Australian Computer Society to use Sophos security solution

The ACS is for professionals who work in information and communications technology (ICT) in Australia, with more than 17,000 members from all levels of the ICT industry.

According to Rob Forsyth, managing director Sophos APAC, there is a  need for all computer users to run up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware security software.

"Computers without sufficient protection are increasingly being used by cybercriminals to launch large-scale spam attacks that aim to steal money and confidential information from unsuspecting computer users," he said.

Sophos' latest report reveals that one in every 416 email messages between July and September 2008 contained a dangerous attachment, designed to infect the recipient's computer - this is an eight-fold rise compared with the previous quarter where the figure was one in every 3,333 emails.

"Having up-to-date anti-virus protection, installing and running a firewall, and ensuring that all security patches are in place will significantly reduce the likelihood of your computer being compromised and used to conduct illegal cyber activity," added Forsyth.

"Through this offer, Sophos is proud to support members of the ACS. 2009 may be a tough year for parts of our industry, but together, Sophos and the ACS intend to make it an even tougher year for cybercriminals."

Kim Denham, CEO of the ACS is delighted with the agreement and said it demonstrates the association's role in advocating e-security, and provides another benefit to its large membership base. 

"E-security is a very important issue for our industry, and the ACS has been actively advocating a holistic approach to e-security measures with the Government for some time," said Denham. 

"We are now living in a networked era, where uninterrupted access to the web and private and corporate email is part of life.  By taking a sensible approach to e-security, our members can protect the integrity of both public and private digital infrastructure."

Sophos Endpoint Security delivers integrated protection for Windows, Mac and Linux computers, providing protection against virus, spyware and adware.