| Security Check / Patch Management | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| beITsmart | Online enterprise version of Belarc Advisor | Belarc |  |
 |
| Belarc Advisor | List installed hardware, software & license numbers, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status & CIS benchmarks | Belarc | |
Free (for personal use) |
| Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer | Check your Windows installation for vulnerabilities | Microsoft | |
Free |
| Microsoft Security Assessment Tool | Assess weaknesses in your IT security environment | Microsoft | |
Free (validation required) |
| Qfecheck | Command line utility to verify the installation of Windows 2000 and Windows XP hotfixes | Microsoft | |
Free (validation required) |
| Secunia Network Software Inspector | Check your network installed software for vulnerabilities | Secunia | |
|
| Secunia Online Software Inspector | Check your locally installed software online for vulnerabilities | Secunia |  |
Free |
| Secunia Personal Software Inspector | Check your locally installed software for vulnerabilities | Secunia | |
Free (for personal use) |
| Sunbelt Network Security Inspector | Network vulnerability scanner | Sunbelt Software | |
|
| Symantec Online Security Check | Online security scanner | Symantec | |
Free |
| Windows Server Update Services | Deliver updates to corporate environments from Microsoft Update | Microsoft | |
Free |
| Anti-Virus | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| Avast Online Virus Scanner | Online (single file) virus scanner | ALWIL Software | |
Free |
| AVG AntiVirus Free | Anti-Virus software | Grisoft | |
Free (for personal use) |
| AVG AntiVirus | Anti-Virus software | Grisoft | N/A | |
| AVG AntiVirus Network Edition | Anti-Virus software | Grisoft | N/A | |
| AVG AntiVirus for e-Mail Servers | Anti-Virus software | Grisoft | N/A | |
| AVG AntiVirus for File Servers | Anti-Virus software | Grisoft | N/A | |
| BitDefender AntiVirus | Anti-Virus software | BitDefender | |
|
| BitDefender AntiVirus for Windows File Servers | Anti-Virus software | BitDefender | |
|
| BitDefender AntiVirus for Samba Linux File Servers | Anti-Virus software | BitDefender | |
|
| BitDefender Online Virus Scanner | Online virus scanner (Internet Explorer 4+) | BitDefender | |
Free |
| Comodo AntiVirus | Anti-Virus | Comodo | |
Free |
| Kaspersky AntiVirus | Anti-Virus software | Kaspersky Lab | |
|
| Kaspersky Online Virus Scanner | Online virus scanner (Internet Explorer 6+) | Kaspersky Lab | |
Free |
| McAfee FreeScan | Online virus scanner (Internet Explorer 5+) | McAfee | |
Free |
| McAfee VirusScan USB | Anti-Virus software for USB sticks | McAfee | |
|
| Panda ActiveScan | Online virus scanner (Internet Explorer 5+) | Panda Security | |
Free |
| Symantec Online Virus Scan | Online virus scanner (Internet Explorer 5+) | Symantec | |
Free |
| Trend Micro HouseCall | Online virus/malware scanner (multi-platform) (5) | Trend Micro | |
Free |
| Windows Live OneCare safety scan | Online virus scanner (Windows 2000+, Internet Explorer 6+) | Microsoft | |
Free |
| Anti-Spyware / Anti-Malware | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| Ad-Aware SE | Real-time protection against spyware, scanner & removal tool | LavaSoft | N/A | |
| Ad-Aware SE Personal | Spyware scanner & removal tool | LavaSoft | |
Free (for personal use) |
| AVG AntiRootkit | Find and remove Rootkits | Grisoft | |
Free |
| AVG AntiSpyware | Anti-Spyware software | Grisoft | |
Free (for personal use) |
| BitDefender AntiSpyware | Real-time protection against spyware, scanner & removal tool | BitDefender | |
|
| Comodo BOClean | Anti-Malware | Comodo | |
Free |
| CounterSpy | Anti-Malware | Sunbelt Software | |
|
| CounterSpy Enterprise | Anti-Malware | Sunbelt Software | |
|
| Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool | Scan for and remove spyware & other malware | Microsoft | |
Free |
| Spyware Blaster | Prevent spyware infections by securing your browser(s) | Javacool Software | |
Free (for personal use) donations welcome |
| Spyware Blaster Network Version | Prevent spyware infections by securing your browsers | Javacool Software | |
|
| Windows Defender | Real-time protection against spyware | Microsoft | |
Free (validation required) |
| XP-AntiSpy | Prevent spyware infections by securing your computer | Christian Taubenheim | |
Free donations welcome |
| ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware | Real-time protection, scanner & removal tool | ZoneLabs | |
|
| Anti-Spam | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| BitDefender AntiSpam for Mail Servers (Win SMTP Proxy) | Anti-Spam software | BitDefender | |
|
| Comodo AntiSpam Desktop | Sender authentication based anti-spam (1) | Comodo | |
Free (registration required) |
| iHateSpam | Anti-Spam software | Sunbelt Software | |
|
| Personal Firewall | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| Comodo Personal Firewall | Personal Firewall | Comodo | |
Free |
| Innovative Firewall Manager | XP SP2 Firewall Front-End | Innovative Solutions | |
|
| Innovative StartUp Firewall | StartUp Firewall | Innovative Solutions | |
|
| Sunbelt Personal Firewall | Personal Firewall | Sunbelt Software | |
Free (2) (for personal use) |
| Sunbelt Personal Firewall | Personal Firewall | Sunbelt Software | |
|
| ZoneAlarm | Personal Firewall | ZoneLabs | |
Free (for personal use) |
| ZoneAlarm Pro | Personal Firewall | ZoneLabs | |
|
| Anti-Phishing | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| Comodo VerificationEngine | Anti-Phishing | Comodo | |
Free |
| McAfee SiteAdvisor | Rates the risk of current page and search results | McAfee | |
Free |
| SpoofStick for Internet Explorer | Spoof detection software | SpoofStick | |
Free |
| TrendProtect | Rates the risk of current page and search results | Trend Micro | |
Free |
| Encryption | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| Genie Eyes Only | AES based encryption software | Genie-Soft | |
|
| SysKey | Secures/encrypts the Windows (XP) SAM accounts database | Microsoft | Native in Windows XP | |
| TrueCrypt | Encrypt logical, removable or virtual disks | TrueCrypt Foundation | |
Free (donations welcome) |
| Miscellaneous | ||||
| Product | Description | Manufacturer | Download | Purchase |
| Adobe Flash Player Settings | Manage security settings for Adobe Flash player | Adobe | |
Free |
| DelFlash.vbs | Delete Local Stored Objects ("Flash Cookies") (6) | Rob van der Woude | |
Free (donations welcome) |
| Dan Pollock's HOSTS file | Set IP address 127.0.0.1 for maliscious or unwanted sites | Dan Pollock | |
Free |
| Free Hide Folder | Hide files and folders (4) | Cleanersoft.com | |
Free (donations welcome) |
| IEHistoryViewer | Browse IE's history and/or remove selected entries | NirSoft | |
Free |
| Laptop Alarm (3) | Emits a loud alarm when someone tries to steal your laptop | Syfer.nl | |
Free |
| LUA Buglight | Trace and fix LUA bugs | Aaron Margosis | |
Free |
| McAfee Wi-Fi Scan | Online Wi-Fi security check (Internet Explorer 5+) | McAfee | |
Free |
| NoAutoRun.bat | Block Windows' AutoRun.inf feature | Scott Dunn (.reg), Rob van der Woude (.bat) | |
Free |
| PopupCop | Block annoying & malicious web code | PopupCop | |
|
| PsExec | Block malicious web code by running your browser with limited user priviliges: (8)psexec -l -d"c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe"psexec -l -d"c:\program files\mozilla firefox\firefox.exe" |
Mark Russinovich (Microsoft) | |
Free |
| Securable | Check which hardware security features (64-bit instruction, DEP, virtualization) your CPU supports (7) | Steve Gibson | |
Free |
| SSL Blacklist | Firefox add-on to detect unsafe SSL certificates (9) | CodeFromThe70s.org | |
Free |
| SSL Guardian | Internet Explorer add-on to detect unsafe SSL certificates (9) | Heise Online | |
Free |
| Tiny Watcher | Monitor system changes | Olivier Lombart | |
Free |
| Windows Live OneCare Family Safety | Family filtering for web, e-mail & IM (Windows XP SP2+, Internet Explorer 6+) | Microsoft | |
|
| Windows SteadyState | Restrict acces and/or undo any system or file modifications | Microsoft | |
Free (validation required) |
| Notes: | (1) | Read the documentation thoroughly before installing and using this software. Sender authentication ("whitelisting") may be an effective anti-spam method (arguably the best), but if you were to use it for a while and then uninstall it, you may find you'll receive more spam than ever before. |
| (2) | Will continue working in (limited) free mode after the trial period expires. Requires a paid license to return to full mode after the trial period. Check the Sunbelt website to view a comparison of free and full modes. |
|
| (3) | Read this review of LaptopAlarm. | |
| (4) | Though hiding your files may prevent others from accidentally accessing confident or private files, for true protection files should be encrypted before hiding them! | |
| (5) | Though multi-platform (Java based), Trend Micro HouseCall version 6.5 as well as 6.6 failed on my own PC (Windows XP SP2, Firefox 2, and perhaps "too much" security software). | |
| (6) | Best used in conjunction with Adobe Flash Player Settings. | |
| (7) | Read Steve's explanation on www.grc.com/securable.htm. | |
| (8) | In Firefox, also use the IsAdmin add-on to monitor the browser's user priviliges. | |
| (9) | Read more on the OpenSSL vulnerability addressed by these add-ins in this article: Debian package of OpenSSL generates weak keys. |