Practice Safe Computing! Don't let this happen to you!!!

Anti-Virus:

Most viruses these days choose people from your address book to use in the "from" line, so it's rarely the person who appears to have sent it that really did.  Therefore, you owe it to your friends not to send out viruses in their names!  Some of the recent viruses grab a random file from your machine and send it out to people on your address list, as though it came from other people on your address list.  Got anything personal on there?  Don't take the chance.  And of course there's always the traditional virus that renames or deletes important system files on your machine and causes it not to work.

Below are some links to information at Symantec, maker of the Norton Antivirus software that we use here at dartsinmaine.  There are other good antivirus products out there as well (send us a link if you like something else better, and we'll share), but none of them will help you if you don't keep them up to date...   

Security:

Any time you connect to the internet, whether through dialup, cable, or DSL, you need a firewall.  There are programs out there that scan for new machines coming online and attack them if they are not protected.  It could be as simple as them using your machine to send out spam.  They can use your computer to attack other computers and networks.  They can install key logging software and steal your personal information, your passwords, any financial stuff you have lying around in your machine, etc. etc.   

Links:

General antivirus and security information:  http://securityresponse.symantec.com/

Online free virus and security check: Go

Check out available products:  http://www.symantecstore.com/