Best Free Internet Security Suite [1]

This website, and others, have long advocated the use of layered protection [3] to secure a Windows PC in the knowledge that a standard antivirus is often not enough. Vendors are also pushing this approach and most now offer an internet security suite as their leading product. In addition to the normal antivirus, internet security suites include a firewall and other security components. The exact make-up varies between products so be sure to check the information pages before deciding which best suits your own needs. As ever, there are freeware products that are just as good as the commercial programs.

 

Please note that security product reviews range from being a useful resource to complete nonsense so do not use these solely to choose a security suite, or worse still, change the one you have already*. Beware too of media reviews that are biased towards the commercial products advertised on the same site. You need to consider for instance why the discrepancy between these [4] independent results and these [5] from a media publication for the same product? :)

 

*The incorrect removal of an existing security program can adversely affect later installations of new products and/or possibly the operation of your Windows system. Always use the dedicated tool for this purpose provided by the vendor and never a third party program wound up to its most aggressive setting. Doing so invites a recipe for disaster as does the use of so called registry cleaners [6] or other types of clean/tweak tool which almost always contain a registry component.

 

 

Be sure to check out the options in the first install window. Some, like Comodo's DNS service and behavior analysis, you might want, but the search engine change to Yahoo!, you might not. :)

 

Be aware also that unless you check the “customize installer” option and de-select what you don't need, you'll end up with their GeekBuddy service and Comodo Dragon browser. You can also at this point choose the level of alerts presented by the program via the “Configurations Options” tab.

 

Once you have installed and updated the signature definitions, you can begin to configure the settings. The window above is just one of many and illustrates why I don't believe this program to be suitable for the inexperienced. 

 

Comodo help guide page [8].        Chiron's highly comprehensive setup guide [9].

 

 

[10]ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus + Firewall is a good choice because it does a very good job in an uncomplicated way. It has all the basic features you would expect for a security suite, including the famous firewall. ZoneAlarm uses the Kaspersky SDK engine. Test results are not class leading but for users following safe surfing practices, protection is more than adequate. 

 

[11]

Application control is clear and precise and there is just enough HIPS protection [12] to be useful without being too obtrusive. 

• Choose “Custom” install to avoid [13] the unnecessary add-ons/system changes
• Choose the full package option
• Choose to set application control to “max”
• Wait for the download to complete – around 180MB
• Internet connection will drop out during installation of firewall driver
• After install ZA will automatically scan your boot sector and memory

• Antivirus – Settings – Riskware Categories – enable “other riskware scanning”.
• Firewall – Basic Firewall – Settings – set both to High.
• Advanced settings – enable ARP protection and Hosts file lock.

[15]Outpost Security Suite Free uses its own antivirus engine but as far as I am aware, still licenses the detection signatures from VirusBuster. This won't achieve top ranking detection but as with Comodo, the focus of the suite is on prevention. The program has not been updated for two years, as illustrated by the GUI, but is still a capable product.