Local Internet service providers said yesterday their systems were safeguarded against the Code Red Internet worm threat.

Logic Communications, the Island's largest provider of Internet access and host of local websites, said it downloaded a patch to protect its systems and that unless the computer virus presented any surprises, the company would survive the Code Red episode unscathed.

"We have taken as many precautions as we could," said Craig Ferguson, a marketing manager for Logic.

He said Logic was ready for any attack and that if customers noticed a slow-down while using the Internet, it would likely be a result of problems with the website being visited, not Logic.

A spokesperson for Cable & Wireless, which provides businesses with Internet service and site hosting, said that most of the company's systems ran on UNIX, an operating system not targeted by the virus. But she added that company did download a patch from Microsoft's website to protect the few computers running with Microsoft operating systems.

North Rock Communications said that it did not have to make any changes to its set-up as its anti-virus software already protected its computers against Code Red.

All three companies said they monitor their systems 24 hours a day and that employees would be on site in case anything happened to their systems. Logic was the only company that said it would have more personnel stationed until the virus was scheduled to attack.

TeleBermuda International, which provides businesses with Internet services, could not be reached for comment before press time.