Spammers Target Home PCs

(from BBC News Online) Home PC users are being warned by security firms to use a firewall and keep their anti-virus software up to date to avoid having their PCs abused by spammers for sending out junk mail. It is estimated that approximately 33% of all junk mail messages are being sent via home computers under the control of spammers. The use of home computers as relays began with the Sobig virus in January 2003. Other, similar viruses soon followed.