The remote access tool Symantec was advising users to disable is now safe to use, providing it's been fully updated and patched, the company says.

The company issued its warning late last week, saying the company had learned that the source code to the tool, along with that of several outdated software products, had been stolen in 2006, meaning there was an increased threat from hackers.

Symantec now says that it is safe to use pcAnywhere provided users have the current version, pcAnywhere 12.5, and it has been updated with a security patch released on January 23. Free upgrades to pcAnywhere 12.5 are being offered for customers on older versions.