Go ahead, use pcAnywhere again -- after you update

A week after telling users to disable its pcAnywhere, Symantec says the remote computing software is now safe to use, with a few caveats. First, the app must be upgraded to version 12.5, and a critical software patch applied to plug the hole.

In a statement posted to its website, Symantec says that it had patched all versions of the software back to 12.0. A patch for 12.0 and 12.1 was released on January 27, following a patch that was released for 12.5 on January 25.

"At this time, Symantec recommends that customers ensure pcAnywhere 12.5 is installed, apply all relevant patches as they are released, and follow general security best practices", the statement reads. "If customers are unable to adhere to this guidance and have not installed the latest version with current patches, we recommend that they contact [email protected] for additional assistance".

Reuters reports that Symantec will offer those on versions of pcAnywhere prior to 12.5 free upgrades to the latest version, regardless of whether or not the software qualifies for support. It did not specify how it plans to handle the upgrade process.

Photo Credit: Kheng Guan Toh/Shutterstock