Viruses

To combat viruses, we recommend that you use up-to-date anti-virus software and a personal firewall and, if your computer uses the Microsoft Windows operating system, keep it updated from the Microsoft website.

St. James's Place Bank clients may purchase Trend PC-cillin anti-virus software at a discounted price. For more details, please log in to your Account and select "Anti Virus". (Please note this is only available for customers who are registered for our online banking service.) If you have already taken advantage of discounted software from Trend Micro and you require technical support, please visit Trend Micro's support knowledge base at http://www.support.antivirus.co.uk/trendmicro/regions.jsp

If you prefer you can visit the Bank Safe links page where you will find other recommended manufacturers' websites listed.

Malware

Malware is a malicious kind of software intended to monitor, record or take partial control of a computer's operation without the user knowing or consenting. Other variants are sometimes referred to as "spyware" or "adware". Its activities can vary from

• surreptitiously observing and recording a user's habits for marketing purposes;
• logging a user's keystrokes so that they can be stolen and used later by a malicious user
• causing pop-up boxes (usually adverts) to appear, apparently spontaneously
• redirecting a user's home page to some other web page.
• changing a modem user's dial-up phone number (sometimes to very expensive alternative phone numbers)

Malware is not generally detected by anti-virus software and so additional steps need to be taken to ensure that it is detected and removed.

Anti-spyware programs can combat spyware in two ways: real-time protection, which prevents spyware from being installed, and scanning and removal of spyware. Unfortunately, fake anti-spyware programs are widespread and these actually compound the problem by installing more malware of their own.

The best way to avoid malware is to use a good malware detection system (you could try the ones listed on the Bank Safe website links page). In addition, you should be very cautious about what you choose to download.

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