Posted on 3-AUG-2006 08:27.
| Filed under: News
: Security.
AOL has 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.
The package will be available to all online users at no cost and with no obligation, and it can be installed on nearly any PC with the Microsoft Windows XP or 2000 operating systems.
The software automatically updates 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/
Among the features in the free AOL Safety and Security Center:
Virus protection powered by McAfee that is automatically-updated when the user is online to help protect their entire computer from viruses, trojans and other online threats.
AOL Spyware Protection, powered by CA's eTrust PestPatrol, that offers four different levels of protection against more than 31,000 known spyware, adware, and sneakware programs.
Phishing protection that helps prevent theft of personal information by blocking access to known phishing sites when using the AOL Explorer browser or AOL client software (powered by anti-phishing services from RSA Security/Cyota, MarkMonitor, and Cyveillance).
A personal software firewall, powered by McAfee, that helps protect users against hackers and other online attacks.
A single unified console that updates users about the status of all of the AOL security software on their computer, including anti-virus, spyware protection, firewall, phishing protection, Parental Controls (available soon), spam protection, pop-up controls, and more.
AOL says that its 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 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.
While the news article indicates that this download is "...available for free to all computer users...", the page that the link refers you to requires you to sign up for a free trial of AOL before you are taken to the download page.
I'll bet that they are banking on the fact that some percentage of users will neglect to cancel the free trial of AOL before the 50 days are up and thus get stuck with charges to their credit card.
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