Anti-virus software:
AVG Antivirus
Avast
AntiVir Personal Edition
Single scan (non-resident):
Trend Micro Housecall
Panda ActiveScan
McAfee FreeScan
Anti-trojan software:
Ewido
a2free
The Cleaner (30 day free trial)
TDS-3 (30 day free trial)
Trojan Hunter (30 day free trial)
Firewalls:
ZoneAlarm
Sygate Personal Firewall
Anti-spyware software:
Detection and removal:
Spybot Search and Destroy
AdAware
Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)
Prevention:
Spyware Blaster
Spyware Guard
Registry backup programs and cleaners:
Registry backup programs:
(Before using a registry cleaner, it is recommended that you make a backup of your registry. Deleting some registry items can affect system or program
performance. Some of the registry cleaners also have backup functions. The ''system restore'' feature on Windows XP can also be used for this.)
ERUNT
RegBack
IANAG Reg Backup/Restore Tool
Registry cleaners:
EasyCleaner
RegVac (free trial only)
Microsoft RegClean
TweakNow RegCleaner
Lexun RegScrubXP
WT RegCleanerXP
RegCleaner (by Jouni Vuorio)
Programs for removing unneeded files:
CCleaner (includes a registry cleaner)
EasyCleaner (includes a registry cleaner)
Miscellaneous security software:
WinPatrol
BHODemon (lists and evaluates Browser Helper Objects [BHOs])
HijackThis
CWShredder (program for removing CoolWebSearch)
Good free advice:
Spyware Warrior: Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
Spyware Warrior: Forums
Wilders Security Forums
CastleCops
Spywareinfo
Smart Computing
Geeks to Go
Internet browsers:
Firefox
Mozilla
Opera
Office productivity software (word processors, spreadsheets, etc.):
OpenOffice
Norton Commander clones:
xplorer2 lite
freeCommander
Gyula's Navigator
EF Commander Free
Graphic Viewers/Image Organizers:
IrfanView
Picasa 2
E-mail clients:
Thunderbird
Additional freeware sources:
[Warning: Always confirm the integrity of a freeware product with a trusted source, such as SpywareWarrior, before using.)
SnapFiles
Freebyte
Freebyte's Guide to free anti-virus software (also includes firewalls, anti-trojan software, etc.)
Freeware Guide
TheFreeSite
Top Quality Freeware
To get the basics of computer security for free, I suggest you download the following:
1. A firewall, such as Zone Alarm or Sygate Personal Firewall
2. An anti-virus program, such as AVG, Avast, or Anti-Vir
3. A program to detect and remove spyware, such as AdAware, Spybot, or
MS Antispyware (Beta)--preferably more than one of them
4. Spyware Blaster
5. Spyware Guard
6. An anti-trojan program, such as Ewido or a2free
(More items can be utilized, but that should give you the basics of protection.)
