A decade old patent award continues to raise cries of foul. The controversial patent filed by Trend Micro in September 1995 involved using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), a computer and an antivirus scanner in order to scan email at the gateway. The protocols, the hardware and the software involved all pre-date the patent application, causing some to liken it to a patent for biscuits when bread was already being baked.

This code attempts to exploit unpatched security vulnerabilities in order to install malware onto the system. Visited web pages are cached in the Temporary Internet folders and antivirus software scanning these folders will naturally detect the presence of this code in those cached pages. This detection will occur regardless of whether the exploit code was able to run or not. This is a good thing - the antivirus is working as it should. But it does pay to delete the contents of the Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders when investigating the source of any antivirus alert.

Ever since its inception, the Internet has earned a reputation as a haven for freebies: free Web browsers, free e-mail, free music, free product samples, free mortgage quotes, free radioactive iodine blocker. . . . OK, so maybe some of the free items are more desirable than others. Among the most desirable freebies available on the Internet today are Antivirus resources designed to combat malicious code.

Most anti-virus products rely primarily on signatures to stop viruses. These signatures are based on known viruses. Relying solely on this method leaves a dangerous window between the time a virus first appears and the time a signature is developed and deployed. At the moment the outbreak occurs�€�€�"Time Zero"�€�€�a virus has the opportunity to do significant damage to your computer system. Every passing minute until a signature arrives is enough time for a virus to multiply exponentially and compromise another portion of your network.

Protector Plus 2007 is an anti-virus software designed for Windows. It detects and removes all types of malware. The email scan and real-time feature scans all the emails received and files accessed. Virus found are automatically removed. The InstaUpdate feature will download the virus database updates. The interface is attractive and easy to use. It works on all flavors of Windows. Download this 30 day evaluation copy to try it free of cost. Version 8.0.B01 includes unspecified updates.

Every detected infected object should be moved to the Virus Vault. Within the Virus Vault you can explore the object, delete it, or heal and restore the object if the cure has been implemented already. Also, you can send the object to the AVG Free vendor for in-depth analysis.

Launched in the fall of 1998, Staples.com is Staples' e-commerce business unit that serves the home office and small business customer via the Internet. The virtual store offers easy-to-use, customized features and intuitive functions to slash the cost and hassle out of purchasing office supplies. More than 6,000 office supply products are available on Staples.com and it is open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers receive free delivery on all orders over $50 and next business day delivery is available in most U.S. markets.

Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC) today announced it is partnering with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT) to provide a free, fully functional trial version of Norton AntiVirus 2000 to help small and mid-sized businesses prepare for Year 2000-related viruses, hoaxes, and other malicious code.

"There are a lot of viruses spreading through the Internet. They are spreading alarmingly fast and can cause serious damage in no time. We wish to offer protection against this kind of virus attack to our customers," said Per B. Hansen, Tele Danmark Internet's head of security. "By using the free access to virus updates through LiveUpdate, our customers will have increased protection against new viruses. After reviewing the different anti-virus products on the market, we chose Norton AntiVirus 2000 from Symantec. We consider it one of the best on the market."

Additionally, the company announced that current subscribers of both Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus are eligible for a ground-breaking technology update. Leveraging technology from the WholeSecurity, Inc. acquisition, Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response (SONAR) will significantly enhance malware detection and protect Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus users from today's increasingly volatile and unpredictable online threat landscape.