Adding to the menacing list of dangers of computer viruses is the unwanted deposits of child pornography on the computers of innocent people – which pedophiles can view and store without fear of getting caught.
Pedophiles use the viruses in different ways. The simplest is to force someone else’s computer to surf child porn sites. Or a computer can be made into a warehouse for pictures and videos viewed remotely when the PC is on line.
The Associated Press reported a few cases wherein innocent people were convicted and then later released on child porn charges because it was eventually determined that a virus was the culprit. But it is very difficult to prove that a virus planted the images.
Sergeant Darin DeFreece with the Roseville Police Department has yet to see an instance of a computer virus downloading porn in the Roseville area. “I suspect the actual people suffering from this would be extremely rare,” said DeFreece, “Regardless, we have experts in our unit that can tell the difference.”
Defreece cautions folks to secure their wireless networks and invest in solid and reputable anti-virus software. McAfee and Avast are a couple of examples mentioned – but not officially recommended. Consumer Search provides guidelines for choosing good anti-virus software, and rates the various packages available. The key factors for selection include:
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A good detection rate
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Verify compatibility with system requirements
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Intuitive user interface
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Ability to update daily is crucial
Related articles:
House rules to promote cyber safety
Caution: Child predators target moms on-line to get to kids
(Ref:206-e)
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