Broadband ISP Virgin Media O2 UK Trial New Hub 5 Smart Security

Internet, phone and TV provider Virgin Media UK (VMO2) has today announced that they’ve begun to trial a new “Smart Security” internet protection feature, which is initially being rolled out to “thousands of [eligible] customers” with their latest Hub 5 broadband router at “no extra cost“.

The new Smart Security system will allow users to monitor and manage their internet security in real-time, while also alerting customers to any unusual cyber behaviour. According to the media release: “Smart Security protects connected devices – from mobile phones to video doorbells – by actively fending off cyber-attacks such as ransomware or data stealing. The trial will enable thousands of customers to monitor the security across their network and see what’s been blocked on their browser.”

The new security capability will be “automatically … downloaded to the Hub 5” router, with eligible customers simply needing to activate the trial via the Virgin Media ‘Connect App‘, where they can manage and protect their devices on the newly added Smart Security dashboard. Customers can also cancel the trial at any point, by simply clicking into the settings icon in the top left corner of the home tab on the ‘Connect App’.

So far as we can tell, the goal appears to be to deploy this as a free complement, rather than replacement, to their existing anti-virus/malware focused and F-Secure powered ‘Internet Security’ product (i.e. you don’t need to be taking that in order to benefit from this) – this can work on an unlimited number of devices but costs £30 a year to add, with the first 3 months free.

“With malicious online activity becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s easy to fall victim to cyber-security threats. Simple attacks can happen to anyone and may not even appear to be a risk, such as unknowingly opening an email attachment which contains malware,” said the operator. To help consumers keep their devices safe and secure, Director of Connectivity at VMO2, Gareth Lister, has provided some tips:

VMO2’s Security Tips

1. Avoid hoarding your data:

If you have a video doorbell for example, make sure you regularly clear out and delete old footage that you don’t need.

2. Anti-virus software:

Once it’s on your device, malware can steal your data, encrypt it so you can’t access it, or even erase it completely. If you don’t have any online security yet, Virgin Media broadband customers can add Internet Security, powered by F-Secure, on an unlimited number of devices for £30 a year, with the first 3 months free.

3. Delete suspicious emails:

If something pops into your inbox which doesn’t seem quite right, delete the email straight away. Look out for spelling mistakes, strange looking URLs or amateur logos as these can often be tell-tale signs of a scam or phishing email.

4. Back it up:

Having your device’s important information backed up and saved in a remote location means it can remain safe if something goes wrong.