Protect your computer

We use the latest security measures to ensure that your online share dealing experience is safe and secure. However you need to take steps to protect your computer, so that you can use the internet with greater confidence.

Ensure you have Anti-virus protection

  • These are a type of software that looks out for computer viruses and helps you to remove any viruses or suspicious programs that they find.
  • We strongly recommend that you have up-to-date Anti-virus software installed on your home computer and that you ensure that the software is kept up to date with the latest virus definitions.
  • If you access the internet from your work you should also ensure that your employer has installed an anti-virus solution.
  • It is recommended that you use an Anti-virus program which has an Auto Update feature and that a scan of all files on your PC is scheduled at least weekly.
  • Anti-virus software is available from many suppliers such as Norton, McAfee and Trend Micro and some companies provide free versions of their software.
  • Be aware that some Anti-virus software is better than others - information on different types is available at the following website: Virus Bulletin

Make sure you are protected by a Firewall

  • A firewall can shield your computer from unauthorised access and block unwanted internet activity. If you are using your home computer to access the internet you should use a software firewall. If you use any other PC (eg at work) check that your employer is maintaining a firewall.
  • It is recommended that your Firewall is set up to work on both incoming and outgoing internet traffic, so that you control not only what you allow into your PC, but also have control over what leaves it.
  • Like Anti-virus software, a range of Firewalls are available from free downloads such as ZoneAlarm, Kerio and Sygate to commercial products from Norton, McAfee and Trend Micro.
  • Firewall software is also built into Windows XP and Mac OS X although you may need to activate these as they are often not turned on automatically. These built in tools may not offer protection against certain kinds of threat.
  • Advice on firewalls is available at this website: Firewall Guide

Keep your computer software up to date

  • It is quite common for security problems to be discovered in existing software. When this happens the software company will usually issue an update known as a patch.
  • You should regularly check for updates to the main software on your computer by visiting the suppliers' website or using the update features in their software where these are available. To check for updates and patches you should visit your software publisher's website.
  • If you have a Windows computer you should regularly visit Windows Update to check for new patches from Microsoft.
  • If you have an Apple computer running OS X you should run the Software Update tool regularly.
  • These websites can provide more information to help you keep your computer up to date:
    Microsoft
    Apple