The invention is a computer 
system that provides 
early detection alert and response to electronic threats (eThreats) in large 
wide area networks, e.g. the network of an Internet Services Provider or a Network Services Provider. The 
system of the invention accomplishes this by harnessing the 
processing power of dedicated hardware, 
software residing in specialized servers, distributed personal computers connected to the network, and the 
human brain to provide multi-layered 
early detection, alarm and response. The 
layers comprise: a 
Protection Layer, which detects and eliminates from the 
network data stream eThreats known to the 
system; a Detection Layer, which detects and creates signatures for new eThreats that are unknown to the system; an 
Expert Analysis Layer, which comprises a group of human experts who receive information from various components of the system and analyze the information to confirm the identity of new eThreats; and a Collaborative Detection & 
Protection Layer, which detects potential new eThreats by 
processing information received from various system agents and users. A Dynamic Sandbox 
Protection Layer associated with the distributed personal computers connected to the network. can optionally be part of the system of the invention.