Online privacy is under siege like never before. Here's what happened to me. My machine has Sygatge Pro firewall, Norton Anti Virus, Webroot Window Washer and Spysweeper. If you have any desire to keep your business to yourself, invest in these programs.

I did all the right things to preserve a snoop free machine. Washed out the cookies with WinWasher, swept for viruses with Norton, and manually OK'd every connection with Sygate. Even with this armor the Sygate detected unauthorized transmissions starting last week. My machine tried to have a secret connection with a fleabag enterprise that calls itself Invisible Advertising operating out of Las Vegas, whoever the hell they are.

The Norton scan detected a new generation trojan spyware although it was incapable of removing it or neutralizing it.

This new program is insidious because it uses a random number function to constantly rename itself so you can't locate a fixed file to delete. Lord only knows how much sensitive personal information is finding its way into a massive database quietly while you cruise the net. My gut tells me this can't be in my best interest.

In frustration I added Pest Patrol, an anti-spyware program. It found 4 programs that the other sweepers either didn't see or were impotent to act against. Pest Patrol got 'em and I breathe more easily now until the next thing comes along.

If you want to keep you personal life to yourself, use Sygate to review all outgoing links. If you don't know why your machine is trying to talk to the net, don't let it. Without Sygate, you won't be aware of the background chatter. Use Webroot Window Washer to clear your hard disk of old clutter, and unwanted cookies. Absolutely use Pest Patrol to eliminate pop ups, hijacks, and trojan phone ins.

The 'net infested with intrusions. Forget the high minded talk about respect for the consumer and the integrity of databases. The truth is nobody knows where it is filed.