10 Free Security Tools for Windows

To use an Internet-connected computer is to be insecure and place your privacy in danger. Spyware, viruses, Trojans and assorted malware are everywhere on the Net, trying to hop onto your PC and cause damage. 

Operating systems of all kinds are under assault, but the prime target is Windows, because the vast majority of PCs worldwide use that operating system. Luckily, there's plenty of free software for Windows that can help protect your privacy and security. Its all free and also powerfull. This are 10 tools you have to download to strength your Windows.

1. Secunia Personal Software Inspector

As a security vendor,Secunia keeps track of software vulnerabilities and available patches. The company's Personal Software Inspector (PSI) scans your PC, downloads a current vulnerabilities file, and alerts you to any software on your machine that is missing security patches. It also warns you if any software is out of date and no longer supported by the vendor.

Note : Secunia PSI is free for home use, but requires payment for business use.

2. SendShield (beta)

Sendshield help you remember to review every document you send out via e-mail to make sure it doesn't contain privacy-compromising information. It examines what we send to see if they have any of private information. It then details what it finds and lets you remove the information with a single click. It deletes the information only from the copy of the file you send via e-mail, not the original on your hard disk.

Note : SendShield is in beta, and for now is free.

3. Avast Antivirus

Avast Antivirus software from ALWIL Software is lightweight and takes up barely any RAM or system resources, it's simple to use, and it'll do everything you need by providing live, resident protection as well as scanning. The software uses a shield metaphor for its multiple types of protection. There's an antivirus shield, one that protects against Web-based threats, another for e-mail protection and so on. You can customize the sensitivity of each shield. Avast includes automated updates of virus definitions.

Note : Avast is free for home use, but requires payment for business use.

4. HijackThis

What can you do if your PC is acting strange and you suspect that you've been victimized by malware? Try downloading and using Trend Micro's HijackThis. The program examines your settings and the Windows registry, particularly those sections that are most likely to be vulnerable, and then saves all those settings in a log file. The software will also delete suspicious items, and it includes other useful tools, such as one that will generate a log of all programs that run on start-up.

Note : If you're not an expert, you shouldn't try to use this program on your own. Think of it as a last resort when standard anti-malware tools fail.

5. SpywareBlaster

SpywareBlaster from Javacool Software comes to stops the installation of ActiveX -based spyware, browser hijackers and other malware, and can also block spyware cookies. If you don't use Internet Explorer, there's no need to install this software, because Firefox, Opera and Safari don't use ActiveX.

6. F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Eliminator

Rootkits are the most nefarious of all malware and they are hiding themselves from many antivirus and anti-malware
programs. F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Eliminator scans your PC for hidden processes, folders and files, then reports on what it finds. If your PC is clean, it will tell you so. If it finds anything hidden, it tells you that as well and lets you clean it up. Double-click any entry, and you'll get more information about it, such as the file location, a description and company information.

Note : Try to rename it first when you have discovered rootkit in your PC. Kill option is only for experienced user.

7. NoScript

A great Firefox extension called NoScript, which not only blocks scripts, plug-ins and various types of code, but also protects against cross-site scripting attacks. It lets you block scripts, plug-ins, and code on a site-by-site basis. You can control it to an exceptional degree, including whether to block scripts on sites on a one-time basis or permanently.

8. Comodo Firewall Pro

There are plenty of free firewalls out there, but you can try Comodo Firewall Pro, which provides top-notch protection from both inbound and outbound threats. It offers other types of protection as well, including what it calls Defense+, which keeps you safe in several ways, including locking down certain files and folders so that they can't be altered.

9. McAfee SiteAdvisor

McAfee SiteAdvisor is a great way to make sure you steer away from bad sites. When you do a search in Google or Yahoo, it places a small icon to the right of each search result, indicating whether the site is safe, questionable or known to be harmful. A red X indicates danger, a green check indicates the site is safe, and a yellow exclamation mark indicates that it's questionable. If McAfee hasn't assessed a particular site, it displays a question mark.

10. CCleaner

CCleaner help protect your privacy and also keeps your system clean and running well. To protect your privacy, it removes traces of your Internet history, such as your temporary Internet files, browsing history, autocomplete form history, and cookies. In addition, it cleans Windows' Recent History list. CCleaner gets rid of many different kinds of unneeded files, such as temporary files, Windows log files, chkdsk file fragments and a lot more. It can also check your Registry and clean it of bad or broken entries and help you stop programs from running on start-up.