Pine Tree Networks is committed to helping make your Internet experience as risk-free as possible. For example, our broadband services deliver reliable, fast, dedicated access to the Internet via private telephone lines, not a shared cable TV connection. We also provide free email virus protection and spam protection.

However, despite any ISP’s best efforts to help protect you, we encourage you to take the necessary steps to better protect yourself.

Firewall

A firewall creates a protective barrier between your computer and the Internet, essentially making your connection invisible to Internet hackers.

Most people today keep personal data on their computers and use it to pay bills, shop, or prepare and file their tax return. A firewall keeps others from seeing that confidential information.

Two providers of firewall software:

www.kerio.com/kpf_home.html or www.zonelabs.com

Anti-Virus Software

A virus is a program that can cause minor to extreme damage to your computer, and use your Internet connection to “infect” other computers – including your friends, family and business associates.

How to avoid viruses:

Pine Tree Networks provides free virus protection on our email servers. However there are a number of important steps you should take to reduce your risk even further:

• Do not open any e-mail attachment unless you know who it came from and what it is. Many viruses automatically send e-mails that appear to have come from someone you trust, so even knowing who the e-mail is from isn’t always safe.
  
• Use and keep antivirus software up-to-date. New viruses are written and released every day. If your anti-virus program suddenly behaves strangely, or your computer slows; you may have been infected.
  

There are many programs on the Internet that will scan your computer for free, one example is AVG Free:

free.grisoft.com

Like all antivirus programs, AVG requires regular updates to its virus database.


Spyware

Spyware is software that monitors your Internet use and transmits this information to a third party without your knowledge or consent. It is harmful in many ways:

• Spyware gathers information about your email addresses, bank accounts, passwords, credit cards, and the web sites you have visited, and can even record everything you type. This information is then sent to someone over the internet without your knowledge.
  
• Spyware users may use the information they gather for marketing or sell it. In most cases, you will have no idea your habits were monitored or shared.
  
• Eventually a badly infected PC will become very slow, making your internet connection seem slow.
  

Adware and spyware protection software is readily available for free or for a small donation on the internet:

Ad Aware SE: www.lavasoft.com
Spybot: www.spybot.info

These programs like the antivirus programs require regular updates to their database.

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