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AOL Launches Comprehensive New Security Suite to Help Protect Members From Viruses, Spyware, Identity Theft

Posted on: Friday, 2 December 2005, 15:00 CST

America Online, Inc.: AOL Safety and Security Center Consolidates Anti-Virus, Spyware Protection, Firewall, Phishing Protection in One Place to Make Security Easy for Members Automatic Updates Help Protect Vulnerable Always-Connected Broadband Users from New and Emerging Threats

AOL today launched its new Safety and Security Center to make it easier for AOL members to protect themselves against viruses, spyware, phishing attacks, identity theft, and other online threats. The AOL Safety and Security Center consolidates the industry's most comprehensive set of automatic online safety tools -- including anti-virus software, spyware protection, a firewall, phishing protection, and more -- in a single, convenient location. Security features are automatically updated to help protect vulnerable members, in particular those using always-on broadband connections, from new and emerging threats.

"A broadband connection is basically an open pipe to the Internet, which means that high speed users are particularly vulnerable to thousands of new viruses and spyware threats as they emerge," said Joe Redling, President, AOL Access Business. "That's why it's so important for our members to have safeguards like anti-virus, spyware protection, phishing protection and a firewall as they move into the broadband world. Through the Safety and Security Center, AOL offers the most comprehensive set of automatic online safety tools available anywhere -- for both dial-up and broadband members -- all in convenient place. Our goal is to offer a simple, one-step solution that makes it easy to stay safe online."

In addition to the integrated anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall features, the AOL(R) Safety and Security Center also gives members easy access to other safety and security features, including spam settings, Parental Controls, pop-up controls, Money Alerts, and Computer Check-up. AOL members using AOL(R) 8.0 or higher can download this standalone product at no additional charge from AOL Keyword: Safety or www.aol.com/safety.

Among the safety and security features found in the AOL Safety and Security Center:

-- Virus protection powered by McAfee that is

automatically-updated when the user is online to help protect

members' entire computers from viruses, trojans and other

online threats.

-- AOL(R) Spyware Protection 2.0, launched in September, that

offers four different levels of protection against more than

28,000 known spyware, adware, and sneakware programs. ASP 2.0,

powered by CA, is automatically updated to help protect users

against new and emerging threats.

-- Phishing protection that helps prevent theft of personal

information by blocking access to known phishing sites when

members are using the AOL software or the new AOL(R) Explorer

browser.

-- A leading firewall, powered by McAfee, that helps protect

members against hackers and other attacks from the Internet,

which is provided to AOL members on both dial-up and broadband

connections.

-- Robust Parental Controls that 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.

-- AOL(R) Money Alerts to help protect members from offline

identity theft by warning them whenever a credit card charge

or bank account transaction is made over a preset limit.

-- 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, spam protection, pop-up

controls, and more.

-- Easy-to-adjust settings, with a default setting that

automatically does a comprehensive scan of members' computers

at regular intervals for online threats.

-- One-click combined virus and spyware scans.

-- Home network monitoring through Network Magic.

The launch of the AOL Safety and Security Center is being supported by a major broadcast advertising campaign to alert current and potential AOL members to the comprehensive protections provided in the suite.

More information about AOL's new Safety and Security Center can be found at http://www.aol.com/safety.

About America Online, Inc.

America Online, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate a leading network of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Brands include the AOL(R) service, the AOL.com(R) website, and the AIM(R), MapQuest(R), Moviefone(R), Netscape(R), CompuServe(R) and ICQ(R) services. America Online offers a range of digital services including the TotalTalk(R) voice service. The company also has operations in Canada and Europe. America Online, Inc. is based in Dulles, Virginia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX).

Source: Business Wire

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