In the age of the internet, it is incredibly easy for fraudsters to commit crimes related to internet banking and con people out of a great deal of money. Whilst phishing emails have always been something to be cautious of, methods of committing internet banking fraud are becoming ever more sophisticated, and you can never be too careful with your bank transactions.

An increasingly popular method of committing fraud is the production of fake documentation. Fraudsters send letters notifying companies of changes to banking details, and they’re able to make the letters look incredibly convincing. Company logos, personnel names, signatures and many more features can all be replicated to make a document look legitimate. These fake letters will usually be sent to companies notifying them of changes to bank details, tricking them into paying money into the criminal’s account instead.

To avoid this kind of fraudulent activity affecting you, never trust any documentation which informs you of changes to bank details without conducting further investigation. Contact the company who have supposedly sent the letter, but always use the contact details which you have on file for them. Criminals attempting to commit fraud will anticipate you checking and may well have set up fake email accounts, so it’s important not to use any of the information contained within the letter. If you begin dealing with any new companies, remember to take down their contact details and store them somewhere safe so that you can get in touch with the right people should you have any security concerns in future.

Backing up the important information which you keep on your computer is essential. You never know what might happen to your computer and in the event of a hardware failure or other unplanned file deletion, you’ll need to know that you still have access to them. There are a number of options which you can choose in order to keep the data on your computer backed up.

You should ensure that you backup your files on a regular basis to avoid losing anything important. There’s often a setting for doing a full computer backup to your hard drive which will take care of everything which is saved onto your device. However, this won’t protect against theft of your computer – you’ll need to have backed up externally. Doing this is easy with an external hard drive. You can plug it into your computer via the USB port and save a copy of all your important files onto it. They’re not particularly expensive so you may even want to buy two to be on the safe side.

The problem with an external hard drive is that it can also go missing. You may lose it or it may be stolen along with your laptop or PC during a burglary, so it’s never going to give you 100% protection. The best way to mitigate this risk is to use a cloud backup. This is an online backup tool which allows you to store your data and access it from anywhere. It doesn’t involve any hardware so is a very safe and reliable method of storage.

Each IT problem, whether it be an issue with hardware or a software is unique in its own way. So it may seem likely that each issue should be tackled in a different way, to match the problem that needs to be solved.

This is not the case. Each and every IT issue can be approached in a structured way. A way that can be transferred and used on any other problem. A basic overview of the structure is as follows:

Define > Assess > Decide > Implement > Evaluate

While the structure remains the same, the actual tasks that may need to be carried out will likely be different for each IT issue. This is where the nature of issue will need to be assessed, then depending on what the issue is discerned as, a decision will need to be made on what will need to be done.

Online banking has seen many changes over the past several years. Improved functionality and usage reflect the impact of the changes that have occurred. Along with these changes, many important terms and conditions have also been added and updated.

To start off. When reading the terms and conditions of online banking, the words ‘you’, ‘your’ and ‘yours’ generally mean the person requesting online banking. This is important as it implies that anyone who has the ability to use your online banking account is doing so under the terms and conditions of that bank. Regardless if it is actually their account or not.

It is also important to note that ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ generally mean the bank and any agents appointed by the bank that carry out services associated with online banking. This means that 3rd party organisations are also under the terms and conditions of that banks online banking system.

Making sure your computer data is secure is of great importance. Your personal information holds many details about yourself and your business. For this reason it’s wise to utilise the functionality of your computer programs in order to manage your data in a secure manner.

Keeping a record of orders in a spread sheet format will make searching and handling them far easier. A spread sheet can contain thousands of entries, making them suited for businesses that track this amount.

A database serves not only as a record storage system, but a method of inputting data too. A well designed database can make recording thousands of orders far easier thanks to a streamlined data entry system.

A standard word document may be all your business needs. A word document for each individual order, stored in a system of folders is a common technique of order storage.

In the last post we looked at some simple methods you can keep your PC secure. This post continues the topic, focusing on passwords, how they are used and how to keep them safe.

Passwords can be troublesome. They are a pain to remember, but they are an important and necessary part of computer usage. Most websites, programs, games and apps require the use of a username and password, so its important to keep yours safe.

A great way to keep track of passwords is to write them in a small text document on your computer. This is much more effective than relying on the ‘forgotten password’ function many websites and applications use. However, this is not a good idea if your computer is used by people other than yourself.

It can also be effective to write passwords in a notebook that you keep on yourself. This is one of the most secure ways of storing a password as its impossible to access a physical notebook through the internet.

It is common knowledge how to use a computer or internet device. The fact you are reading this on some kind of internet compatible system means you understand the technology pretty well. But do you understand the fundamentals of IT security. It may be more important than you realise.

Basic IT security is straight forward. It’s in its straightforwardness that people often times forget to do it. Keeping up to date on your current procedure is a great way to refresh your ideas on IT security. Which leads us to the first question. What is your current IT security procedure?

It is not as intimidating as it sounds. Simply put, do you have a password on your computer, phone or tablet? Do you think you should have a password on your computer, phone or tablet? The answer to these questions will go along way in identifying your current IT security set up.

There can be many roles within an information services department. In smaller groups these roles may be shared by a few system admins. But within larger groups the maintenance of an IT system is split between several people, one of which is the security administrator.

A lesser known role within computer administration, a security administrator is a specialist in computer and network security, including the administration of security devices such as firewalls.

A common task a security administrator will carry out is the management of the anti-virus software over a system. This software will be updated and checked at regular intervals by the security administrator, in order to maintain the security of a system.

A security administrator will often provide consulting on general security measures. Updating the other members of the information services department on the current operation of the network security, among other status updates of the information system.

Most PC administrators understand the importance of digital computer protection, anti-virus and the like. But it is not often that they are tasked to physically protect a computer.

A PC or laptop with high-end components can amount to a lot of money. It is not an asset that a business wants to leave unprotected, either physically or digitally.

Physical protection of a computer can take many different forms. One solution is to use physical computer clamps. These clamps will securely lock a desktop computer or laptop to a surface. A computer locked in this way is a much harder prospect for thieves, deterring them from potential theft.

Available for laptops are laptop security cables. Attached to the laptop, these allow for the laptop to be moved around, whilst keeping it from being taken from the room it is attached within. Cable lengths can be customised to suit different purposes and multiple connections can allow for several computers to be linked together.

When it comes to online computer security there are hosts of different options. A big deciding factor when choosing protection is whether you should pay for it or not.

The security itself comes in the form of a program you install onto your computer. This program runs in the background at all times. If you happen upon any viruses, malware or spyware, when online the program will ‘quarantine’ and delete theses immediately.

Free versions of virus security are available online. Some of the programs like AVG are very good and provide just as much protection as paid versions. There are some that are not as reputable. Its important to research well to make up for the lack of money you are putting into the program.

A subscription based program can be great as there are usually regular updates from the developers. Obviously there is a price for it, but the quality of the program is usually better because of it.