FAQs

  1. The FCS Client is free to end users. Can I download it from here?
  2. I downloaded your software from a FCS subscriber.  How do I know some rogue program has not replaced it?
  3. Do you collect any information about what I am doing on my computer?
  4. I got your software from a friend, but it doesn’t seem to work right. What’s wrong?
  5. How am I kept up to date with new safe and dangerous sites?
  6. What are the system requirements to run FCS?
  7. What are the guarantees it will always report correctly?

The FCS client is free to end-users. Can I download it from here?
You can’t download the software from here, although it is free to end-users. Let’s explain why. FCS’s business is about fighting cyber security fraud. The hackers that can superimpose safe URL’s in browsers, hiding the false ones they are directing you to, are always looking for ways to fool us. They do not like this software. The software can only be downloaded from a FCS subscriber’s site after you have signed in to their secure site. This way you positively know that you are getting the real software from us. If it was a freely available download and was passed around the Internet, a hacker could produce a program that looked exactly like ours, appeared to function like ours, but didn’t warn of fake sites. If you got this software from a friend how would you positively know if it was the real deal? The distribution of the software is therefore carefully controlled. Only believe it’s real if you downloaded it from a FCS subscriber web site AFTER you have signed in to their secure site.
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I downloaded your software from a FCS subscriber. How do I know some rogue program has not replaced it?
When you install the FCS Client program you are asked to give it a unique identifier, such as ‘Jim’s PC’. This is then encrypted and displayed on the top line of the FCS window. If anyone tries to replace this program, they will not be able to find and duplicate your identifier. Always ensure you can see it. You can change your identifier at any time in the Properties box of the program.
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Do you collect any information about what I am doing on my computer?
Absolutely not. We are totally positively opposed to any form of information collection from you that you are not fully aware of. One objective of this program is to stop you giving confidential information to criminals, believing you are in contact with your bank or other e-commerce site. It would be a total contradiction of our objectives if we were to protect you from one source, but collect information ourselves.
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I got your software from a friend, but it doesn’t seem to work right. What’s wrong?
Consider this analogy. You buy a Rolex in a bar for the price of two drinks. It doesn’t keep time, so you complain to Rolex. They tell you it might say Rolex on the face, but it was not made by them. Do you have a valid claim against the manufacturer? If you had bought it from an authorised dealer you can be certain it is genuine, and in the very unlikely event you had a problem, you would be taken care of.

Just like the watch, you only know it’s our software if you download it from a FCS subscriber’s site, do not accept copies from elsewhere. We cannot be responsible for what other software may or may not do, even if it has our name on it.
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How am I kept up to date with new safe and dangerous sites?
Just like an antivirus program, the FCS Client program regularly checks for updates. Updates are performed transparently and with zero user intervention. Because FCS checks every 15 minutes, if a subscriber finds a spoof site, or adds a new site to their web, you will be notified within 15 minutes, ensuring you are up to date.
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What are the system requirements to run FCS?
Most computers that run Microsoft Windows can run the software. Currently it supports Windows 98SE, 98ME, 2000, XP (Home and Professional) and all 32 bit flavours of Vista. If you are using a 64-bit flavour of Vista it will run unless you have stopped 32 bit programs running.  There is a 64-bit version for Vista in advanced development. It supports the two most common browsers, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and above and FireFox 1.5 and above. There are other operating systems and browsers in development.
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What are the guarantees it will always report correctly?
Just as antivirus software can never guarantee it will trap every virus, FCS can only report on information it knows. As with antivirus companies we are always working to identify and trap new variants. If you think you are on the web site of a FCS subscriber and you don’t see their logo, be very cautious. If you get the red ‘Extreme Caution’ window never input sensitive information. Remember that you will get a yellow for companies that don’t subscribe to the FCS service, as we do not have their information. If you think FCS is responding incorrectly please e-mail us at concern@firstcybersecurity.com giving as much detail as possible, including the date and time of the incident, the site involved (full URL), the version of the operating system, the version of the browser, what happened, whether it was repeatable, and what you expected to happen.
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