Those computer users keen on staying safe online now have the chance to read the thoughts of lady bloggers from F-Secure.

F-Secure, a major player in the computer security sector which is based in Helsinki, Finland, has launched Safe and Savvy, which it bills as a blog for anyone interested in staying safe online. It promotes the practise of smarter social networking and promotes protecting irreplaceable content.

What’s more, it’s written by ladies who play crucial roles throughout the company. The Safe and Savvy Blog attempts to put a conversational spin on everyday matters which concern computer users. And the sort of subjects covered will be useful strategies on how to stay safe whilst on social network sites, online banking, and filing and storing digital records such as precious photographs.

Therese Cedercreutz, who is Director Direct Business and Marketing at F-Secure, says:
“Cyber security is often discussed in very technical terms. At F-Secure we have a number of savvy ladies who are well versed in how to keep your content, yourself and your loved ones safe in the online world and who can talk about it in an easy-to-understand, non-technical way. On Safe and Savvy we hope to give helpful tips and have discussions with our readers so they can steer clear of the pitfalls and enjoy their time on the web.”

The company first started writing blogs in 2004 and they claim it is now a well-known and respected source of news for cyber security and crime.

The bloggers, who are all ladies apart from one male admits F-Secure, work in all parts of the company and whereas some have technical jobs and expertise, others come from the business and other departments. But all, say F-Secure, have a passion for sharing their knowledge of online security, which is not only based on their professional lives, but also their personal experiences.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

As people rely on ever more complicated smartphones, it’s clear the information on a lost, or stolen phone, could be used for nefarious means and to combat this, F-Secure has launched F-Secure Anti-Theft for Mobile. Now days it is not just your computer that needs the best pc protection software.

It’s a stand-alone smartphone solution which has at its core three security solutions: remote locking, remote wipe and theft control.

F-Secure Anti-Theft for Mobile serves both the Symbian and Windows phone platforms.

The remote lock function works by a single SMS message which quickly locks the smartphone once it’s loss is discovered. The remote wipe function works in the same way, via one quick SMS message, but it instantly erases all the data on the phone. The theft control function comes into play if someone tries to change the SIM card. It locks the device and informs the registered owner of the new number.

Arnoud de Vaal, Director at F-Secure’s Mobile Business Unit, said:
“You carry your smartphone with you where ever you go, which means it can be particularly prone to being lost or stolen. Nowadays our mobiles contain a great deal of personal and confidential data that need protection. F-Secure’s standalone anti-theft software provides an easy and affordable way to make sure this information is not misused by anyone.”

F-Secure Anti-Theft for Mobile is an upgrade to the existing F-Secure Mobile Security and can be activated using the inbuilt automatic upgrade system and purchased for a fee.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

F-Secure, the Finnish computer security company, has released a free online tool to check the health of your computer.

Called F-Secure Health Check, it is a free online tool that helps to pinpoint security problems and gives clear advice on how to fix them. It examines a person’s computer to see if it is secure and up-to-date for internet use.

Mika Ståhlberg, Vice President of F-Secure Labs, said:
“F-Secure Health Check checks the status of security solutions running on the computer. More than one million people have already used the free tool and our data shows that a third of its users either haven’t installed an antivirus, firewall or antispyware, they are outdated or turned off. Out-of-date or nonexistent security software leave users wide open to malicious software and exploits.”

Additionally, the F-Secure Health Check free tool ensures that a person’s computer’s firewall, antivirus and anti-spyware are working properly, and are up-to-date. It also checks whether the Windows operating system, third party software and Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer web browsers are the latest available versions.

F-Secure point out that with more people visiting diverse web sites and using their computers to watch films, or listen to music, the most vulnerable places open to attack are the heavily used web browsers, media players and plug-ins that are often the most open to attack.

The free tool also verifies whether all your irreplaceable files like photos, music and other documents are being safely backed up by an automatic backup solution.

F-Secure say that their Health Check is quick and easy to run, and does not require to be installed.

It includes the following features:

• Windows 7 compatible;
• Firefox and Internet Explorer 8 compatible;
• Automatic backup solution detection;
• Simplified user experience with three steps and a solutions page;
• Optimized for mini-laptops;
• New Java based launch point technology (no more ActiveX).

The free health check tool is one of a number of security diagnostic checks available from the computer security companies. And although they are of course a marketing device which introduces a potential customer to the company, they do have their role to play. But it’s unlikely that after such a free health check, a product purchase is not recommended.

Guest Article by Neil Camp