Just to clarify...

AOL has offered two free anti-virus solutions for the past year, one powered by McAfee and the other by Kaspersky ("Active Virus Shield"). Though we have stopped offering the latter, anyone can download the new "McAfee VirusScan Plus - Special Edition from AOL" at no charge from AOL.com. (Go to aol.com/safety.) All that is required is a free AOL screen name. It includes protection from viruses and spyware, as well as a robust firewall.

Unrelated to this, some current users of Active Virus Shield have been experiencing problems receiving updates (aka DAT updates) over the last week. We have narrowed down the technical issue and expect it to be resolved shortly. In addition, Active Virus Shield users will receive an email soon with instructions on how to move to our new free offering.

Drew Weaver - Director, AOL Safety Products