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Review of Internet Security Tools

Secure your PC or Apple Mac with Internet protection tools; advice for beginners and intermediate users

Short List Recommendations

You will need an appropriate tool in each category, the recommended short list being:

Anti Virus

• AVG Anti-virus Free Edition

• Norton Internet Security 2009 (surprise)

Anti-rootkit

Anti Spyware and Trojans

• Spybot Search and Destroy

Firewalls

• Microsoft Windows Firewall, or use your broadband router.

Apple Mac Anti-virus

Internet Protection Tools

You will need three protection tools: anti-virus, spyware protection and a firewall:

Anti Virus

You need a good anti-virus package with regular updates. This protects against malicious code being imported via email or web browsing.

AVG Anti-virus is recommended; it is free, and almost as good as the commercial Norton Symantec, McAfee and similar products (see below).

• AVG Anti-virus Free. AVG now (Nov 2009) offer V9.0 Anti-Virus Free, Anti-virus (£27.99) and Internet Security (£39.99), see the comparison at Download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition. The only thing worth paying for is Anti-Rootkit: if you get a Rootkit infection it is very serious, but see below.
• Kaspersky AntiVirus 7, recommended by PCPro, do you trust the Russians? £24, free trial.
• Norton Internet Security 2009 (Symantec) seems much improved on earlier versions and is now recommended.
• McAfee Total Protection 2009, £29.99, is still as bloated and slow as ever, with lots of unwanted "extras". Such suites are best avoided as they insinuate themselves into Windows and are hard to de-install (though you can download a Norton Removal Tool).

Don't have more than one anti-virus software application in use, since they can conflict.

Anti-rootkit

if you get a Rootkit infection it is very serious, and you may not be able to clear it. You can try the Anti-rootkit tools of paid for AVG, or you can try for free:

• Malicious Software Removal Tool http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.aspx
• Sophos Anti-Rootkit http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/sophos-anti-rootkit.html

Anti Spyware and Trojans Software

You also need a way of detected and removing spyware and cookies that track your Internet habits for marketing purposes, trojans that enable your computer to be accessed and used by others for illicit purposes, and other undesirable programs.

This is a privacy and also a security issue, with passwords and one's "digital identity " at risk.

Good choices (but you don't need more than one?) are:

• Spybot Search and Destroy, good freeware
• PC Tools Spyware Doctor is possibly more powerful, and available free via Google Pack.
• Ad Aware SE Personal
• AVG Anti-Spyware Free
• Windows Defender, part of Vista, performs this role adequately.

Firewall

A firewall is needed to make your computer invisible to potential attacks from the Internet. This is particularly important if you are connected by broadband. It works at the network packet level, rather than by examining application signatures, and protects against "bots" trying to take over your computer

The Windows XP or Vista firewall is good enough, even though it only filters incoming traffic by default. You need to check that it is turned on for each connection via Network Connections / Properties / Advanced / Setting.

If you use a multi-port router for connection to broadband then this should include a "hardware" firewall, which is even better.

So you should not need the ZoneAlarm software firewall unless you have a version of Windows prior to XP. It is £29.50 after 15 days, though installation issues have been reported and it is overwhelming for most users. There are also problems with Vista, including after Service Pack 1.

 PC Tools Firewall Plus, free, is said to be efficient but too complex for learners. Most people are better off sticking to the Windows Firewall.

Apple Mac Anti-virus

What about anti-virus on the Apple Mac? My experience is limited, but Sophos seem to have it covered, though costing several hundred pounds for the business market. But see:

• Chester Wisniewski’s Sophos Blog
• Cardiff University seems to have good general advice on Mac security.
• They quote ClamXav as a free virus checker for Mac OS X.
• Apple are selling avast! antivirus Mac Edition 2.74 but I dont know anything about it.
• usatoday blog includes another up to date (Nov 2009) review of security on the Apple Mac.