Free Windows Desktop Software Security List

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Last updated by ako on 18. March 2021 - 17:46

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Security List Index

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Keys

Discontinued or not updated recently (for at least three years). If there are both free and paid versions, this key applies only to the free version.

 Item links to a Gizmo's Freeware 'Best Free' page.   

 Item or this icon links to a Gizmo's Freeware page.

 Web application. Use of this key doesn't mean that there isn't a Windows application also available.

Browsers: FF = Firefox; Ch = Chrome; IE = Internet Explorer; OB = Other browsers; AB = All browsers.

 

 About

This list (earlier "Probably the Best Free Security List in the World") contains thousands of links to free security-related Windows desktop applications and web applications, with the goal of listing everything available that's not malicious or of low usefulness. This list doesn't include Windows desktop applications that work on only pre-Windows XP operating systems. This list also contains links to pages that contain security-related information. This list does not give recommendations ( except for the My Choices page ), but it contains links to other Gizmo's Freeware pages that give recommendations.

Use the Windows desktop applications or web applications on this list at your discretion. We usually don't test the Windows desktop applications or web applications on this list, and we usually don't scan the Windows desktop applications on this list with antivirus software. Some of the links in the Related Links section on this page give tips on deciding whether a given Windows desktop application or website is safe to use.

We periodically check all links on this list with Web of Trust. Only links that are rated by Web of Trust as green or unrated are shown as hyperlinks. Links that are rated by Web of Trust as yellow are shown as obfuscated links. Links that are rated by Web of Trust as red aren't allowed on this list. Links that directly link to files are shown as obfuscated links. To change an obfuscated link into a valid link, copy and paste the obfuscated link to your browser's address bar, then replace [COLON] with : and [DOT] with a period.

Use the comments section below, or this (or this) forum thread, to let us know about issues, or suggestions for items that could be added to the list.

Short URLs for this page: http://tinyurl.com/free-security, http://bit.ly/DQNn0, and http://goo.gl/nw5c.

 

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Editor

This list is maintained by volunteer editor ako (Antti Koponen)

(c) 2009-2021 Antti Koponen

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Comments

DuckDuckGo is a privacy tool that accordingly removes personalised filtering of search results.

McAfee Site Advisor is still a downloadable browser extension. I expect that it continues to be much less effective than WOT just as it has for many years.

I agree that WOT has done something bad but the main alternatives all have blots on their reputation.

eikelein, you probably know that when Firefox disables the WOT extension it is possible to enable it. But for those who don't, you might have to tell Firefox to re-enable WOT a few times before Firefox leaves it alone.

There are two ways to get to the settings:

  • Select Menu (the "Hamburger") in the right end of the toolbar; then select Add-ons
  • Enter about:addons where you normally type in URL

Then:

  • Select the Extensions side tab
  • Find WOT in the list of extensions
  • Re-enable it using the Enable button

 

Remah,
I know exactly what you mean, thanks.
Quite a few of my customers got caught by automatic Firefox updates that placed FF's profile folder on he dektop as "Old Firefox Data" and created a new profile without any extensions.

In some cases I could "fix" that by copying the old profile back to where FF expects it and changing the profile.ini file accordingly.

The message that FF used to pop up about WOT was (is?) formulated in a way that my (often elderly) non-geek customers got scared and then clicked on Remove. After that it's all too late, WOT is gone.

Again, thank you for your remark and suggestions.

This is old news now. The WOT add-on has already been reinstated to the Chrome store. See the link below re: Firefox MC - Site Manager.
https://www.mywot.com/en/forum/73748-community-update-wot-on-firefox
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/comments-suggestions-and-...

Thanks, MC. That forum post didn't come up on WOT for me.
However, the concern expressed by Mozilla was not only what the plugin was collecting but what WOT was doing with the information.

As other posters on the Gizmo forum observed, WOT is a "security" feature for safe surfing. In what way is it safe if their income comes from user tracking? They've lost this user and my on-line recommendations.

Thanks MC!

I've been using separate sandboxes (www.sandboxie.com) for each site where I do financial transactions or conduct other sensitive functions and delete the contents of the sandbox after use.

I personally have separate account for financial.

And I NEVER use admin account.

Nice security list. it would be helpful if there were links to go to those sites too.
Since some are out-dated the years of operation might be listed along the side.

A major concern is what security etc. programs that work on a WIN7 system will still work on WIN 10 OS. It would be nice to see a tabulated list that shows this someplace. If you are aware of any please post and/or share in email newsletter. Thanks. [I realize time is limited]

I guess all major products already support win 10. 

I am not personally using win10 and will not in near future.

The problem is time indeed. Would you like to join us to become co-author?

What do you think about AdFender compared to AdMuncher? http://www.adfender.com/

I personally use AdMuncher. Haven't seen any comparison of them.

Why are there so many broken links and outdated programs on this list? Seems to me it hasn't been reviewed in quite awhile, as I clicked on many programs in the list that hadn't been updated since 2010 or 2012. Support has ended for many programs on the list also, due to age. One example is Xerobank, which hasn't been around since '09 or so. I don't know about you, but I prefer products that are up-to-date on the latest threats.

joy90976, You are invited to become co-author of this list. The reason for inactivity is simple: time.

@joy90976
Dear joy,
Why don't you voluntarily offer to take over administration of this list?
Now THAT would help...

Sorry for the inactivity guys, but we're back! Well at least I am trying to keep it up-to-date.

Feel free to add your comments, suggestions, and critiques!

Sigh, life gets in the way... I think we may need a new helper for this.

I used Threatfire for several years but quit when it was no longer being updated. This program has not been updated since March of 2012, should it still be on this list (HIPS)?
Cheers

The inclusion criteria for threat-fighting applications is whether the given application is useless (or nearly useless) against current threats. I'm sure that ThreatFire is not as good against current threats as it was back when it was maintained. So the question is whether this low bar is not being met? In this particular case, even if the low bar is not met, ThreatFire can also be configured to alert on single behaviors, making ThreatFire behave more like most other HIPS.

Very soon (perhaps today) a new key called "Discontinued or inactive" will be introduced. This key will be used for ThreatFire.

Thank you for the feedback :).

Does any of this software run on Windows 10?

Emsisoft Emergency Kit,  HitmanPro.Alert,  Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Prey (Anti-Theft), SoftPerfect RAM Disk, WinPatrol, Zemana Anti-Malware, PeStudio, SUMo, LastPass, TrafficLight, VTchromizer, WOT, µBlock

The above is actually my security setup, minus what's already in Windows 10 (system imaging, file history, SmartScreen, Windows Defender, Protected Mode, UAC, etc.)

Yes, some of the software should run on Windows 10. You'll have to explore each individual link for information about Windows 10 compatibility.

A new revised list is coming soon! Tell us what you think.

I think it is a great list, though I would prefer to see some description for each tool.

Sorry, but I have to object to (seemingly) generally giving download links from Cnet.com or Download.com. Maybe I misunderstand the text.

These are in my experience some of the worst sites adding unnecessary download programs and wrappers that in turn then get (ab)used to sneakily get PuPs installed.

Recommending Cnet/Download.com IMHO equals aiding the proliferation of one of the nastiest kind of malware that currently is way too common. I have found that almost always there are other options.

Nasties, that you can typically uncheck during installation, and if you accidentally install them, you can easily uninstall them. Or is there something more serious I am not aware of? (I yesterday reinstalled my Windows and used Download.com many times without nasty suprises.)

Well, IMHO you only really know after you run ADWcleaner and Malwarebytes and both come up clean.

I encounter quite often the opinion that all PuPs can be removed in Programs and Features. Not true in my experience.

Babylon, Conduit and Searchscopes for example (there are many more) come up in these scans ONLY and can completely ruin the internet experience.

Just to convince you: I scanned the PC today with Hitman Pro, MBAM and AdwCleaner. No problems found. I am now scanning with Antivir. If it sees anything, I will report it. But I don't expect to see anything exiting.
No problems here. But generally you are right. Most people probably just click, and there may be next time when I use these services more efficient efforts to put something on my system. But the work for changing all links is huge. Perhaps we should add some warning first.... Thank you for your comments.

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