Probably the Best Free Security List in the World

Introduction

Motto: Si vis pacem, para bellum.

This outstanding list has been compiled by one of our senior security editors, Antti Koponen.  The products are listed with the best free products first (non-free products are always at the bottom of each category), as judged by Antti. Antti's current choices for protection on his XP workstation and Vista laptop have been marked with ►.

The products are almost exclusively free with some exceptions:

(a) Products where there is no free alternative

(b) Good products that offer a lifetime license

(c) Exceptional products

 If you think this list has too many options to choose from,  try Gizmo's Security Advice Wizard.

Please inform us for dead/false links with the form located at the end of this list!

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World (c) 2009 Antti Koponen
Disclaimer: Some of these programs may harm your PC (especially when misused). Use at your own risk.

Index

Realtime protection (on-access) Privacy
Scanners (on-demand) System monitoring
Tools for virus removal Network traffic monitoring
Online-scanners System cleaning
Firewalls Data rescue
HIPS Encrypting
System hardening-HIPS Backup
System hardening System rescue
Sandboxing/virtualization Miscellaneous
Vulnerability scanning Tests
Browser security Vista security
IP-blocking/hardening Windows 7-security
   

Anti-virus:
►Avira AntiVir (see footnote)
Avast!
Microsoft Security Essentials (unrestricted download site)
AVG Anti-Virus
Panda cloudantivirus
Rising
PcTools
Immunet
Twister (not free, lifelong licence)

Anti-malware:
►Prevx (no removal, see footnote)
Spyware terminator
DriveSentry
Spyware Doctor Starter Edition (Google pack)
Ad-Aware
Rising PC doctor  
Windows Defender

Security suite (anti-virus, anti-malware and firewall):
Comodo
McAfee Internet Security Suite (AOL)
Forticlient
 

Scanners (on-demand)

AV-Scanners:
►Hitman Pro 
a-squared
Kaspersky
Bitdefender free
MWAV (no removal)
Norton Security Scan
a-squared MalAware (no removal)
Sophos Threat Detection Test (no removal)
ClamWin
Arcabit microscan

Anti-malware scanners:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Superantispyware
Spy Sweeper (no removal)
Spyware Doctor (no removal)
Systweak Advanced System Protector
Spy-Emergency
CA antispyware
(no removal)
Spybot S&D
The Cleaner

Portable antivirus/antimalware: (can be used eg. with a Windows boot cd)
a2 portable
DrWeb cureit
VIPRE Rescue
Norman malware cleaner
Trendmicro Sysclean
ClamWin portable

Multi-AV scanners:
Multi-AV Scanning Tool (Read all comments before trying!)
Multi-AV scan

AV Rescue CD:
Avira
Gdata

F-Secure
BitDefender
DrWeb
more
Sardu: integrate several rescue disks

Rootkit-detection:
Gmer
AVZ
Rootkit unhooker
Rootrepeal
Unhackme (fully functional evaluation version)
VBA anti-rootkit
Gmer: mbr-rootkit
Sanity check
Radix
Sysprot
Kx-ray
Suspicious Process Behavior Analysis Tool (sbat.exe)
Spy dll remover
Advancedwinservicemanage
Rootkitty (with boot cd)
more programs here, here and here

Memory scanner:
Threatexpert memoryscanner

AV/AM definition files:
Avira
Superantispyware
Malwarebytes Antimalware  www[dot]malwarebytes[dot]org/mbam/database/mbam-rules.exe
 

Tools for virus removal

Tools for most common viruses:
F-secure easyclean
McAfee Stinger
Avast virus cleaner
MS Malicious Software Removal Tool
Avira AntiVir Removal Tool
Combofix

Removal tools for specific viruses:
BitDefender
Kaspersky
F-Secure
Symantec
Panda Software

Malware removal:
Subratam
Atribune
Malware Removal
Remove fake antivirus

Additional AV-spesific tools
Avira
 

Online-scanners

File scanning with several scanners:
Virustotal (Uploader)
Jotti
Virscan
Novirusthanks (also link scanning)
Filterbit
Viruschief

Online-scanners (FF=also Firefox):
F-Secure (FF)
Kaspersky (no removal)
BitDefender
BitDefender qscan (FF)
Eset (FF)
Panda Software (FF)
a-squared
OneCare
Superantispyware
Trendmicro (FF)
Mcafee (no removal)
CA
VirusChaser
Comodo
Authentium
Ahnlab
Online sandbox:
Threatexpert
Sunbelt Sandbox
CIMA
Anubis
Norman Sandbox
Joebox
 

Firewalls

Limited versions of commercial firewalls:
Agnitum Outpost
Online Armor
Zonealarm
Sunbelt Kerio

free Firewalls:
Comodo
PCTools
Privatefirewall
Jetico
Webroot
NetVeda Safety.Net
Ashampoo
Filseclab

Simple firewalls (inbound only):
Ghostwall
►XP firewall

Gateways:
Endian 
Untangle

About NAT routers and hardware firewalls:

►article 1
 

HIPS

Behaviour blocker:
ThreatFire

Classical strong HIPS:
Real time defender
EqSecure 3.41, (Alcyon ruleset)
Dynamic Security Agent
Netchina S3 HIPS (Download here.)
System Safety Monitor
Winpooch
WIPS
Malware Defender (not free, lifelong licence)

Classical lightweight HIPS:
►Winpatrol
System shields
Arovax Shield

Anti-keylogger:
Snoopfree
DataGuard AntiKeylogger
KL-detector
PSMA
Zemana (not free)

Registry protection:
MJ Registry Watcher

Anti-executable:
Process Guard
Trust-no-exe
Winsonar

White-listing anti-executable:
Bluepoint security (not free)

Drive firewall:
PE-Guard
SensiveGuard
CoreForce

File/Folder Monitoring Software:
Tiny Watcher
SilentNight Inspector
FileChecker
FileMap by BB

Anti Dialer:
A-Squared Anti Dialer
Dialer shields
 

System hardening-HIPS

System & Program Files Protection:
System Protect

Drive-by-download blocker:
F-Secure Exploit Shield (IE, Firefox)

Memory firewall:
Comodo memory firewall

Address space randomization:
WehnTrust

System lockdown:
Appranger (not free)

USB-firewall:
Net Studio USB FireWall
Autorun Virus Remover
Ninja Pendisk! 
Autorun Eater
 

System hardening

Hardening tools:
Invincible Windows
Harden-It
Secure-It
SafeXP
XPantispy
Security & Privacy Complete
Seconfig XP
Samurai
Windows Worms Doors Cleaner

USB-autorun cleaning
Flash disinfector

USB-autorun disabling
Panda USB and AutoRun Vaccine

Script-file protection:
Script Defender
ScripTrap

Protection against scripts embedded on web pages:
No Script (Firefox)

Protection against flash embedded on web pages:
Flash block (Firefox)

SRP (Software Restriction Policy):
instructions 1
instructions 2
PGS - Pretty Good Security

Adding user rights:
Sudo for windows
suDown

Limiting user rights:
Windows Steadystate
SuRun

Determining user rights:
Privbar

Running program with dropped rights:
DropMyRights.net
PsExec
StripMyRights
1-defender
 

Sandboxing-virtualization

Sandboxing (for browsers/IM/etc):
►Sandboxie
GeSWall
Safespace
RTD Smart
►Defencewall (not free, very cheap)
AppGuard (not free)

Light sandboxing in browsers:
►Google Chrome
Google Chrome Frame (for Explorer)

System virtualization:
Returnil
Powershadow 2.6 (Key)
Virtual Protect
Shadow Defender (not free, lifelong licence)

Rollback software:
Comodo time machine beta
Rollback Rx (not free)
Firstdefence-ISR (not free)
Eaz-fix (not free)

Desktop virtualization:
Mojopac
Icore

Virtual players:
VmWare player, VmWare converter, EasyVMX converter
moka5 live PC + Fearless Browser

Virtualization software:
VMWare
VirtualBox
VirtualPC
VMToolkit

Virtualized browser:
Inmunos

Portable OS:
Ubuntu linux

Linux live CD:
LinuxMint
Puppy
Simply Mepis
Slax
Ubuntu
 

Vulnerability scanning

Windows-system security analyzing:
MS Baseline Security Analyzer
Nessus
Belarc Advisor
Protector Plus

Windows-system security analyzing (OS+installed programs):
Secunia
F-secure health check

Installed programs:
several here

Searching for drivers:
several here

CD With All Current Drivers for Windows XP:
DriverPacks

Package for most important media addons:
All in One Runtimes
 

Browser security

Anti-phishing/malware browser plugins:
WOT
LinkExtend
McAfee Siteadvisor
PcTools Browserdefender
Netcraft toolbar
Bitdefender anti-phishing
Sitehound
Web Security Guard
RGguard
TrendProtect
Comodo Verification Engine

Real-time link scanning:
AVG Linkscanner
Finjan SecureBrowsing

Manual link scanning:
LinkScanner
Dr.Web plug-in

Anti-phishing Firefox plugins:
IDND
ShowIP

Ad blocking:
Adblock Plus (Firefox)  Easylist
TACO (Firefox)
Ad Muncher (not free)

Pop-up blockers:
PanicWare Pop-Up Stopper
EMS Free Surfer
 

IP-blocking/hardening

Blacklists for Explorer:
Spyware Blaster

Internet proxy+blacklist:
SquidGuard

Host File management:
Hostsman
HostsXpert
B.I.S.S. Host Manager

Host files (blocking malware and advertisements):
Hostfile
Hosts
Mvps

Caching/filtering and blocking pseudo-DNS server:
DNSKong

Internal proxies:
Proxomitron + JD list
Sidki's Proxomitron config
IdnWebShield

External proxies:
Freecap
Socscap

Better DNS:
►OpenDNS
Comodo DNS

IP-blocking:
PeerGuardian 2 
Peerblock

Parental control:
Kidzui
K9 Web Protection
Parentalcontrolbar
Glubble (Firefox)

Spam filters

SpamAssassin
SpamBayes
SpamCop
Spamihilator
SPAMfighter
Comodo Antispam
Mailwasher
Spam Manager
 

Privacy

Collection of tools:
Anoniem-surfen

Free VPN connection:
Hotspot shield
UltraVPN
Aloneweb
Loki
It's Hidden

Free online proxy:
Ninjacloak
Zend2
Proxybrowsing
Proxify

SSH and SFTP client:
Tunnelier
WinSCP
FileZilla

Anonymous browsers:
XeroBank
OperaTor

Anonymous browsing tools:
Foxyproxy
Tor
JAP

Detection of web bugs:
Ghostery (Firefox)

Spoofing mac address:
Macmakeup
Macshift

Control referrers:
Refcontrol (Firefox)

Secure HTTPS server:
Perspectives (Firefox)

Cookie-control:
Cookie monster
CookieSafe (Firefox)
CS lite (Firefox)
Cookie culler (Firefox)
Maxa
Foxyproxy

LSO killing:
BetterPrivacy (Firefox)
Objection (Firefox)

Key scrambling:
KeyScrambler Personal

Virtual keyboard:
Trendmicro Transaction Guard (Java, with spyware protection)
Neo's safekeys

Versatile tool for safeguarding banking session:
Rapport
►Prevx SafeOnline (not free)

Password management:
Lastpass
Passwordmaker
Password Safe
RoboForm
RoboForm2Go (portable)
Keepass
Any password
Secure login (Firefox)

Protection against search data profiling:
Trackmenot (Firefox)

E-mail encryption:
PGPFreeware
Comodo SecureEmail

VPN sofware:
Logmein Hamachi
Comodo EasyVPN

Checking your own ip:
Show My IP
IP Adress

Browsing without a trace:
Portable Firefox
Browzar

Removal of metadata:
JPEG and PNG stripper
Doc Scrubber (word-documents)
 

System monitoring

System monitoring and diagnostic:
PC Wizard
System info for Windows (SIW)
What's Running
Change Analysis Diagnostic tool (Microsoft)
Eset SysInspector
EVEREST Home Edition
Anvir task manager
Rsit  images[dot]malwareremoval[dot]com/random/RSIT.exe (new files etc)

Process/startup/etc scanners:
ProcessExplorer
Autoruns
Silent runners
Run Scanner
Process Hacker
RSIT
Startup control panel

Autorun/startup/etc scanners with analyzing help:
HijackThis (analyzing help here, and here)
a2 HiJackFree ( analyzing help here)
Kaspersky GSI
Security Task Manager
Runalyzer
Dart Bit

Realtime process monitoring:
Process monitor

Searching files and processes:
fileresearchcenter (+ process scanning)
processlibrary
fileadvisor

Checksum calculation:
Md5summer
Hashcalc
Hashtab
 

Network traffic monitoring

Port checking:
ActivePorts
TcpView
CurrPorts+IPNetInfo

Botnet diagnosis:
Trendmicro RUBotted

Network traffic monitoring:
Netmeter
F-secure web trail
Network lights
Urlsnooper

Network traffic analyzing:
Wireshark
NetworkMiner
Nmap
Cain & Abel
IpSniffer
Microsoft Network Monitor
Analyzer

NIDS
Snort
Bothunter
 

System cleaning

Versatile cleanup tool:
RegRun Reanimator

Process killing:
APT
ProcX (+many anti-rootkit software)

File shredders:
Eraser
UltraShredder
File Shredder

File killing:
KillBox
Brute force uninstaller (guide)
Unlocker
FileASSASSIN
Avenger (for experts)

Killing registry entries:
RegASSASSIN

Device&driver analyzing:
ServiWin
Pserv.cpl

Registry editing:
Registrar lite
Regalyzer
RegSearch

System cleaning:
CCleaner
Easy Cleaner
RegSeeker
Tweaknow RegCleaner
ATF-Cleaner
CleanUP!
PureRa
FCleaner

Collection of tools:
Mztweak

Alternate data streams:
ADSSpy
Assasin G13
Lads

Uninstallers:
Revo uninstaller
Zsoft uninstaller
Add/Remove Pro
Install Rite
EMB uninstaller
Uninstall Programs Packaged with Windows Installer in Safe Mode

MRU-list deleting:
MRU-Blaster

Removing unwanted (preinstalled) Windows/software:
PC Decrapifier
Office 2007 remover
AV removal (many tools)
App Remover
AV removal 2 (many tools)
Old versions of Java
Old versions of Flash
 

File rescuing from Usb-drive/hard disk:
PC Inspector File Recovery
Avira UnErase

File rescuing from memory cards:
PC Inspector smart recovery

Rescuing files from corrupted hard disk:
Unstoppable Copier

Unstoppable copying:
TeraCopy

Rescuing files from broken CD/DVD:
IsoBuster
IsoPuzzle
ICDcheck

Write error resistant DVD:s:
dvdisaster
 

Encrypting

Versatile tool for encrypting:
FREE CompuSec

Hiding files:
My Lockbox
Easy file locker

Encrypting files:
AxCrypt
Cryptainer LE
Kruptos 2
ICE encrypt
KGB archiver

Encrypting with virtual drives:
freeOTFE
TrueCrypt

Encrypting for usb-drive:
Cryptainer LE
USB flash security
 

Backup

Data Backup:
Karen’s Replicator
Fbackup

Syncback
Comodo Backup
Cobian backup
XXCopy
Robocopy

Portable backup:
Toucan
FileHamster

Online-disk:
Mozy
Adrive
Dropbox
Gmail Drive shell extension
Skydire explorer (Windows Live)
more

Registry backup:
Erunt

Programs for mbr backupping and restoring:
Many programs here

Creating images from hard disks on-line:
Paragon Express
Macrium Reflect Free
Easeus
DriveImageXML
Drive Snapshot
SelfImage
Comodo backup
Shadow Protect (not free)

Backupping hard disk with Live-Cd:
GParted+Clonezilla
G4U
PC INSPECTOR™ clone maxx
Partition Logic

Hard disk cloning:
HDClone free (CD)

Hard disk cleaning:
Darik's Boot & Nuke
Active Kill Disk
PC INSPECTOR™ e-maxx
Disk wipe

Backup drivers:
Drivermax
 

Boot-CD:
UBCD4win
BootDisk
UBCD
Omega

Boot-CD registry editor:
PC regedit

Rescuing and troubleshooting:
Memtest86+
Sisoft
SystemResqueCD
Shockfamily Knoppix

Recover a hanging system:
Antifreeze

Solve problem drivers:
Bluescreenview
Whocrashed

Repairing of broken internet connection:
Winsockxpfix
Winsockfix
Lspfix
Autodebug for Winsock

Fixing settings:
Dial-aFix
Sreng
Computer Repair utility kit
 

Miscellaneous

Guides:
disabling autorun
Fixing MBR with Boot-CD
Fixing MBR
Configuring XP firewall
Fixing MBR with Boot-CD
Protection against ARP poisoning
Recover Windows key for unbootable system
Determine Processor Security Features
Securing wireless network
How to reset windows account password
How To Check System Files For Digital Signatures

Remote control
Teamviewer

Restore Corrupted Folder Options and Advanced Settings:
Tool 1

Tool 2
Fix corrupted .exe association

Tool for balancing process CPU:
Process lasso
Process tamer

Tool for downloading and updating a collection of tools:
Techtoolkit

Automatic analyzing of EULA:
Eulalyzer
Spywareguide

Security program lists:
Spywarewarrior
Alken
firewallguide

Guides for malware removal:
MajorGeeks

Best security forums:
Wilders Security

Updates from Microsoft:
Shavlik Patch Google® Gadget
Ryan VM's pack

AV-laboratories:
support@emsisoft.com
newvirus@kaspersky.com
virus@avira.com
report@prevxresearch.com
https://analysis.f-secure.com/
 

Tests

Eicar test virus:
Eicar AntiVirus test file

Test spyware (for experts):
Spycar
Scoundrel Simulator

System shutdown test (for experts):
ZeroDay testi

Keylogger-test:
Zemana

HIPS-tests (for experts):
Comodo

Tests for PC:
Test my PC

Firewall/port tester:
GRC
AuditmyPC

Router crash test:
GRC

DNS security test:
GRC

Other security tests:
PC Flank
GFI (email)

Anti-rootkit tests:
Hideproc

Browser tests:
Web Check (security)
Popup Check (popups)
Browser security (java)

Test sites:
Av Comparatives
Matousec
Virus Info
Anti Malware Test
Shadow Server
Kareldjag
PCSL - PC Security Labs
Remove-malware
MTC
MRG
 

Vista security

The best protector: LUA
►Article 1

UAC-control
►TweakUAC

Better UAC
Smart UAC
Norton UAC Tool

Vista Firewall control
Vista firewall control

Repairing of broken internet connection:
ICR

Miscellaneous:
disabling autorun
turning DEP on
►Vista firewall guide
Backup and Restore Vista OEM Activation License
 

Windows 7 security

Windows 7 firewall control
Windows 7 firewall control

CD With All Current Drivers for Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7:
DriverPack Solution 9

 


Avira Antivir 

The update servers of the free version of Avira Antivir are undersized. For this reason the first update may take a long time - an hour or even more. As the install package comes with very old virus definitions, one is not well advised to continue surfing without the update process being finished. One can speed-up the first update by downloading the latest Avira updates here, then double-clicking the Avira system tray icon and choosing Update > Manual update, and searching the downloaded file with the file manager thus opened.

You should keep watch on the Avira updates. Double-click the Avira system tray icon. Then click the Configuration button. A new window is opened. Choose Expert mode. Click General > Security. Now check Show notice if the virus definition file is out of date and choose Alert if last update is older than 2 days.

One may occasionally meet update problems also in the future, but Avira should usually update itself on its own approximately once a day. As Avira has market-leading heuristics, small lags in updates are not as fatal for Avira as for most of its rivals. However, if Avira regularly fails to update, consider changing to another free AV.


 No removal 

In the free version only malware detection. Removal included in the paid version.


Probably the Best Free Security List in the World (c) 2009 Antti Koponen
 

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4.826085
Average: 4.8 (69 votes)
Your rating: None

I admire the time and effort to put together such an extensive and comprehensive list.

I would like to suggest that the best and simplest security is to use a live Linux disk. Never a security problem. Never.

I love -- depending on my day and mood -- to use any of the following distros:

LinuxMint
www.linuxmint.com

Puppy
www.puppylinux.com

Simply Mepis
www.mepis.org

Slax
www.slax.org

Ubuntu
www.ubuntu.com

Thanks! Good hint.

Thanks for the a² information. Whether it's fully installed or portable one. I like the info. I think you have gave us very useful information to check and consider. Love you and your works.
I'll rate this post of yours to encourage you to provide people with more helpful and considerable information :)

Btw, I do think you can remove that "Probably" word on the title :D

Thanks! I'm happy if the information given here is found useful! :)

Hi by (no removal) do you mean that there is no uninstall option once installed?

Thanks.

The use of this term usually means that a software can detect something but will not remove it or otherwise deal with afterwards which means you would need another program to complete this process.

Yes. Many commercial free programs encourage this way to by the full version.

I vote that the name be changed to

The Best Free Security List in the World

As there is no probably about it.

Great work

I agree with this 100% but to avoid possible legal complications the title would need to be "qualified" in some way. Even just a "?" at the end would be enough. Something like "The Best Free Security List in the World (challenge it!)" would be another option because that might induce people to post other lists we haven't seen yet containing information which might be of use here too. Whatever, I've always admired the work ako has put into compiling this list and how much is also involved with keeping it updated.

Thanks to both of you for kind words. :)
As a modest man I prefer to have the name as it is now. :D

Shouldn't FortiClient be listed as a Suite? It includes antivirus, antispyware, and a firewall.

Thanks!

Startup Control Panel:
Startup Control Panel is a nifty control panel applet that allows you to easily configure which programs run when your computer starts. It's simple to use and, like all my programs, it's very small and won't burden your system. A valuable tool for system administrators!
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

Sidki's Proxomitron config:
http://sidki.proxfilter.net/prox-news.html

Thanks, I'll check these.

Hi all,

Quick comment and question,

Why do you have the list repeated on "all" the pages but the comments by posters start over in their numbering?? Kind of a waste of space to repeat the list on 'each' of the pages, and sort of confusing to start post numbers over beginning at 1 on each of the pages!

Also, why is there no way to get a 'printed' version/format of the pages?

Thanks a bunch!

Sincerely,
Sue

Good question, I'll pass it!

Thanks for your great list. FYI, Norton Security Scan is no longer part of the Google Pack, at least in the US.

Corrected! :)

ako

Hello Ako,

Thank you for providing and maintaining such a great list. I've recently linked to it over at Calender of Updates, where myself and the Site Admin. would like to post in the calender there any updates to the list when they occur.

See here: http://www.calendarofupdates.com/updates/index.php?s=&showtopic=23791&vi...

Is it possible to be kept informed when the list is to be updated and the changes that are to be made?

Best regards,
RedDawn.

Hello RedDawn,

Thank you for your interest for this list. As the list is for looking for solutions when needed, I personally don't see informing about updates too important. However, I've been asked the same at Wilders, so we could do the following: when any major changes have been performed, I'll post a note to this thread:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=249469

Is this OK?

No reply yet. Reddawn, please contact me with the contact form.

Hi Ako,

I replied a couple of days ago but it must have got lost. Possibly due to this sites problems over the last few days?

I don't seem to be able to find the contact form, but will check by the thread at Wilders every now and then.

Regards,
RedDawn

You need not to check it actively. Just register there and mark it as "follow this thread".

You'll see the contact form if you register here.

Ako

Hi RedDawn
We did in fact lose all of the comments and some forum stuff covering a two day period after our site backup crashed. Sorry for that, but everything is back to normal now.

@Ako
Thanks, will do.

@MidnightCowboy
No bother, thanks for the reply.

Regards,
RedDawn.

haveing printer problem.hp j4580 all in one.will not print.screen comes up with "thunking spooler apis from 32 to 64 process has stopped working.how do i fix this.
"drs"

Go to ask on our forum, please.

hi,

i was wondering if you could have a look at ninja pendisk, and if it has any merit?
http://nunobrito.eu/ninja/

Thanks.

I'll check this!

Here is a piece of software that covers a BLIND SPOT in this truly amazing list of security tools.

The MS Office documents that we e-mail out or share via memory stick,CD or DVD contain "metadata" about the author of the document. This can also happen with PDF files.

The removal of this hidden information is highly critical in the Health Care and Legal professions.

To remove this metadata a free tool like Doc Scrubber can be used.

At this stage Doc Scrubber works on Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP.

It is possible that others that review this list of security applications might know of a free alternative that works on Vista and Windows 7.

Thanks! Very good idea. (I'm using the Microsoft's own add-on for this.)

well that's actually true...avira updat is poor,shouldn'tt be no longer rated first.
i bet it doesn't happen that often with avast..just check the avira forum personal,and you'l find a lot of complaints.

I've added above:

The update servers of the free version of Avira Antivir are undersized. For this reason the first update may take a long time, even an hour or so. As the install package comes with very old virus definitions, one is not well advised to continue surfing without the update process being finished. One can speed-up the first update by downloading the latest Avira updates here, then double-clicking the Avira system tray icon and choosing Update > Manual update, and searching the downloaded file with the file manager thus opened. You may occasionally meet update problems also in the future, but Avira should update itself on its own approximately once a day.(As Avira has market-leading heuristics, small lags in updates are not as fatal for Avira as for most of its rivals.)

Installed Avira AntiVir, then uninstalled it, when it refused to update after 30 minutes of trying various things. During the 30 minutes, the most likely reason for the failure seemed to me that their update servers are not powerful enough collectively to do the job properly, and it seemed that many others have the same trouble (2,000 Google hits for "antivir won't update"). Bye, bye, AntiVir, perhaps I will give you another go when your makers are serious about providing a proper service.

This is indeed the problem with Antivir. However: I've been told that it will update itself on its own - but forcing it will often fail. So you could have waited one day before giving up. (meanwhile use the link above to update Avira definitions once)

I've heard good things about Endian firewall (Untangle is similar). Both are free for base version.
www.endian.com

Thanks!

IOBit 360 is also reviewed here:
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/smb-security/reviews/50057.aspx

The way I see it, it's "all show and no go"...

I've done some private testing with 0-day malware. The free version of IObit was not good at blocking but scanner could remove malware quite well.

Thanks for the feedback ako. So based on your own experience would you say it has a place as a complimentary tool?

Yes. It seems to me it is close to MBAM and SAS as a scanner.

My thoughts too, plus it has the real-time protection missing from these other freeware alternatives. In terms of value at a little over 10k in use it has to be worth the system investment as a complimentary tool. I'm still advising running it as such rather than as a replacement for any other real-time software users might already have installed. It's only by getting some more feedback on this basis that we can begin to build a comparative picture of exactly what Iobit 360 finds (or not) in relation to the others.

The real-time protection of the free version is not very good. Eg. Prevx is much much better.

Unless they've changed it, the free version of Prevx has no real-time protection or malware removal capabilities, except for some minor stuff maybe? Please correct me if I'm wrong because it's been a while since I looked at this program. I guess I'm hoping that this part of Iobit 360 will improve further (bit like the AV improvements in CIS) as the software develops over time.

Yes, it removes something, but not much. But for a second opinion its quite useful. I'm presently installing it to my friends PC:s along with some free AV, like Avast.

IObit needs to keep something for the commercial version, like they have done with the heuristics.

Agreed - thanks for your input.

I've actually just replied to a post in another section saying that we still need to see exactly what the target focus of Iobit 360 is before we can judge how effective it might be, or indeed where it should fit in to someone's security setup. The tiny number of samples in this Brighthub "test" tell us nothing, especially when we don't even know what they were, how old, or how they were introduced into the system.

ip blocking:
Peerblock works much better than Peerguardian. It works on vista and windows 7. The GUI and settings are identical but peerblock has incorporated a much needed signed driver, and thats pretty much where peerguardian left off.
http://www.peerblock.com/

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