BOOT CAMP 541 (09/09/08)
Freeware Top Tens part 5, Privacy and Security
Welcome to part
five of our foray into the wonderful world of free software, or freeware, and,
rather confusingly, part two of the Privacy and Security category. Here’s
another selection of programs and utilities designed to protect your PC, keep
your data safe and safeguard your privacy and identity
Yes,
I know you’ve heard it all before but before we begin can I please remind you
that you install these programs at your own risk. If you have any questions
please ask the authors or publisher, not us, and if you find any of these
applications and utilities useful and want to go on using them please pay the
license fee or if asked, make a donation.
EncryptOnClick, XP & Vista, 1.5Mb
http://tinyurl.com/5jpy82
This simple but very powerful military-grade
encryption utility will ensure that selected files on your PC or USB drive
remain safe and inaccessible. The program also includes a compression feature,
so as an added bonus your protected files will be even smaller than the
originals.
Free Hide Folder,
XP & Vista, 0.75Mb, http://tinyurl.com/2lgvhm
It won’t take you long to figure out what this one is
for. As the name implies Free Hide Folder makes folders stored on your computer
completely invisible. Even if someone gains access to your PC they won’t be
able to find your personal, private or secret files, simply because they can’t
be seen. To access your hidden folders need to run the program then enter your
password and hey presto, as if by magic, they reappear.
HijackThis, XP
& Vista, 0.8Mb
http://tinyurl.com/y4hvz9
Use this one
with care! HijackThis is a powerful diagnostic program that can help you to
identify and remove deep-rooted malware infections that latch on to web
browsers. It doesn’t automatically identify malicious files but it does produce
a highly detailed log file of what’s using your Internet connection and this
can be used to tell friend from foe, or uploaded to the web for more detailed
analysis.
Keiro Personal Firewall v2.5.1, 9X & XP, 2.1Mb,
http://tinyurl.com/d4wed
Now owned by Sunbelt Software
this long-running firewall still provides good, basic protection for older PCs
running Windows 98, and XP. It’s a two-way design, preventing incoming attacks
as well as stopping programs on your PC using your web connection without
permission, and for good measure it uses very few resources, so there’s no
noticeable impact on performance.
Laptop Alarm, XP & Vista, 0.3Mb
http://tinyurl.com/2ymmza
Another program that should need
little in the way of explanation, the name says it all. The program protects
your laptop against theft by monitoring any changes in the power status, such
as someone unplugging the power adaptor, or any unexpected activity, like using
the mouse or trying to shut it down without entering the correct password. If
triggered it locks down Windows and sounds a siren, and it’s no good trying to
turn the volume down or mute the sound because the controls are disabled.
Outpost Firewall Free, XP & Vista, 2.7Mb, http://tinyurl.com/j2nl2
Another fairly basic firewall but for many web users
it should provide all of the protection they need, from hack attacks and
malicious software. It’s easy to use and there are no complicated configuration
settings to worry about.
Rootkit Detective, XP & Vista, 1.6Mb, http://tinyurl.com/65ox6r
Developed by McAfee, the anti-virus people, this neat
little program seeks out Rootkits. These are stealthy malware programs that
many security programs have trouble identifying, as they can resemble
legitimate software. It is not for absolute beginners though, and it is still
in beta form, so there may still be unexpected glitches, but if you think
you’ve fallen prey to an unexplained infection it’s worth scanning your system
to see what it finds.
R- Firewall, XP & Vista, 3.7Mb
http://tinyurl.com/omh4p
This advanced two-way firewall intercepts both incoming
and outgoing connections and it has some useful extra features. These include
programmable filters, for blocking inappropriate websites or content and it’s
ideal for mobile users, with a facility to set up multiple configurations for
different types of network connection (office and public networks, wi-fi
Hotspots etc.).
Spybot is the
grand old man of malware cleaners and it remains one of the most effective
tools available for combating this ongoing threat. This most recent version is
the fastest yet, and like its predecessors, anything suspicious is displayed in
a log file, colour coded to show the threat level. Needless to say, anything
coloured red demands your immediate attention! Very simple to set up and use
but like all malware scanners, it can’t do everything, so run it once a week,
more often if you are a heavy web user, in conjunction with one or more of the
other cleaners we’ve mentioned.
Another classic
piece of software and a perennial favourite, stopping all attempts to hack into
your PC, as well as stopping programs on you computer using your Internet
connection without your permission. This new and improved version installs
easily and requires little in the way of configuration once it is up and
running.
Next Week – Freeware Top Tens part 6
JARGON FILTER
BETA
Pre-release
version of a program or application, made available to testers and volunteers
on an at-their-own-risk basis, to help identify any last remaining bugs,
glitches and conflicts
ENCRYPTION
Rendering
files unreadable by any conventional means; decryption requires specialist
software and a unique 'key' or code, used to unlock the data.
Wi-Fi HOTSPOT
Public
Wireless Internet access point in and around hotels, airports, coffee bars
etc., users are normally required to pay a fee or subscription before they can
log on
TOP TIP -- BONUS UTILITY
Password Bird, any
web-connected PC, http://tinyurl.com/2kwmf4
Have you ever struggled
to come up with a safe password? Why not let the Password Bird help. It asks
you a few simple questions, such as a memorable name, then enter your date of
birth, click Enter and it scrambles the data, producing a strong, non-guessable
alphanumeric password, but made up of bits of information that you supplied,
which may make it a bit easier to remember
Don't forget, there's a
full archive of previous Boot Camp Top Tips at www.pctoptips.co.uk
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© R. Maybury 2008, 1308
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