With more than 65% of households in the UK now connected to the internet it has never been easier for people to carry out their day to day activities online.

But as Safer Internet Day today highlights - as the number of people going online soars, so do the risks to your PC and your personal information.

According to the government and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) backed website, www.getsafeonline.org, 26% of the UK's internet users are now more afraid of being a victim of internet crime than they were 12 months ago.

Although it's estimated that 85% of internet users use some form of virus protection, the number of people who still remain at threat from internet scams and targeted fraud are on the rise - and as over one third of internet users have already found out, being a victim of a virus attack can have serious implications to your online safety and personal data.

With an estimated 1,000 new computer viruses emerging each month and the increased sophistication which internet fraudsters are employing to ‘hack in' to their victims, both domestic internet users and businesses need to be vigilant.

Regardless of the amount of time that you spend online, several simple steps should always be taken to ensure the internet security of users.

Managing Director Teifion Davies said: "More than 100,000 people are victims of identity theft in the UK every year and although systems such as anti-virus protection and firewalls fight to keep out unwanted visitors, it's also crucial that internet users are vigilant at all times and are always ready to question the validity of emails and attachments.

"Phishing scams that rely on users' trust have risen dramatically in the last year. These emails look like they are from reputable well-known businesses asking you to confirm the details that they have for you, but instead they will capture data on you and often your banking details too.

"The rise of Wi Fi has also raised the risks dramatically as many people overlook encrypting their devices so that only they can access them - and no-one else."

"The internet is an amazing facility that is changing the way that people interact and operate," added Mr Davies. "But users should continually monitor and run updates on their computer to keep it safe and free from intrusion."

Top tips to staying internet safe:

• Around two-thirds of all email received is spam which can threaten your security. Protect your computer from outside threats by ensuring that you have firewall and make sure that you keep it up to date. Even an hour without this kind of protection is likely to result in viruses and unwanted attention reaching your computer.
• If your children are using the internet make sure that the computer is always visible to you. Make up a family email address for your children to use if they need to, contact your service provider about the child protection measures that you can apply to your internet package and speak to your children about the sites that they visit and the people they chat to.
• Use a reputable web browser to search the internet and make use of the ability of your email accounts to block spam emails from unknown senders.
• Secure your Wi-Fi with a password only entry so that only you - and those that you want to be able to - can access the internet.
• Only open emails and attachments from people that you know well and trust. Downloading files from unknown sources is one of the quickest ways that a virus can reach your computer.
• Always think twice before transferring information from computers using a USB stick. You can easily pick up viruses from one and pass them on.
• Use different passwords for different websites. It may seem an obvious tip, but by choosing a password that includes your name or home town or by using the same password on numerous sites massively increases your chances of being a victim.
• Refrain from posting personal details about yourself on social networking sites - even a few pieces of information on your address, email, date of birth and your full name can make you an easy target for ID fraudsters.

Fnd out more at www.saferinternetday.org

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