Broadband gets safer with Virgin Media
Virgin Media has released a major new update of its Virgin Media Security software suite, providing customers with the latest in anti-malware technology to help protect families. The new software guards computers from viruses, spyware and ‘phishing’ scams, and includes an enhanced suite of controls to help parents tailor their family’s internet experience so that children aren’t exposed to adult or unsuitable material. Virgin Media is the first UK ISP to provide security software free of charge to every customer – regardless of their broadband tier – for the lifetime of their Virgin Media broadband subscription.
Jon James, executive director of broadband at Virgin Media said: “We know that consumers are increasingly looking for more than just a ‘barebones’ broadband connection and security is an important part of staying safe online. Consumers need simple, but effective, tools to help secure their computers and personal information and as a responsible, family-focused ISP, we hope that by providing free security and parental control software our customers will be able to enjoy the best of the internet knowing that their kids’ online worlds are safe.”
Virgin Media Security is delivered by Radialpoint and powered by Trend Micro’s award-winning ‘Titanium cloud-based anti-malware technology. It stops threats in cyberspace (or "the cloud") by taking advantage of Trend’s Smart Protection Network – a network that monitors the web around-the-clock, gathering and analysing threat data from across the globe, blocking viruses and other malware before they reach customers home computers. As it’s cloud-based, Virgin Media Security uses less memory and disk space, reducing the ‘slow down’ that plagues traditional anti-malware solutions, whilst still providing the latest protection.
Previously provided at no extra cost for customers of Virgin Media’s ‘L’ broadband package and faster, from today all four million Virgin Media broadband customers can take advantage of free Parental Controls. Simple to install and set up, parents can either choose protection for their family from predefined levels of protection based on age groups, or tailor settings to enable or disable certain categories of websites as desired. Parental Controls also allow users to block web access at certain times of the day (e.g. during homework) or restrict browsing to specific sites, such as social networks, to specified hours.
For those looking for even greater protection, customers can now extend the functionality of Virgin Media Security through a new feature ‘Identity +’. Adding to the leading anti-malware and parental controls features of Virgin Media Security, for £2.50 per month the Identity + service adds a range of fraud and identity protection services, including DataPatrol, powered by Garlik. Every month DataPatrol scans millions web pages to see if a user’s personal information has been leaked, with full support and advice on what action to take if a family member’s details have been compromised.
Virgin Media Security is just one part of Virgin Media’s approach to providing customers with the best technical tools and advice to help keep them safe online. Setting a pioneering standard for ISPs in the UK, Virgin Media works with security organisations such as SOCA, to help warn customers of particularly nasty malware such as the recent Zeus and SpyEye banking Trojans, as well as giving customers the support and tools to help clean infections, either through software solutions such as Virgin Media Security, or through remote control technology through Virgin Media’s Digital Home Support service.
For further information on Virgin Media Security, visit virginmedia.com/security. Customers can also download a free PC Healthcheck utility and find out more about Virgin Media Digital Home Support at virginmedia.com/dhs. For general advice on staying safe online, visit getsafeonline.org.