Online shopping puts manufacturers' IT systems at risk

New research by security company PC Tools reveals that scammers are becoming more active from the end of November and through the Christmas period. And that means businesses need to ensure their computers are fully up-to-date with the latest antivirus software.

Paula Backen, a director of Ulysses IT, says: "It only takes one employee clicking a link in a spam email and your network can be compromised. Your employee can have their financial details stolen, and your computer can be infected with a virus which can be hugely disruptive or even damage your data."

Recent figures from Get Safe Online show that only 85 per cent of PCs have anti-virus software installed. And almost half do not update it frequently enough to keep it effective.

Backen adds: "Keeping your network and data safe is not difficult. The most reliable way to do it is to install software which updates itself automatically. When humans are not relied upon to update something, there is a lot less risk."

Ulysses IT provides computer support for manufacturers across the UK. The business was established in 1998 and operates as an outsourced IT department for clients, mostly on a pay-as-you-go basis.