Tidy your house. Stash the beer cans. Guess who is stopping by without notice? Your big brother. If you say you don’t have one, I have news for you.

There was news this week about a computer virus called Flame. It has burrowed its way into computers in the Middle East. Especially computers in Iran. And this affects you. Your computer. Your life. Directly. Even if you have zero interest in foreign affairs and intrigue.

Experts are still studying Flame. To figure out what it does. This much they already know: It can change settings on computers it invades. It can turn on the microphone of a PC. It can record conversations without the speakers knowing.

Better put your bra back on. It can also take screen shots without you knowing. It can log instant messaging chats. I wonder who is investigating whom here. My guess is that Flame is learning more about the experts than they are learning about Flame.

Welcome to the cyber world. And the world of cyber warfare. And cyber eavesdropping. If you think you will ever have absolute privacy again, you are kidding yourself.

Here is the jarring news. The experts reckon Flame is five to eight years old. Those experts have only just discovered it. Can you imagine how many other surveillance weapons are out there now? Can you imagine what the newest ones can do? The experts probably don’t have a clue. And you don’t have a chance.