamed up with GrownUps.co.nz to offer some advice about staying safe online as well as giving you the chance to win one of five copies of Norton 360 version 5 internet security suite.

Norton 360 protects your digital lifestyle against viruses, PC slowdowns and file loss by offering automated online backup, identity protection, antispyware protection and parental controls so children can also surf the web safely. The all-in-one solution for protecting your computer retails for a recommended price of $129.99 and can be used to protect three PCs for one year each.

Here are Norton’s top tips for staying safe online.

• Beware suspicious of email – Don’t open attachments from unknown senders and never reply to spam. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

• Neighbourhood Watch – If you’ve got multiple computers linked together on a network check there are no strangers loitering.

• Patch up your PC – Download the latest security software updates as they become available.  

• Layer your security – The more security you have the better protected you’ll be from cybercriminals.

• Back it up – If you’ve got important data, back it up. There are too many ways to lose information.

• Password power – The stronger your passwords, the more likely they will fend off intruders.

• Keep security fresh – You should also change your passwords every 45-60 days.

• Don’t order the spam sandwich – Report spam and use anti-spam software whenever possible.

• Physical security still counts – Virtual problems can begin in the real world, so lock or shut down your computer when it’s not in use.

• Stay up to date by checking the Norton Cybercrime Index for daily insight and news: www.nortoncybercrimeindex.com

Enter the draw to win a copy of Norton 360 here.

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