Computers can contain a lot of sensitive personal information about their users, and so if you are using a shared computer, either at home, in a student lounge or in a public setting such as libraries, Internet cafes etc, then you will need to take extra steps to ensure you are protected against identity thieves.

Online Accounts
If you have any online bank accounts then you must make sure you keep the sign in information strictly confidential and do not share it with anyone for any reason.  On shared computers it is very important that you make sure you log out of any bank, email or social accounts properly, and closedown the screen after each session.  This will prevent someone from simply sitting down to the computer when you are away from the desk and clicking straight onto your online accounts without having to log in again.

Security Software
Never use a computer to access the Internet unless it has the latest, up to date anti-malware and firewall software in place, as this will protect you against hackers and malicious programs that can infiltrate your system and steal your personal information.  If you are not sure about the security of a shared public computer, do not use it to access any of your personal email, bank, shopping or social accounts, and just stick to generalised web surfing.

Personal Documents
If you need to save personal documents on a shared home computer make sure you password protect them so that they cannot be read by others.  You should avoid saving any documents on a computer that is not in your home, such as one at your college/school study lounge, as you cannot guarantee its security, and it could be accidentally deleted by someone else.  If you need to save a document in these circumstances you should password protect it and save it on a USB memory stick or CDROM, and take this with you when you leave.

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