| Any computer must have adequate spyware, virus | | | | beginners and runs smoothly and silently in the |
| and hacker (firewall) protection. Otherwise, you run the | | | | background. |
| risk of having the private data on your computer being | | | | Category Firewall |
| accessed. The right protection software is a | | | | On my computer? No |
| life-or-death matter for your computer. Here are some | | | | Available for Windows XP/Vista |
| of the programs I recommend for ordinary users. I | | | | ZoneAlarm |
| believe that such software should be completely free | | | | ZoneAlarm is a free firewall for non-commercial use. It |
| and I only use free protection programs. For programs | | | | keeps up with the latest firewall protection and there |
| which I use, I give my own review, and for the others, I | | | | are frequent updates. Apart from blocking hacking |
| have copied some of the description. I have recently | | | | attempts, ZoneAlarm also notifies you and asks your |
| replaced the "AOL Active Security Monitor" as the | | | | permission when a program tries to access the |
| vendor no longer supports the program. | | | | internet. |
| To find software, simply type these terms into Google, | | | | Category Firewall |
| for example, search "Avast Home Edition" or "Google | | | | On my computer? Yes |
| Pack". | | | | Available for Windows 2000/XP/Vista (Vista different |
| Avast Home Edition | | | | version) |
| Avast Home Edition is the well-known free antivirus. I | | | | CCleaner |
| can proudly proclaim that I was using it long before it | | | | CCleaner is a useful privacy tool. The program does a |
| became popular on You can easily scan new files by | | | | range of things to make your computer work |
| right-clicking and using 'quick scan'. Avast Home Edition | | | | smoother and faster. According to Wikipedia, |
| is available free of charge to home users for the life | | | | CCleaner is a freeware system optimiser and registry |
| of the product. Virus database updates are lightning | | | | cleaner. CCleaner scrapes your computer quite |
| fast, thereby providing the high level of detection | | | | comprehensively, cleaning up temporary files, download |
| capability that millions of users around the world trust | | | | history, cookies, auto-complete form history, index.dat, |
| to protect their computers. Avast Home Edition is easy | | | | URL history, temporary files, recent documents, |
| to use and will not slow down your computer (low | | | | Recycle Bin, log files and more. A warning that users |
| system resource requirements). | | | | should be careful what they remove, in case they |
| Category Antivirus | | | | don't get it back! Nevertheless, CCleaner comes with a |
| On my computer? Yes | | | | "comprehensive backup feature". I'm impressed with |
| Available for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista | | | | this privacy program, it removed about 100 MB of junk |
| AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition | | | | from my computer. |
| AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection | | | | Category Privacy Software |
| tool. AVG Free is available free of charge to home | | | | On my computer? Yes |
| users for the life of the product. Rapid virus database | | | | Available for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 |
| updates are available for the lifetime of the product, | | | | Server/Vista |
| thereby providing the high level of detection capability | | | | Avant Browser |
| that millions of users around the world trust to protect | | | | Avant Browser is a freeware browser. It allows users |
| their computers. Highlights include automatic update | | | | to browse multiple Web sites simultaneously and to |
| functionality, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides | | | | block all unwanted pop-up pages and Flash ads |
| real-time protection as files are opened and programs | | | | automatically. The integrated cleaner helps users clear |
| are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime | | | | all traces and maintain privacy. The built-in Yahoo and |
| of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling | | | | Google search engines enable users to search for |
| of infected files. This free antivirus program offers | | | | Web pages, images, software and news on the |
| rock-solid protection for no financial burden. | | | | internet. Avant Browser provides options for blocking |
| Category Antivirus | | | | the download of Flash media, pictures, video, sounds, |
| On my computer? No | | | | and ActiveX components, so users can efficiently use |
| Available for Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista | | | | their bandwidth and speed up page loading. All opened |
| Ad-Aware 2008 | | | | pages can be stopped, refreshed, closed, or arranged |
| Ad-Aware 2008 is a free program to remove | | | | with one click. It also comes with built-in RSS reader. Its |
| spyware from your computer. Updates a quick and | | | | similar Web sites bar displays Web sites, which are |
| the database is often updated. Although the SE | | | | related to the opened Web pages. |
| Personal should still be available, Ad-Aware 2008 is | | | | Category Web surfing |
| now out. The new version is worse in the fact that the | | | | On my computer? No |
| program tries much harder to make you upgrade to | | | | Available for Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 |
| the paid version, however it is still an excellent adware | | | | Server/Vista |
| remover. Ad-Aware scans your Registry, hard drives, | | | | McAfee SiteAdvisor |
| RAM and external storage devices for known | | | | This is a free program which works in conjunction with |
| advertising, data-mining, and tracking components. | | | | your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox and others) to |
| Ad-Aware should be part of anybody's anti-spyware | | | | warn you about particular sites. The system is |
| arsenal. | | | | surprisingly simple, the SiteAdvisor button goes red |
| Category Anti-spyware | | | | when there's danger on the site, yellow when you |
| On my computer? Yes | | | | should watch out and green when it's safe. A lot of |
| Available for Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista | | | | sites will have a colour (especially all the popular ones), |
| (only 32-bit) | | | | but obviously the SiteAdvisor staff and volunteers |
| Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner | | | | can't take care of all the 'minor' websites. McAfee |
| Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner is a free | | | | SiteAdvisor helps protect you from all kinds of |
| program which removes spyware, adware, Trojan | | | | Web-based security threats including adware, identity |
| horses, trackware components and keyloggers. The | | | | theft, online fraud, viruses, browser exploits, spam, |
| main advantage of this program is the lightning-fast | | | | spyware, and phishing. |
| scanning (the scanning process only takes a fraction | | | | Category Web surfing |
| of a second and gives you uninstall instructions on their | | | | On my computer? Yes |
| website). Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner | | | | Available for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP |
| provides a nice, simple solution to keeping those | | | | Mozilla Firefox |
| annoying programs out of your hard drive. | | | | It is well known that most online browser exploits |
| Category Anti-spyware | | | | target Internet Explorer, so why not use another |
| On my computer? Yes | | | | browser? Mozilla Firefox is a fast, full-featured Web |
| Available for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/2003/XP | | | | browser that makes browsing more efficient than |
| 2003 Server | | | | ever before. It was actually Firefox which introduced |
| Spybot - Search & Destroy | | | | the clever idea of tabbed browsing. Over multiple tests, |
| Spybot - Search & Destroy is a popular | | | | it has been found that Firefox is in general, a faster |
| anti-spyware program that can detect and remove a | | | | browser than Internet Explorer. As more users |
| multitude of adware files and modules from your | | | | continue to abandon Internet Explorer, Mozilla's popular |
| computer. It has been in the anti-spyware game and | | | | Firefox gains a large chunk of the browsing |
| can be expected to offer one of the best protections | | | | community. Firefox is currently the second most |
| in its category. Spybot also can clean program and | | | | popular browser in the world. The built-in pop-up |
| Web-usage tracks from your system, which is | | | | blocker is still extremely effective and Firefox's |
| especially useful if you share your computer. The | | | | security is still top-class. Anyone who is tired of Internet |
| handy online-update feature ensures that Spybot | | | | Explorer should think about trying this free alternative. |
| always has the most current and complete listings of | | | | Category Web surfing |
| adware, dialers, and other uninvited system residents. | | | | On my computer? Yes |
| Although users should be warned, the program has the | | | | Available for Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 |
| tendency to lock up and bugs often cause errors in | | | | Server/Vista |
| the program. | | | | Additionally, Google offers a collection of software |
| Category Anti-spyware | | | | called the Google Pack. Google Pack is "a free |
| On my computer? No | | | | collection of essential software from Google and other |
| Available for Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/Vista | | | | companies". In the Google Pack, the Spyware Doctor |
| Comodo Firewall Pro | | | | Starter Edition caught my eye. I had been a user of |
| Comodo Firewall Pro is a free firewall used to secure | | | | the free version until PC Tools updated the software |
| your system against internal attacks such as Trojan | | | | so that users could not longer fix problems without |
| viruses / malicious software and external attacks by | | | | paying for the full version. It seems to have only a |
| hackers. Safeguard your personal data through a | | | | three-star user rating on Download.com, so I'm not |
| simple user friendly single click interface offering full | | | | sure of the adequacy of the new "Starter Edition". In |
| immunity to attack. Comodo Firewall Pro helps you | | | | any case, you can check for more information in the |
| connect in a secure way to the internet and global | | | | Google Pack details. All in all, the Google Pack helps |
| networks. Don't be confused by 'Pro', the program is | | | | you organize your photos, browse the web faster, |
| totally free. Comodo Firewall Pro is very simple for | | | | remove spyware and viruses, and more. |