A personal firewall option has been added to the latest version of SpyKiller, the market leading data protection and authentication system from Open Seas.

With the widespread availability of 'always on' Internet connections such as broadband and ADSL, online security has become more of an issue than ever before.

Until fairly recently, only large organisations could afford the leased lines which offered a permanent connection to the Internet. Now such a service is commonplace even for domestic consumers and, with the new generation of GPRS always on mobile connections now available, laptop computers will soon be joining the revolution.

The downside is that with a line always open, computers are potentially much more vulnerable to being accessed by outsiders. So-called 'spyware' and 'trojan' programs can even be installed by remote users to send information out surreptitiously from a targeted computer. Software readily available from the Internet allows anyone with minimum technical knowledge to scan an unprotected machine and obtain all kinds of information, from personal credit card details to confidential customer data - as the recent Bugbear-A virus did.

Version 5.3 of SpyKiller's access control system now incorporates a sophisticated software firewall protection screen, which can be customised by the user to block all unauthorised access to from the Web to their computer, including the activity of rogue software on their own machine. When used in combination with SpyKiller's other security features, such as file encryption, the firewall makes it virtually impossible for hackers to gain access.

According to Jason Kent, Managing Director of Open Seas, "The latest provisions of the Data Protection Act making it a criminal offence not to protect personal information held in electronic form. With widespread adoption of GPRS just around the corner, companies should think about the security implications now."

For more information about SpyKiller and Open Seas' other products and services, including advice about the Data Protection Act, please either contact us or request information.