Protecting your PC from threats on the web has never been more important. However, you don't need to spend lots of cash to make sure your PC is secure. Here are five security downloads that are free and have been given five stars, proving they're well worth downloading.
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 v10.0.1375
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 is the latest version of AVG's popular malware detector. At the program's heart is a strong core antivirus engine, which monitors incoming and outgoing emails, as well as every file you access, detecting and blocking threats before they can cause any damage.
There's a new focus on performance in this version, though. Like some of the competition, AVG Anti-Virus Free now checks known safe files just once, rescanning them only if they've changed: once that initial check is out of the way, scans can be much faster than in previous versions.
Comodo Internet Security 5.4
Comodo Internet Security 5 includes the company's free firewall and antivirus program, which together do a good job of keeping your PC safe from even the very latest in malware threats.
Reboot after installation and the program will immediately go to work, popping up alerts about any of your applications that want to go online, or otherwise behave in a suspect way. If you recognise the program and know it's safe, though, just click Allow, Comodo will remember your decision and you won't be asked again. So after a few minutes the pop-ups die down and you can carry on as normal. (Except, of course, now you know you're protected by a tool that's keeping a very close eye on everything your programs do.)
PC Tools Firewall Plus 7.0.0.123
The Windows Firewall is apable of monitoring outbound as well as in-bound connections but the outbound protection is switched off by default and is so complicated to configure there's little point in trying to persevere with it.
However, PC Tools Firewall Plus is a sensible third-party firewall that's easy to configure and ensures known applications and programs with valid digital signatures are automatically allowed an appropriate level of access, which helps keep the number of unwanted popups to a minimum.
Secunia PSI 1.5.0.2
Keeping Windows up-to-date should be a key part of every PC owner's maintenance routine: it's vital that you block any security holes just as soon as you can.
However, there's no need to waste time wandering around web sites looking for upgrades, though - especially when Secunia PSI can automate the process for you. Launch the program and it will scan your PC, looking for installed applications and components. When it's finished you'll get a full report on any programs that have missing security patches, or are end of life (that is, aren't supported by the author any more).
WinPatrol 20.5.2011.1
WinPatrol takes a snapshot of key system areas and then alerts you whenever a program tries to make significant changes.
The program monitors your startup programs, ActiveX controls, IE addons, file associations, HOST file, Windows update and UAC settings, and more. This isn't enough to stop a serious virus attack, but it will alert you to the behaviour of many spyware and adware programs, as well as regular software that just likes to install a lot of junk.
And this monitoring requires very little in the way of system resources. On our test PC the background WinPatrol process required only a little more than 3MB of RAM, and the main program only needed about 6MB.
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Comments
Boogie said: The Best FREE is without doubt WinPatrol Bill P is doing a great job with it which is why I paid for the Plus Edition to support his work
Calator Web said: Comodo is the best
Tony said: I only use Comodo on all my work family amp home PCs I used to use the paid AVG Pro and MSE but was constantly getting viruses I switched to Comodo and have been virus free for many years now Comodo is the only protection that I will ever recommend after seeing too many PCs messed up due to AVG and MSE But if I had to pick between AVG and MSE I would go with AVG because for some reason MSE gets disable to easily when something goes wrong and when it does finds a virus it will show that it removed it but then I would perform another scan and there it would be again
Alan Kennedy said: Well thats good to hear and an honest response The university school of computingI do some work at on a voluntary basis is now moving its PCs security over to MSE The students like it and you know it is going to be compatible with just about anything else running on your PC
C Brown said: For Linux and OSX you should have some form of firewallanti-virusantimalware running so as not to infect people running Windows when you forward on that dodgy jpeg you received in an email
Matt Egan said: Im also a big fan of MSE I use it alone to secure my primary home PC and have never had a problem In this instance the editor concerned picked five other products its in no-way a criticism of MSEYou can download Security Essentials fromhttpwwwpcadvisorcoukdowAnd httpwwwpcadvisorcoukdow
Colin Brown said: No MSE No Avast much better than AVGFirewall Plus - Why most people are sat behind 2 firewalls at home one in the router and the one built into WindowsAlso no mention of Malwarebtyes
Roy Vassie said: Alan Interesting you mention MSE as that is what I have replaced AVG 2011 with in a number of situations andspecifically the ones mentioned where problems with sage were encountered This has resolvedthe problems andadditionally the initial scans have often detected infections AVG had failed to I would go on record as saying that I am not a huge microsoft fan but this product appears at least for now to be pretty good but I believe as threats evolve you need to keep an open mind amp be prepared to changeI will continue to pay for my protection as NOD32 has never let me down yet Oh and I will continue to use linux as well but believe as its popularity grows the potential for malware will also
R Turpin said: As betweenthem they have less than 4 of the world market It stands to reason that asyet they are not an attractive target for the malicious virus makers But theyARE just as vulnerable as windowsAlso usingsupercilious names for your posts shows to me the limitations of any intellectin the content
Henry Wood said: The only reason malware is aimed in the main at Windows users is because that is the majority OS in use worldwide by a huge margin If everyone took your advice and switched over to LinuxMac OS do you think the writers of malware would just pack up and go home Linux and Mac OSs have their vulnerabilities too and the incessant babble from some of their users about real security just means those users do not understand the whole world of computers
Alan Kennedy said: No mention of Microsoft Security Essentials Yet it is as good as and better than some of the free programmes on offer I do agree with the comments on AVG by Roy Vassie Ive noticed over recent PCA articles on Security that MSE does not even rate a mention yet MSE v2 makes it an even better option
Roy Vassie said: Surprised to hear you recommending AVG currently I used to suggest it as a free alternative to many of my clients who didnt against my recommendation want to pay for anti virus but have recently stopped doing sobecauseof serious issues with AVG slowing machine performance drastically vitrually bringing software like sage to a stand still in a couple of instancesThen there is the removal issues many users have had serious difficulty removing AVG 2011 and had to resort to using specialist removal tools and registry cleaners before being able to replace itI suggest caution if considering what used to be a really good free product
SpunkGotDaFunk said: If we all stop using Windows then well have no more problems and no need to go to crazy efforts to protect our personal data Use Linux or Mac OS X for real security