Protect your devices

Check that your Operating System is up to date

To prevent known vulnerabilities from being exploited, your device's operating system must be kept up to date.

We recommend turning on automatic updates for your operating system to make sure you are always protected.

Check you have Anti Virus installed and turned on

Antivirus (AV) software actively scans your device to ensure that you don't have any malicious or unauthorised software running on your device.

If you have no Antivirus installed, Avast provides free Antivirus software and can be downloaded from the Avast website.
After installing Antivirus software, you should run a full scan, following prompts if anything is found. Once you have a clear scan report you should set up a regular scheduled scan on your device.

Check that your device has a Firewall turned on

A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules. This protects your device from unauthorised or malicious connections.

Check that your device has a login password or pin

If you are using a personal device, you must have a login password or pin set. This provides protection against prying eyes and any third parties from accessing your data.

Check that your device is Encrypted

While not required, if you have private or sensitive data on your device, it's recommended that you encrypt your hard drive. This means that if your device is stolen or lost, it will be a lot harder for a malicious party to get access to your data.