EarthLink Upgrades Spyware Blocker

EarthLink Upgrades Spyware Blocker

Spyware Is Stopped Before It Reaches Subscribers PCs

ATLANTA, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EarthLink (NASDAQ:ELNK), one of the nation's leading Internet service providers, today launched the newest upgrade to its easy-to-use anti-spyware feature, Spyware Blocker. The product's key enhancement is real-time spyware blocking, which immediately prevents hidden applications from being downloaded onto an unsuspecting consumer's PC. EarthLink subscribers can download the latest version for free by going to http://www.earthlink.net/home/software/spywareblocker .

EarthLink's Spyware Blocker, powered by Webroot Software, protects subscribers' personal information and privacy by identifying and blocking all common forms of spyware, including adware, system monitors, keystroke loggers and Trojan horses. Other enhancements include features to schedule automatic spyware definition updates and computer scans, and a more powerful scanning engine that searches for spies on the entire hard drive, eliminating them from customers' file directories, the PC's registry and memory.

"Our latest version of Spyware Blocker was designed to stop spyware at the point of attack -- before it gets onto a customer's machine," said Matt Cobb, EarthLink's vice president of core applications. "Spyware is a growing concern for Internet users -- our SpyAudit Report has recorded over 83 million individual instances -- and consumers should take steps to ensure their PCs are protected from these programs with an anti-spyware protection tool like EarthLink's Spyware Blocker."

EarthLink was the first ISP to offer a free anti-spyware tool when it launched Spyware Blocker in October of 2003.

The company has been an industry leader in creating awareness of spyware's growing threat through its SpyAudit Reports, which are published quarterly in conjunction with Webroot Software, Inc. ( http://www.webroot.com/ ). The reports track the spread of spyware by compiling the results of known spyware applications found from each SpyAudit scan run on a consumer's personal computer. Internet users can access and run the free-of-charge spyware detection program by downloading the application at http://www.earthlink.net/spyaudit . The results of the SpyAudit Reports, and definitions of different spyware categories, can be found at http://www.earthlink.net/spyaudit/press .

It is important to note that not all Internet applications and files are classified as spyware. The majority of Internet-related programs can help improve a consumer's Internet experience.

Spyware Blocker can be used in conjunction with all of EarthLink's award- winning tools and services which make up TotalAccess(R)2005, EarthLink's software suite.

About EarthLink

"EarthLink revolves around you(TM)." Celebrating ten years as a leading national Internet service provider (ISP), Atlanta-based EarthLink has earned an award-winning reputation for outstanding customer service and its suite of online products and services. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2004 Internet Service Provider Residential Customer Satisfaction Study(SM), EarthLink is ranked highest in customer satisfaction among dial up and high- speed Internet Service Providers. Serving over five million subscribers, EarthLink offers what every user should expect from their Internet experience: high-quality connectivity, minimal drop-offs and ISP-generated intrusions, and customizable features. Whether it's dial-up, high-speed, Web hosting, or wireless Internet service, EarthLink provides the tools that best let individuals use and enjoy the Internet on their own terms. Learn more about EarthLink by calling (800) EARTHLINK or visiting EarthLink's Web site at www.earthlink.net .


Source: EarthLink

CONTACT: Jerry Grasso of EarthLink, +1-404-748-7208, or
grassoj@corp.earthlink.net

Web site: http://www.earthlink.net/home/software/spywareblocker
http://www.webroot.com/
http://www.earthlink.net/spyaudit
http://www.earthlink.net/spyaudit/press
http://www.earthlink.net/


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