Shaw Internet subscribers will have a new set of tools to defend their computers against viruses and other attacks with the company’s announcement Wednesday of a new online security package.

Wrapping up anti-virus and firewall protection with parental control, spam control, a pop-up blocker and anti-spyware, Shaw Communications is offering the service on a six-month free trial to current customers and new subscribers.

After six months, the service will cost $4.95 a month. The monthly fee covers up to three computers, so home users who might have had to install security software on each machine can get coverage for three under a single subscription. The service will also be available to Shaw business Internet customers.

Shaw customers and new subscribers can sign up at start.shaw.ca starting today.

“Security concerns are on the minds of virtually every Internet user, and we want our customers to be able to use the Internet confidently and securely,” Peter Bissonnette, president of Shaw Communications said in a release announcing the product. “This new service is embedded in our Internet product and will be constantly updated to give our customers the peace of mind they’re looking for.”

The security service checks for virus updates hourly and provides information and descriptions of new and emerging viruses.

The service follows the rollout earlier this year of the company’s E-mail filter. According to company statistics, some 145 million of the 267 million e-mail messages that arrived at Shaw’s Internet data centre in October were identified as spam and tagged or deleted by the filter. The e-mail filter is built into the new security system which is being supplied by F-Secure.

© The Vancouver Sun 2004