Most of us use the Web on a daily basis, without ever giving much thought to the undersea world which keeps us all connected. (Case in point: have you heard of Google’s $300 million ‘Unity’ project that will soon deliver a new high-speed Internet cable, increasing capacity across the Pacific by 20 percent?).

On that note, here's another bit of news you might not have seen: IT Wire recently ran a story on the Marshall Islands and Micronesia finally getting fibre connectivity to the rest of the world, with the completion of the HANTRU1 cable system. Takuro Akinaga, CEO of the Federated States of Micronesia Telecommunications Corporation, had this to say about the 10-year long project: "The completion of this project is a result of much planning and collaboration. We appreciate the dedication of all the parties that have been involved in this project over the last ten years and look forward to the immeasurable benefits the people of Federated States of Micronesia will enjoy on account of enhanced access to the rest of the world."

Yes, the benefits of this connectivity are, without a doubt, immense. At the same time, though, you have to consider the online security perspective. This region – while it previously only had satellite connections – is now poised for some of the world’s greatest growth of broadband availability and adoption over the next several years. What are the malware repercussions? With this increased connectivity and high-speed Internet capacity, this area now faces increased exposure to the threats that the darker side of the Web holds: malware, viruses, spyware, and more.

As cyber crime continues to escalate, none of us can take our online security for granted - no matter where, when or how we use the Internet. In the fight against malware, educating ourselves on the risks that surround Web use today, and protecting our computers with solid security tools, is essential to stay safe. 

And, as part of our founding mission and vision here at Lavasoft, we believe that everyone, regardless of economic status or geographic location, must have the power to protect themselves online. It’s why we continue to offer our no-strings attached freeware anti-malware, Ad-Aware Free.

After all, as we move towards more and more people understanding basic online security measures and taking steps to protect themselves, we also move forward in curbing the spread of malware  – which in turn makes each one of us that much safer as we go about our lives online. Just something to think about as you use the Web – and your Ad-Aware software – today.