What is an alert?

The Stay Smart Online Alert Service includes four specific types of reports:

• Alerts
• Advisories
• Newsletters
• Factsheets

Each of these report formats have a different purpose and significance.  By understanding the purpose of each report format, you can best ensure that you receive the type of information in the most timely manner for your requirements.

A Stay Smart Online Alert will provide information about computer threats or software or hardware bugs which poses a HIGH risk to the Internet users and/or their computer's files and/or the security of their computer system itself.

If the Alert contains information about a software or hardware bug, it will generally recommend a course of action be taken in a time critical manner in order to help users protect their information, files and computer from attack.

If the Alert contains information about an Internet based threat, it will generally provide a warning information about an attack that is currently underway targeting Australian Internet users in order to help users recognise elements of the attack and what they need to do to avoid being affected by the attack.

Because all information contained in Alerts are HIGH risk, they are important and if applicable to your situation be taken seriously.