With your CableAmerica Broadband Service, you have an "Always On" connection. This means that your computer is more susceptible to attacks from hackers, viruses, and worms. There are a few steps you can take to improve your computer's security.

You can follow these steps online, or print them for easy reference.

Use An Internet Firewall
Use Anti-Virus Software
Intall Operating System Updates
Use Caution Downloading Files from the Internet
Use Caution Opening E-Mail Attachments

Additional Information:

Information About Pop-Up Ads
Information and Adware/Spyware
Parental Controls (Keeping your children safe)

More information regarding protection for Windows Operating Systems is available at www.microsoft.com/protect.

Macintosh computer users, get additional security information on the Apple security site.

Definitions

You have already heard of the terms "Virus", "Worm", and "Trojan Horse" but what do they all mean? The following definitions were provided by McAfee Security.

What is a Virus?

A virus is a manmade program or piece of code that causes an unexpected, usually negative, event. Viruses are often disguised games or images with clever marketing titles such as "Me, nude."

What is a Worm?

Computer Worms are viruses that reside in the active memory of a computer and duplicate themselves. They may send copies of themselves to other computers, such as through email or Internet Relay Chat (IRC).

What is a Trojan Horse?

A Trojan horse program is a malicious program that pretends to be a benign application; a Trojan horse program purposefully does something the user does not expect. Trojans are not viruses since they do not replicate, but Trojan horse programs can be just as destructive. Many people use the term to refer only to non-replicating malicious programs, thus making a distinction between Trojans and viruses.