Is Your Family Safe Online?

NEW YORK, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- MS -- While it can also be an amazing
resource for instant information, and social networking sites such as MySpace,
Facebook, and Friendster offer ways to make friends around the globe, the Web
can be a dangerous place. That's why Comcast wants to educate consumers about
safety precautions for you and your family when going online.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080520/NYTUFNS3)
"As the Internet continues to be more mainstream every day, we are very
committed to educating consumers about the increasing number of online threats
that make them vulnerable on a number of levels," said Mitch Bowling, senior
vice president and general manager of Comcast High-Speed Internet. "It is
critical that people become aware of these threats and know that there are
simple, convenient and safe ways for them to help protect their families
online."
-- Look out for phishing scams: Phishing is when Internet scammers imitate
legitimate companies in e-mails or Web sites to entice people to share
their user names, passwords, account information, or credit card
numbers. Many service providers have security updates available to
their users. For example, Microsoft has recently created a security
update for Internet Explorer that will help people avoid phishing
scams. Comcast encourages customers to apply this patch if your
computer has Internet Explorer installed. Visit www.microsoft.com for
more information. Comcast High-Speed Internet customers can also
download a free toolbar at www.comcast.net/security that will help
protect against phishing, spyware and pop-ups.

-- Establish child safety and parental controls: Parents can use software
to block the level of access when their children go online. They should
also talk to their children about what they are doing online and with
whom they are chatting.

Parents that are Comcast.net customers can access McAfee(R) Image
Analysis or any of the parental control features by clicking the
"parental controls" section on the main Security Center Web page at
www.comcast.net/security, where they will find many more parental
control options.

-- Secure wireless networks: Wireless routers that are not secured are
prime targets for people looking to access personal information or to
download illegal content. Prevent others from stealing your Internet
connection by password-protecting the wireless connection. Consult your
hardware's instruction manual to learn how to enable the security
features to secure your network and access point.

-- Check security levels: Stay protected by doing the following.

- Update security software and virus protection programs regularly to
thwart hackers.
- Use secure passwords that are a complex blend of letters and numbers
(e.g. Gr8WTshrkB8).
- Make sure that children never give out personal information -- even
if the person on the other end of the Internet connection seems like
a trustworthy source.

Visit the Global Security page at http://security.comcast.net and look for
more information on how to stay informed about critical security threats.
You can secure your personal information and avoid Internet scams. To
learn more about the products Comcast offers to bolster Internet security, and
other important tips, visit http://www.comcast.net/security.
SOURCE Comcast

Metro Editorial Services for Comcast, 1-800-223-1600