SPYWARE, VIRUSES, AND POP-UP ADS

Spyware and viruses are not always detectable on your computer, whereas pop-ups can be easily seen. Be careful and you may be able to protect your personal information from these invasive online sources.

Spyware and Viruses
Spyware is a software program that may become installed on your computer without your knowledge or consent. Once there, the software can record keystrokes, send pop-up ads, and redirect your computer to certain Web sites. Trojans are programs that can enable unauthorized people to access and send spam or other information from your computer. Viruses, like their name implies, invade your computer system often through an email attachment. They can wreak havoc on your operating system and also get into your address book and begin sending out emails from your system. Similar to viruses, worms reproduce themselves over a network and can shut your system down.

To protect your computer from Spyware and viruses, make sure that you have anti-Spyware and anti-virus programs installed and regularly updated. There are many anti-Spyware and anti-virus programs for you to consider. Consult a computer professional and contact your Internet Service Provider for recommendations and technical support.

Pop-Up Ads
Pop-ups are unsolicited advertising that appear as a "pop-up" window on your computer. These pop-ups can be created to look like a financial institution's request for personal information. You can set your computer preferences to block pop-ups, and you can also request spam-blocking programs from your Internet Service Provider.

Security Savvy:  Protect Yourself

• Don't open unexpected attachments from known or unknown sources.
• Protect your computer with the latest anti-Spyware and anti-virus programs.
• Protect your computer with a software firewall and/or a hardware firewall.
• Do business with Internet companies that use a secure form to capture private information. To verify your session is secure, look for "https:" instead of "http:" in the URL address line, as well as the padlock icon on your browser's status bar. You can read more about the measures taken by Wachovia to protect your information in our Security Statement.