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Top 10 tips for staying safe on new Christmas gadgets

A few simple precautions can keep you - and your children - safe on new gadgets from iPhones to Xboxes to PCs.

A few simple steps can help keep you safe online this Christmas (Image: Fotolia)

Most households will have unboxed a new piece of technology - or even more than one - this Christmas.

But those shiny new gifts can bring unwanted 'extras' - and even leave you open to cyber crime.

Whether it's a PC or Mac, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 or a mobile device such as Apple's iPhone or Google's Android, then you'll want to stay safe using it and, if you have children, want them to be secure too.


So here are our top 10 tips for keeping secure on some of the new technology you received or gave as a present this Christmas.


[Related: Ten of the biggest games for 2013]


Register your new products on Immobilise
The UK National Property Register allows you to record everything from bicycles to computers and mobile phones.

You can create an account and add details for your phones and laptop, meaning if they're lost or stolen they can easily be identified. Mobiles registered via their IMEI number can also then be locked by the networks and prevented from being used in the future. You might also consider marking larger products such as TVs and desktop computers in the classic old school way - with your house number and post code using an ultra violet pen. This can then be read by the police if found, in the hope of returning it to the rightful owner.


Install some virus protection
It's never the first thought when you're desperate to get to grips with what that new PC can do but without the right software, you're leaving yourself wide open to hackers and cyber criminals. Deborah Preston, Norton's Security Expert, said: "Cyber criminals are more sophisticated than ever before and they'll jump on any social trend to spread malware and steal your personal details."

You're bound to be using social networks far more over the Christmas and New Year period, so always be careful of clicking on links that you don't know are secure. Many viruses will spread this way through rogue festive messages on Facebook and Twitter or fake stories and videos that tempt you in. Just because it's been posted on a friend's Facebook or Twitter account, it doesn't mean it is safe!

Teach your kids to be SMART

If that new computer is for all the family then it's important to make your children aware of the potential dangers in cyberspace without scaring them. Whether they're visiting chatrooms, talking online to friends or using social networks, they could fall prey to problems such as cyberbullying or those looking to do them harm. You'll find the SMART rules - Safe, Meeting, Accepting, Reliable and Tell on the excellent thinkuknow.co.uk website run by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre. There's plenty of tips for all ages as well as some for parents in its comprehensive database of advice.

Change all of your passwords
Getting a new PC or Mac should mean a fresh start for all your computing tasks so it's no better time to change all of your passwords for ones that are more secure. Each account you use will have different rules but generally a mix of numbers, letters, uppercase, lowercase and symbols will be the strongest. Avoid obvious words and phrases, your date of birth and other family names - many of these can be found on Facebook, so are an 'open door' for cyber criminals.

Shop safely and securely

One of the first things you'll probably do with your new computer is head straight for the online sales. Many virtual stores, and even high street ones, begin their Boxing Day sales online on Christmas Day. But when bagging a bargain beware deals that look too good to be true - they usually are.

They could be offers found via a search that lead to a rogue website designed to secretly download a virus or spyware to your machine. You could also find yourself on fake payment pages that capture your credit card information and personal details to commit fraud - and you'll never see your goods. Always look for the https:// in the URL when checking out and paying along with the "padlock" sign in your browser.

Schedule automatic updates

It's a pain having to remember to keep your security software up-to-date with all the latest viruses and alerts. But all modern packages allow you to schedule a download and installation, meaning even if you forget to do it manually, you will still be protected. Also ensure you have scheduled updates for your Windows and Mac operating software. This will mean any security holes found by Microsoft and Apple will be fixed instantly with patches they have created.

Install Parental Controls
There are plenty of ways to prevent youngsters from accessing certain websites or going online when they shouldn't using those tools built in to the two main computing operating systems. You can find tips for Microsoft Windows here [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/products/features/parental-controls] along with ones for an Apple Mac [http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/#parentalcontrols]. But don't forget, if you've given the gift of a games console this Christmas, these can also access the web and go online. Click here to find parental controls for Xbox 360 [http://support.xbox.com/en-US/billing-and-subscriptions/parental-controls/xbox-live-parental-control] and here for those on a PlayStation 3 [http://uk.playstation.com/ps3/support/general/detail/linked233999/item391100/Parental-controls/]

Watch out for unsecure wireless

Whether you're logging on from a portable computer, tablet or mobile phone, be careful which wireless networks you select when out and about. It may be an enticing offer when you see a "free Wi-Fi" sign but often, unless in established chains and stores (and not always here), these may not be secure. It's impossible to always be sure but an unsecure network means people can piggyback the signals and potentially retrieve stuff from your device.

On a laptop or Macbook that's connected to a public network, you could also find yourself unwittingly displaying your machine and therefore giving others the ability to hijack it. Ensure you turn off your visibility in the settings and if you still use Bluetooth, ignore any random requests to connect to your mobile phone while out and about. Consider buying your own personal Wi-Fi dongle to connect your devices to.

Don't leave addresses in your sat-nav
It may seem a good idea to pre-program favourite routes and destinations into your new sat-nav device but if it's stolen, you'll simply be telling the thieves where you live, work and play. If you must store details in the device, don't use obvious markers such as "Home" to describe them.

Use "Find My..." on your iPhone, iPads and Macs

Apple's Find My service works on Mac computers running the latest Mountain Lion operating system as while as mobile iOS devices such as the iPhone 5, iPad and iPod touch. By switching this on, you will be able to track your costly new toy if it is lost or, even worse, stolen - assuming it is connected to the internet or has a 3G signal. It'll pinpoint the device on a map and you can even send a message to it, make it play a sound or lock it down so it can't be used.