The need to protect the internet from 'astroturfing' grows ever more urgent

Eight out of 10 web browsers vulnerable to cyber criminals.

Data protection act - make sure you understand and comply !

"The firm behind a leak of the personal details of more than 5,000 broadband customers accused of illegally sharing adult films online could be fined up to £500,000, the Information Commissioner said today.

The list, produced by ACS:Law, which is targeting online pirates, was posted on the internet following an attack on the firm's website.

It contained the names and addresses of more than 5,300 Sky broadband customers alleged to be illegally sharing adult films online."

www.independent.co.uk

"Who's to blame if your hard drive is wiped clean?"

An article in the UK Guardian;

"there is always a risk that repairs will cleanse a computer's hard drive"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/apr/17/consumer-affairs-computing-data-recovery

Advice: take a backup of vital information before letting anyone else use, or work on, your computer.

IT security: backing up

Any organisation that uses computers needs to have a security policy. 

Item 1.0 of the policy should be backups:

1. what to backup ?

2. where to store the backed up data ?

 3. when to backup ?

1. What to backup ? documents; data, including emails and contact lists; device drivers;  application software; hard copy (scanned to hard drive) 

2. Where ? to a backup server on a LAN; removable storage (hard drive, CD, DVD) stored in a safe or off-site; to a remote server via the Internet (cloud computing).

3. When ? Daily/weekly/ ? at end of business/midday ? 

The backup procedure needs to be tested regularly; (monthly?) So does the recovery procedure;

i.e. ensure that whatever has been backed up can be restored in the same state as it was originally.