If you connect your computer to the Internet, you can be vulnerable to viruses, worms, hackers, and other Internet intruders. To help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats, you need to have a firewall and updated antivirus software running at all times. But you don't want to waste time always checking to make sure those programs are doing their job. With the Windows Security Center, you don't have to. Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) contains the new Security Center, which helps you manage your computer's security settings in one place. If you aren't running a firewall or an up-to-date version of antivirus software, you'll see an alert in the notification area, to the right of the taskbar, under the clock. Click on the alert and the Security Center will open to help you address the problem. Get Specific Information from the Security CenterSome antivirus and firewall programs are designed to report specific information about the program to the Security Center. For example, if there's a new virus on the loose and your antivirus software requires an updated file to protect your computer from the threat, Windows will alert you that you need to download that file.  Security alert What if the Security Center doesn't recognize my firewall or antivirus software?Not all firewall and antivirus programs are designed to report this information. In fact, there are some antivirus programs and firewall solutions (including hardware firewalls, such as those built into network routers) that the Security Center may not detect at all. If you're unsure about the status of your antivirus or firewall solution, or if you receive a Security Center alert that seems incorrect, check with your antivirus or firewall vendor to find out if the software you're running is supported in the Security Center. Get More Information About FirewallsGet More Information About Antivirus SoftwareNote If your computer is part of a domain (a group of computers on a network), your security settings are typically managed by your network administrator. In this case, the Security Center does not display your security status or send alerts.
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