New PCs ripe for Christmas hackers

'A PC is for life' warns Government's Get Safe Online campaign

Thousands of people will turn on their new PC this Christmas and their happiness will crash as the machine is infected with a virus, the Government has warned.

It has therefore launched an appeal 'A PC is for life and not just for Christmas' to urge people to ensure they make PC security a top priority before, during and after they go online.

Research carried out by ICM for Get Safe Online said although just over a fifth of the population is either planning to give, or hoping to receive a PC this year, people still do not appreciate the seriousness of ensuring their online protection is up to date.

Microsoft and Get Safe Online spokesperson Nick McGrath said: "Many people will be looking forward to getting a new PC as a Christmas present, giving them access to the rich resource of the internet."

But as the speed with which new attacks are launched increases, new PCs are the most vulnerable; people usually haven't been able to download the latest patches for their operating system or updates to their security software in order to protect themselves.

It is estimated that an unprotected PC can now be hijacked or infected with malware within minutes of logging onto the web; research carried out by one US firm Avantgarde showed that automated cyber attacks often take the quickest route to break through via security weaknesses in the PC operating system.

However, the study found over half of people surveyed are confident the PC they are either giving or receiving this Christmas is protected before it is even unwrapped.

"By the time you unwrap your PC this Christmas, regardless of security measures that have been pre-installed, an entirely new threat will have emerged, " said McGrath.

"Going online without thinking about the security of the PC is like crossing a motorway with your eyes closed; you might get lucky and get across without getting hit, but realistically you’re unlikely to make it across unscathed."

Although the study showed over a fifth believed that security was not their problem, the campaign points out consumers have some responsibility for their safety. They cannot expect to be able to offload this task and take the PC back to the shop if it contracts a virus or experiences security problems.

McGrath added: "Governments and businesses are working tirelessly to counter online security threats but the reality is we’re dealing with criminals who use ever-sophisticated methods to attack computers.

"Prevention is the best defence. For many people today, a PC is increasingly becoming a vital investment for the home and as long as you take some basic measures from the moment you boot-up and throughout its life-time, it can remain that way."

To avoid any tears and heartache this festive break Get Safe Online, which is sponsored by organisations such as BT, Ebay, Microsoft and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has guidance published on its website. This urges new PC owners to:

• Install a firewall – this acts as a barrier between the public internet and your private computer system and protects against hackers breaking into your system and viruses and worms which spread from PC to PC.
• Install anti-virus software – this scans incoming emails for attached viruses, monitors files as they are opened or created to make sure they are not infected and performs periodic scans of every file on the computer.
• Install anti-spyware – spyware is an unwanted programme that infects your PC making it a target for online criminals. Anti-spyware operates like anti-virus software, preventing spyware from infecting your machine and performing checks that alert you if spyware has taken hold.
• Update your operating system – as new threats emerge, Microsoft updates its Windows operating system and Microsoft Office applications to block them. However, you need to download the updates regularly to be sure of getting maximum protection.
• Make regular back-ups – backups are the last line of defence against hardware failure, floods or fires, the damage caused by a security breach or just accidental deletion of data. If you take all the steps above you should be safe, but backing up important files on a memory stick or disc is advisable.