AOL Offers Free Suite of Internet Security Tools

WebKnowHow
Thursday, August 3, 2006; 04:47 AM

AOL announced that it is making the AOL Safety and Security Center, a set of online safety and security tools, available for free to all computer users. The AOL Safety and Security Center includes free anti-virus software, spyware protection, a firewall, phishing protection and more. It will be available to all online users at no cost and with no obligation, and it can be installed on PCs with the Windows XP or 2000 operating systems.

"AOL has always been a leader in protecting users online, and today we're raising the bar again by making this suite of leading safety and security tools available to all computer users at absolutely no cost," said Joel Davidson, Executive Vice President of AOL Access. "Tens of millions of computer users have put the safety of their computers and their sensitive personal information at risk because it was too expensive to buy the necessary tools or too complicated to make them work together. Starting today, those problems are solved."

The AOL Safety and Security Center helps protect a user's entire PC against viruses, spyware, hackers, spammers, identity thieves and other online threats. The software automatically updates monthly to protect against new and emerging threats, offering an easy and convenient way for consumers, particularly those on broadband connections, to protect themselves from the thousands of new online threats -- including viruses, spyware, and phishing attacks.

In addition, AOL announced that its award-winning Parental Controls will be available as part of the AOL Safety and Security Center starting in September. AOL Parental Controls help limit access by children to inappropriate content on the Web and allow parents to configure custom controls, such as an online timer and a regular AOL(R) Guardian "report card" of their activity online. Parental Controls also include Internet Access Controls, which can help parents protect their children by preventing them from circumventing the controls, regardless of who is providing the access or over what connection.

A study released last December by AOL and the National Cyber Security Alliance found that 81% of home PCs lack at least one of the three critical protections -- updated computer virus software, spyware protection, and a secure firewall -- necessary to help guard against viruses, spyware, hackers, and other threats. More than half (56%) of the participants either had no anti-virus protection or had not updated it within the last week, almost half (44%) did not have a properly-configured firewall, and four in ten (38%) lacked spyware protection. Yet, despite these findings, the large majority of users (83%) falsely believed that they were safe from online threats. 

The AOL Safety and Security Center is available for download by users with an AOL screenname at www.aol.com/safety. Users who do not have an AOL screenname -- including current AIM users -- can create one for free at www.aol.com.