New Yorkers get free online security

new york - The municipality of New York will give its inhabitants free software to increase their online security. 'As administrators, our job is to ensure that people are safe online,' said Mayor Bill de Blasio at the presentation of the new NYC Secure platform.

From the summer, a smartphone app can be downloaded via the platform that alerts users if something suspicious happens on their phone. Later in the year there will also be a program that helps to secure internet traffic via public Wi-Fi networks. It is the intention to regularly make new security solutions available.

'New Yorkers are not safe online. We can not wait for other governments or the private sector to do something about it, 'De Blasio said.

The NYC Secure announcement comes a week after the American city of Atlanta was hit by a ransomware attack that struck municipal computer systems for days on end.