Online Safety - Internet

This article is not intended to be a comprehensive security guide.
We recommend reading additional resources such as those listed under Related Pages for further information.

Please note that security is the responsibility of the customer.
Customers are required to ensure that their computer(s) and/or internet connection are adequately protected against abuse or misuse. Please read our Acceptable Use Policy for further information.

	Contents
	Protection Software Anti-virus Anti-Spyware Firewall Related Pages

When you connect to the internet your computer is exposed to various security risks, some of which can have extremely serious consequences. Westnet takes certain steps to protect customers against some threats, including:

Protecting all connections by default with our Access Control security measures
Providing an optional Email Protection product to help protect your Westnet email address(es) against spam and virus infections

However, you must also ensure that you have additional protection against both these and other threats. Fortunately there are some relatively easily steps you can take to ensure a safer online experience. This article aims to provide an overview of some common security risks that can threaten your online safety and some advice on protecting yourself against them.

Protection Software

The term 'Malware' refers to a broad category of software that is designed to infiltrate or damage a system without a user's consent (e.g. malicious software). This category includes more specific types of malicious software, such as Spyware, Adware and viruses.

It is extremely important that you protect yourself against infection from each threat - the problems caused by Malware can range from annoyances such as pop-up ads to irreversible system damage and/or loss of data. As such, it is recommended that you use a number of different security applications including those outlined below.

Anti-virus

One of the biggest security threats faced by computer users is virus infection. This type of Malware can enter your computer any number of ways, including email, websites, file sharing and instant messaging among others. Most anti-virus programs are simple and easy to use, and provide strong protection against viruses if kept up-to-date.

It is strongly recommended that you purchase/download and install a full version virus scanner on all computers that you own. This will ensure that you continue to receive updates that offer protection against the latest threats - new viruses or variants of existing viruses are created literally every day. You will find trial versions of the most popular anti-virus programs in our Download Vault.

You should not install more than one (1) virus scanner at any time. Virus scanners can conflict with each other and prevent each other from working, as well as potentially causing other issues such as system instability.

Anti-Spyware

Spyware, like other forms of Malware, can cause serious issues and be extremely difficult to remove. Similar to viruses, new forms of Spyware are constantly being detected so it is equally important to have a full version anti-spyware application that is kept updated. For more information on identifying and removing spyware, click here.

Firewall

The main function of a firewall is to inspect traffic to and from your computer, and allow or deny it based on rules. If configured properly, most modern firewalls offer protection against a number of threats including intrusion by hackers, as well as preventing the spread of malware by limiting traffic to certain applications. A firewall should be used as well as other security applications, not instead of them.

Firewalls are typically more complicated than anti-virus software, but the most popular ones are reasonably straight-forward and come with comprehensive help files and documentation. Please visit our Download Vault for trial versions of the major software firewalls.

You should not install more than one (1) firewall at any time. Firewalls can conflict with each other and prevent each other from working, as well as potentially causing other issues such as system instability.