Free Security Toolbox

Keep your system and data safe by using our favorite no-cost tools for securing your PC against Internet evils.

Firewalls

Kerio Personal Firewall 4: The 30-day trial reverts to a free version (for home use only), but without advanced features enabled. 7.3MB

Outpost Firewall Free: Agnitum's no-frills app. 2.7MB

Sygate Personal Firewall 5.6: Bidirectional. 8.8MB

ZoneAlarm 5.5: The free version also scans e-mail for dangerous .vbs scripts. 6.3MB

Antivirus

Avast 4 Home Edition: Alwil's free app for home and noncommercial users. 8.2MB

AVG Antivirus Free Edition: Grisoft's program for noncommercial home users. 9.7MB

Anti-Spyware

Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition: Lavasoft's pioneering free (for noncommercial use) spyware hunter is still one of the best. 2.5MB

HijackThis 1.98: Merijn Bellekom's not-for-novices adware/spyware detector/remover. 183KB

Spybot Search & Destroy 1.3: Patrick M. Kolla (of Safer Networking) is waging a one-man war against spyware. 4.2MB

SpywareBlaster 3.2: Javacool Software's memory-resident spyware blocker. 2.1MB

Send your questions and tips to nettips@spanbauer.com. We pay $50 for published items. Scott Spanbauer is a contributing editor for PC World.