America Online Inc. on Thursday launched a version of its proprietary online service that includes additional security features.

AOL 9.0 Security Edition is the first version of the service to focus specifically on security, which company officials say is especially beneficial to people with high-speed Internet connections.

"First among our commitments to our members and the online community is that AOL will always help our members feel safer and more secure," Jon Miller, chairman and chief executive of Dulles, Va.-based, AOL, a division of Time Warner Inc., said in a statement.

The security package integrated with the new AOL software includes the McAfee VirusScan for anti-virus protection, anti-spyware from AOL, simplified spam-control tools for email and instant messages, the McAfee Personal Firewall Express, pop-up controls, money alerts to notify consumers of unauthorized bank account or credit-card activity, and parental controls to prevent children from accessing offensive web sites.

AOL 9.0 Security Edition is available now, and can be downloaded at no additional charge through the company's web site.

Security has grown in importance as the proliferation of viruses and spam has made the Internet experience increasingly unpleasant for many users.

Unsolicited email from con artists, virus writers and advertisers accounts for 38 percent of the 31 billion emails sent each day in North America this year, up from 24 percent in 2002, according to International Data Corp. In addition, Internet service providers and makers of anti-spam products report that spam represents from 50 percent to 95 percent of all inbound Internet email, tripling the 15 percent to 30 percent levels reported two years ago.