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With a plethora of online nasties ever ready to take advantage of a weakness in your internet security, it is important to know what your home broadband provider offers when it comes to keeping you and your family safe online.

From the reassurance of parental controls that mean you can relax when your kids are online, to comprehensive anti-virus and anti-spyware software to keep your devices and information safe from attack, this guide looks at the details of Plusnet’s internet security package.

Plusnet broadband safety and security

Powered by security experts Norton, Plusnet Protect blocks attacks on your computer and up to six other devices connected to your router. It comes with anti-virus software that will scan your computer for viruses and remove them, and also prevents viruses from getting through in the first place. It also comes with anti-spyware that removes and stops spyware from getting in and stealing your personal data, along with anti-phishing software that will warn you against entering any malicious websites in order to prevent identity theft.

Plusnet Protect also comes with additional security encryption to keep your details secure when using online banking, as well as software that automatically blocks and alerts you of unauthorised attempts at accessing your webcam. Plus, the Norton Password Manager is useful for keeping all your passwords safe and in one place.

Although it is available at no extra charge to most Plusnet customers, Plusnet Protect is not free for Unlimited Fibre (36Mbps) and Full Fibre 36 customers who will have to pay an additional £2 per month to enjoy the benefits of this security software.

To activate Plusnet Protect, you need to log in to your Plusnet account online and go to Add-Ons. Once it is ready to download, Plusnet will send you an email. Installation time takes roughly 30 minutes.

Plusnet anti-virus for Plusnet email

If you have a Plusnet email address, Plusnet’s anti-virus software will scan every message sent to your account for viruses that might be lurking. If it suspects an email of being malicious it will be put into quarantine and you will receive a message from Plusnet alerting you to this fact. If you know for certain that the email is not malicious, then you can just ask Plusnet to send it on to you, but make sure you do so within seven days.

To activate Plusnet anti-virus for email, simply go to Manage my Mail and then switch on the anti-virus which you will find under Spam.

Requirements for Plusnet Protect

Plusnet Protect works on Windows, PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices. Supported browsers are Internet Explorer 8.0 (or higher), Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Safari. Supported Windows devices include those running on Windows 7 with SP1, Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.

Plusnet Parental Controls

Bundled up within Plusnet Protect is Plusnet Safeguard, Plusnet’s parental controls software. This enables parents to block content by category and also by specific website. Parents can block topics such as violence, hate and intolerance, and pornography. You can also block specific websites that sit outside of those topics that you do not want your child to access, such as social media websites including Facebook and TikTok.

In contrast, you can permit certain websites to be accessed if you believe them to be harmless. You can ‘allow’ up to 30 websites within the parental controls setting, which your child will then be able to access without limitation.

Safeguard also comes with an optional timer function, enabling you to set times of day when you want the filters to be off, for example in the evenings once the children are safely tucked up in bed.

Call management and filtering for Plusnet phone

Although many people no longer use their landline, for many it is still useful and it’s good to know that you can block any unwanted nuisance calls with your Plusnet phone package. All Plusnet phone deals come with 1471 to find out who called, 141 to hide your own number before calling, 1571 for voicemail, Caller Display to see who is calling you, and Plusnet Call Protect to block unwanted numbers. If you wish to use the last three features listed, you will need to activate them in your Plusnet account online.

There are also optional – and chargeable – extras for managing and filtering your calls including Ringback, which costs 20 pence per call, and Reminder call, also 20 pence per call.

Parental controls for Plusnet mobile

If your son or daughter has a Plusnet SIM for their mobile phone, you need to call the mobile customer support number on 0800 079 1133 to ensure that adult content is blocked.

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