COLORADO SPRINGS- We are used to hearing about a computer virus that can ruin your life by stealing your identity, but what about the kind that downloads child pornography into your computer without your knowing it.

In the last two years there were 50,000 potential leads of computers containing child pornography in Colorado, and one of them might be you.

It's all because of a surge in viruses that can enter your computer and store kiddie porn in your computer without your knowledge.

NewsChannel13 spoke to Bill Dehart, investigator of the CSPD Internet Crimes Against Children Division.  Dehart said, "the sad thing is that there are hundreds of viruses that could potentially do this."

A virus won't normally attack your computer unless you download a questionable file or have a file sharing program, but sometimes it's not so obvious.

IT Engineer Tom Drane says a dangerous file can, "look like an innocent document but in truth, it will do things to your computer that you don't want done."

Drane said that’s why it is important to keep updated anti-virus software and fire walls.

Dehart said,"50,000 potential leads were generated here in Colorado." He also said it is entirely possible that within that statistic there maybe people who are not aware their computer is a cesspool.

Internet Crimes Against Children is a proactive division and that's why if you find some child porn of your computer you should do something about it.

Dehart recommends a person that fears their computer has be affected should contact the police department because they need to know how that file got on your computer.

According to 2007 statistics, there are about 10,000 exploited children nation-wide whose images appear online. Authorities have only been able to identify 500 of those victims.

If you suspect your computer may have caught one of these viruses...

Your first call should be to springs police at 444-7000

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