(November 9, 2009)—There’s evidence of computer viruses that turn your computer into a repository for someone else’s collection of illegal child pornography, without you knowing it.

The same viruses that can be used to swipe your credit card numbers and dial up remote computers can also be used to surf the Internet for child porn and what’s worse, pedophiles can remotely store and view their photos and videos from your machine without fear of getting caught.

But if the porn ends up being stored on your computer, you’ll be at risk of prosecution for possession.

An Associated Press investigation found cases in which innocent people were branded as pedophiles after their co-workers or loved ones stumbled upon child porn placed on a PC through a virus.

Proving their innocence can cost victims hundreds of thousands of dollars.