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Quite a bit of news coverage on this latest attack on the Internet. In a nutshell, innocent computers connected to the Internet are infected with a trojan horse virus which, when triggered by the perpetrator, causes the infected computers to bombard a Web site like Yahoo! with so many requests from web pages that the target servers are saturated and cannot respond to legitimate requests, creating a traffic jam. For technical reasons, if you're using a dial-up connection (and don't stay connected for days at a time), you're pretty safe from this. If, however, you're one of the growing group that's connected (or planning on connecting) to the Internet via a permanent link, such as DSL or cable modem, you're vulnerable to becoming a "innocent victim." What to do? First, remember that no system is totally secure. That said, here are a few suggestions. Install a software "firewall." One popular product ($40) is BlackIce Defender (http://www.networkice.com), but there are others, including an offering from Symantec/Norton. Or install a hardware firewall. This is more complicated, more expensive, and connects between your DSL/cable modem and your connected computer(s). Best to talk with your local computer dealer, but if you're adventurous, check out http://www.linksys.com for their Cable/DSL Router (BEFSR41) or http://www.cayman.com for their ADSL 3220 Router. This has the advantage of being able to connect multiple computers (up to 4 via the built-in 4-port hub) to share the one DSL/cable Internet connection while providing a secure firewall for all connected computers.

To learn more about security on the Internet, check out this great site written in (relatively) plain English: http://www.grc.com. It can also test your computer for Internet hacker vulnerability, and explain the results it gets. Gibson Research Corp. states on their Web site that no info gathered in order to test your computer is stored or used for any other purpose than to test your current connection.

AOL and Time Warner. Flip-Flop! Will the combined mega-company offer truly open-access to its cable network for all other Internet Service Providers, as the public seems to want? AOL/Time Warner said they will commit to giving consumers a choice of ISP, but maybe not all ISPs, and maybe not right away. Critics wonder whether any resulting deal, without government intervention in the form of regulation and rules, will offer true, nondiscriminatory access to competing ISPs. One problem is that Time Warner has a pre-existing deal with Roadrunner to be their exclusive ISP until 12/2001. Smaller ISPs worry and are lobbying Congress that they'll be left out in the slow cold. While the merger is ultimately expected to be approved, regulators and industry experts expect tough scrutiny of the deal.