Comcast to send infected-PC alerts

Comcast is launching a trial on Thursday of a new automated service that will warn broadband customers of possible virus infections, if the computers are behaving as if they have been compromised by malware. For instance, a significant overnight spike in traffic being sent from a particular Internet Protocol address could signal that a computer is infected with a virus taking control of the system and using it to send spam as part of a botnet.

The largest residential Internet service provider in the United States, with 15.3 million consumer customers, also is alerted to compromised customer computers when an IP address of one of its customers is identified as the source of spam on an industry spam list.

Customers in Denver are set to begin receiving notifications that their system may be infected with a virus or other malware via a pop-up message in the browser, as part of the new free service, called Comcast Constant Guard. The "Service Notice" will include a link to a Comcast security Web site where customers can follow a set of instructions to remove the malware from their computer.

Read more of "Comcast alerts customers to infected PCs" on CNET News.