Broadband security 'always running behind criminals'

Urging companies that conduct any part of their business using the internet to keep security systems up-to-date, an expert has warned that web criminals are often one step ahead.

In some cases it can be up to three months before online security experts fully understand new methods that web criminals come up with, according to Broadband Choices product director Michael Phillips.

"Actually educating people about the threat that there is probably takes another six to 12 months after that," he suggested.

But Mr Phillips claimed that the threat of this lag in security protections can be reduced by government-run education programmes.

"The government should be taking a lead on this," he said.

"They are the biggest advertiser in the UK and they educate on all sorts of other ways that people can protect themselves in society and the government should take a lead in telling people how to protect their PC."

Keeping a close eye out for updates to security applications will provide firms the best possible defence against all but the most advanced hackers, although Mr Phillips admitted that some criminals "are always going to be more innovative and it is impossible to second guess what they are going to think of next".