Barclays urges customers to get secure

Barclays Bank is urging customers of its online service to download security software which is provided as part of a tie-up with Finnish antivirus vendor F-Secure.

The tools available to download on the online banking site include anti-spyware protection and rootkit detection as well as a traditional antivirus product.

The bank will charge customers £16.95 for the antivirus protection, or £27.95 for the more comprehensive package.

Although those charges represent approximately a 30 per cent discount on the retail price, many proponents of such an offering argue that banks could actually absorb the costs of a 100 per cent subsidy by virtue of the savings they would make from reimbursing losses which result from digital identity theft.

David Mitchell, senior operations manager at Barclays, said: "Our aim is to act as responsibly towards our customers as possible. When it comes to online banking, this means not just ensuring that our own processes are completely secure but also that the customer's own PC is protected, so the whole transaction is totally safe."

Mitchell said it is important banks and online retailers take whatever steps they can now, to restore confidence in online transactions.

Brian Gregory, internet security business manager at F-Secure, said: "The hope is that many people will consider using the software to ensure their transactions are fully protected, so that their personal data is kept secure."