Internet usage is part of daily life, and usage continues to rise around the globe. There has been a lot of talk regarding whether an Internet Service Provider (ISP) should be responsible to prevent against the spread of internet viruses. Studies show that about 70% of subscribers assume it is the responsibility of the ISP to provide protection against malware. IT security experts believe an ISP should attempt to increase awareness among customers, but the ISPs are not interested in playing this role. Every computer linking to the internet today has potential to spread new viruses and attacks. Increased bandwidth availability also increases the speed of attacks. A study done by Websense found that as much as 13.7% of searches for trending news and buzz words led to malware. An ISP can see what is flowing through their network and look for virus patterns but customer downloads cannot be controlled. Certain fire-share applications can be blocked or monitored, but does an ISP really want to block these? Many users would not want to be monitored. ISPs find this a challenge, since a user can easily switch providers if security blocks are put in place.

At the very minimum, an ISP should help educate their users on protection from malware and look at offering proactive security to their customer base to make their network safer. If you do not have your computer protected and are looking for comprehensive protection from malware, download the free 14-day trial of Tizer Secure™ and you will be pleased.