The biggest computer security issues facing consumers and businesses today are identity and information theft, says a top executive at leading computer security firm McAfee Inc.

The Santa Clara, California-based company provides clients with anti-virus and firewall software along with other computer security services and tools.

As an ever-increasing number of new viruses, worms, spyware and adware are discovered every day, it is crucial to consistently and regularly protect computer systems against unauthorized intrusions, experts say.

McAfee chief security officer Ted Barlow says hackers are no longer interested in breaking into computer systems and causing them to crash. Instead, they now want to keep a system up and running so they can steal information from it or use it as a launching pad for attacks against other computers.

Barlow says that while 100-per-cent security is never attainable, with the proper tools and precautions, security is "achievable."

"I think the biggest area in terms of what people focus on is how to maintain good compliance and stability of the network - how to keep the viruses out and keep systems up and available," he said, explaining that companies need to maintain their productivity levels while keeping their systems secure.

The first step toward doing that is to maintain good compliance, he said. That means keeping all your anti-virus and firewall software up to date as well as keeping your other software programs and operating systems updated.

For further protection, he recommended having a backup security system for your computer or your firm's network. One way to do this is to sign up for a host "intrusion prevention systems" as a second line of defence.

In this type of system, the host - which could be an Internet service provider - would block the threat before it was able to reach your computer or your company's computer system. This would reduce the risk of hacker attacks if you are unable to download updates regularly every few hours, he said.

ISTCL can help you to protect your critical business information. Our professional consulting staff can perform a systems audit and help you to identify opportunities to strengthen your IT security. Contact us for more information

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