WHOSE EMAIL IS IT ANYWAY?

 Are you keeping an eye on your internet security? Or is someone watching you? These are questions which will be posed at a seminar run by two Essex-based companies specialising in IT and HR issues.

Colchester-based HR experts Park City Consulting are hosting the Institute of Directors event with Basildon-based IT network specialists Yellowspring at the Ivy Hill Hotel in Margaretting, near Chelmsford, on October 9th.

The seminar will look at what rights an employer has to look at staff emails - and what rights an employee has to privacy, as well as a variety of topics from spam email to internet security, hacking, Data Protection and Human Rights legislation.

Juliet Price, Managing Director of Park City Consulting, said: "We've heard of a number of cases where staff have been abusing their email systems, including one firm where some members of staff were drug dealing over the internet.

"While most firms don't have problems of this scale, many have issues relating to employees shopping online in work time or writing offensive emails which are then widely circulated. Managers can end up in trouble if a company fails to have a clear policy in place."

According to new research, almost half of the world's computers are 'sitting targets' for hackers, while a further third are considered to be medium risk. Belgian security company ScanIT surveyed more than 100,000 computer users and found that hackers were finding ways in through internet browsers.

"There are numerous issues relating to internet security that firms ought to be aware of," said Paul Rolison, Managing Director of Yellowspring. "As well as ensuring that your own staff aren't passing on vital information, you need to make sure no-one else can get into your system, while at the same time weeding out viruses and spam email.

"During the seminar, I will be looking at the technological tools that are available and being developed to address these issues."