Virus Checking

"avast! antivirus software is based on the ALWIL Software Virus, Worm and Trojan horse scanning technology since 1988. The avast! antivirus portfolio includes a number of products, providing effective protection at all levels - from PDAs to large networks."

"AVG Anti-Virus FREE Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Anti-Virus FREE is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Anti-Virus FREE is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements)."

SpyWare and Adware Checking

"Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer, too :)"

"Ad-Aware is designed to provide advanced protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components. With the release of Ad-Aware SE Personal edition, Lavasoft takes the fight against Spyware to the next level."

Firewalls

"Millions of users have selected ZoneAlarm as their trusted Internet security solution. The award-winning personal firewall automatically blocks dangerous Internet threats - known and unknown - guarding your PC from hackers and data thieves. ZoneAlarm provides the basic protection individuals need to secure their PC and keep their valuable information private."

"BlackICE is professional-strength protection for your PC. BlackICE PC Protection features both an intrusion detection system and a personal firewall for a one-two punch of protection. BlackICE automatically detects and blocks attacks through a comprehensive inspection of all inbound and outbound information to your computer. And BlackICE PC Protection is constantly working to secure your dial-up, DSL, and cable modem from hackers 24 hours a day, every day of the year."

"Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF) is a software agent that builds a barrier between your personal computer and the Internet. KPF is designed to protect your PC against attacks from both the Internet, and other computers in the local network. KPF controls all data flow in both directions – from the Internet to your computer and vice versa, and it can block all attempted communication allowing only what you choose to permit. This makes KPF an ideal solution for notebook computers that freely travel in and out of the corporate network, facing exposure to various risks as they connect from different locations."

"Symantec's Norton™ Personal Firewall 2003 keeps hackers out and personal data in. Its robust defenses include intrusion detection, application control, and privacy protection in one easy program. It hides your PC from hackers, blocks suspicious incoming connections, stops malicious programs from spying on your system, and prevents confidential information from being sent out without your knowledge."

"Personal Firewall places a barrier between the Internet and your PC, helping to block hackers from accessing your computer and allowing you to digitally 'fingerprint' trusted applications. Every time your computer is probed or attacked, you get detailed reports and clear follow-up options. Learn what happens to your PC and report hacker activity to conveniently assist law enforcement."

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