My wifes 'know it all' step dad is adament that leaving a web page open when not in the room subjects his PC huge security risk.

He has full norton virus/firewall software and is constantly connected to the internet via broadband. Surely the risk is the same whether a web page (debenhams in this case) is open or not?

If anyone could give me a little guidance on this it would be much appreciated!

Did he say why its a huge risk?

I cant imagine it is though. Not unless you're neighbour's gonna walk in and buy things while you're in the bathroom

Where i work, if we leave the pc at all we have to lock it.. but thats work and i assume you mean at home?

He hasn't given a reason why, he thinks it's so obvious he doesn't need to!

When I say security I mean he is concerned his PC is going to get some sort of worm that eats his hard drive......he's not bothered if someone spends my wifes money while she's in the bath!

is his pc an apple, ive heard that worms like them.

But surely, if its gonna happen, it'll happen whether you have a browser open or not.. ?

It makes little difference if your browser is open or not - the point is whether you're connected to the internet. That's why broadband carries more risks - it's on 24/7. Surfing the web heightens the risk of course - you might come across an infected web page. But you'll know the moment you hit the page if it's infected (and you've anti-virus software and a firewall). If it isn't, it shouldn't matter if you leave it open for a year on that page: unless you refresh the page, or it automatically refreshes, it's been downloaded and frozen in time, as it were.

Thats what I thought. Thanks!

*sniggers*

Closing the browser may be an extreme attitude to security, but all the time your web browser is open so is port 80 on your firewall