Symantec aknowledged the risks of using its pcAnywhere software for accessing remote PCs due to known vulnerability risks. pcAnywhere's source code was stolen in in 2006. Symantec said that after that incident, pcAnywhere customers have increased risk. Anyone with access to the source code has an increased ability to identify vulnerabilities and build new exploits, the company said.

Symantec recommended disabling the product until it releases a final set of software updates that resolve currently known vulnerability risks.

PcAnywhere is a software program that is also bundled with some titles in Symantec's Altiris line of software for managing corporate PCs, Symantec said in a white paper and note to customers released on its website overnight.

The company last week warned customers of the 2006 theft of the source code, or blueprints, to pcAnywhere and several other titles: Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition, Norton Internet Security, Norton Utilities and Norton GoBack. Symantec's analysis showed that due to the age of the exposed source code - except for that of pcAnywhere - Symantec and Norton customers should not be in any increased danger of cyber attacks resulting from this incident. However, all pcAnywhere 12.0, 12.1 and 12.5 users are at an increased risk.