Malware is the broad name for harmful software, including viruses, spyware and ransomware. Antivirus or antimalware software checks files and activity for known or suspicious threats. Endpoint protection is the wider protection placed on a computer or other device.

Windows already includes useful protection through Windows Security and Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Home Shield uses Bitdefender GravityZone Secure as a separately managed security layer. On Windows, Defender Antivirus normally steps back when another active antivirus product is installed, so the benefit is not two antivirus engines running together. The additional value is managed protection, policy and visibility, plus endpoint detection and response features.

EDR means endpoint detection and response. It helps identify, investigate and respond to suspicious behaviour on a device. XDR can connect signals from several areas, such as endpoints, email, identity and cloud services. MDR adds a managed security team that monitors and responds to threats. Home Shield includes the agreed residential Bitdefender protection, not JM Restart’s business MDR service.

RMM means remote monitoring and management. Atera is the platform JM Restart uses to receive agreed technical health and status information from the covered device and to carry out maintenance. This can help us identify issues such as missing updates or important device warnings.

Patching means installing suitable operating-system and software updates that fix faults or security weaknesses. Some updates may require a restart, and not every update is suitable for every device. Monitoring does not mean somebody is watching your screen. Remote screen access is a separate support function.

Remote support lets an authorised JM Restart technician work with you on the computer without travelling to your home. We use Splashtop through Atera and through separately licensed Splashtop accounts. Each customer receives their own configuration rather than one setting being applied to everybody.

For new customers, a connection normally displays an approval request on the device and access is denied if it is not approved. When a technician first connects, a notification appears. The Splashtop app shows that somebody is connected and its taskbar icon changes colour. When JM Restart disconnects, the computer is set to return to its lock screen so somebody nearby is not unintentionally left with access.

Remote access is currently restricted to Matthew Baker and Jason Mok. Each uses an individual account. As JM Restart grows, access will remain restricted to authorised technicians, with a separate Atera licence for each technician rather than a shared account.

Splashtop session logs are reviewed and retained in the Splashtop portal for twelve months. They record the device accessed, the account used, the originating IP address and file-transfer activity. JM Restart also keeps copies of Splashtop logs in SharePoint.

Some regular business customers agree to unattended access so planned work can continue when nobody responds. This is a customer-specific arrangement, not the default described for a new Home Shield customer. You can ask us to stop a session. You may also exit Splashtop Streamer from the taskbar or uninstall it completely. JM Restart receives an email when the client is installed or uninstalled. Exiting or removing it may prevent remote-support features from working.

Legitimate remote-support software can also be misused by scammers. Do not grant access after an unexpected call, text, email or pop-up. If somebody claims to be JM Restart and you are unsure, end the contact and call us independently on 01473 527430.

Our remote-support pledge: we will identify ourselves, relate access to an existing request or agreed maintenance, explain what we intend to do and respect a request to stop. We will never use a support session to ask you to transfer money, buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, reveal a banking PIN, or disclose a one-time security code.

Microsoft 365 is a group of Microsoft services that can include apps, email and online storage, depending on the licence. OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud-storage service. It stores and synchronises files through Microsoft’s systems so that the covered user can reach them from suitable devices.

Cloud storage is useful for access and synchronisation, but it is not the same as an independent backup. A change or deletion can synchronise to other devices, which is why Home Shield Complete adds a separate SaaS backup for the covered OneDrive user.

SaaS means software as a service. A SaaS backup creates a separate backup of information held in an online service. Home Shield Complete uses OpenText to back up the covered OneDrive user, providing another recovery route outside the everyday Microsoft 365 environment.

Version history can let you return to an earlier saved version of a file. A recycle bin can help recover deleted items for a limited period. In Microsoft 365 work or school environments, a first-stage recycle bin is normally available to the user and a second-stage recycle bin is available to an administrator. Availability and retention depend on the service and its settings. These recovery features are useful, but they do not replace an independent backup.

A test restore means deliberately recovering selected files or data from a backup to check that the expected information is present, usable and understood before a real emergency. It helps find gaps in the backup or recovery process. A successful sample test is valuable evidence, but it cannot guarantee that every item will always be recoverable.

Home Shield requests receive priority handling with a target response within two working days. This is a response target, not a guarantee that every problem will be resolved within that time. Where an on-site visit is needed, the target is within five working days. Work outside the package is quoted separately and receives the applicable discounted Home Shield rate.