SW Security Notice
In order to run the club we employ a range of online software and services such as email, WordPress for the website and now online meeting software such as Zoom.
The club also has active Twitter, Facebook and Flickr accounts and over time we may use more services as seen appropriate. Note that some of these services may use or share your personal data, and you may wish to consult their Data and Privacy Policies before using them (see bottom of the page).
Often our specialist groups and club talks rely on software like Adobe Photoshop, LightRoom and many others.
It is important to realise that using any software may carry a risk and no one representing the Club, including any committee member, is not in a position to quantify the risk of using a particular piece of software. However, we only choose software that is in general use, is generally respected by the public domain, in order to fulfil a particular role.
If you choose to install, access or otherwise use any of the software needed to join in club activities you need to realise that you do so at your own risk. You can minimise any risks by following the some basic rules:
- Make sure your operating system is up to date and has all the latest security patches. Do not use operating system versions that are no longer supported by the manufacturer, e.g. Windows XP, Windows 7 etc.
- Make sure you have effective anti-virus software installed.
- Make sure you only use up to date browsers and that you keep them up to date by applying regular security updates. Do not use old, unsupported browsers such as IEE which is notorious for security flaws.
- Do not reuse the same password. Use a different password for each service or site you access. Using a password safe program like KeePass can make this much easier to manage.
- Do not install software unless you are 100% sure of the source and integrity of it. Do not use pirated software as this often includes viruses and trojans.
So in summary, please use all software responsibly and securely and be aware that the Club and its representatives are neither responsible or liable for any security breaches. We encourage members to ensure that their system is up to date with security systems and to avoid using weak passwords. This general and widely recommended practice helps to better protect systems, programs and devices from attack by malicious individuals.
Data and Privacy Policies