Anti-Virus Software

AVG Anti-Virus
Click on the link for information on Grisoft’s free and fully functional version of their popular anti-virus software. Free for home use and registration is not required. Download Here

Avast
This is my far the best free antivirus programs.   Ed has installed this on one of his home computers and it works as well as others he has used. Free for home use and registration is required.

Avira Antivirus
Avira has a free antivirus software that can be used for personal use and support Windows XP, 2000, and 98.   Free AntiVir Personal Edition – Download here

Symantec / Norton Security tools – A list of specific programs that will remove an individual trojan or Virus

Spyware / Ad-Ware and Malware Protection

AVG Anti-Spyware
AVG now offers free anti-Spyware software.  Formally known as Ewido, the software is fully functional for 30 days. At the end of the 30 day trial, some of the features will be deactivated and the program will turn into a feature-limited freeware version. The purchased license code can be entered at any time.

Malware Bytes (free edition Scanner – Purchased version provide realtime protection)
I started using this little GEM of a scanner when some of my Favorite scanners failed to detect or remove nasty infection like the Vundo Virus, AntiVirus 2008/2009/360 and many others.  This scanner detects virus, malware, trojans, and other unwanted programs by how they behave, what they access, if they are monitoring keystrokes, spawning / creating / modifying exiting programs.  This is now my new favorite scanner -  2/2009.

SpyCatcher Express (free edition)
C-Net rated this Anti-Spyware scanner and real-time protection as one of the best free utilities they tested.  When you check out the web site, make sure you scroll to the “Free Products” section.

Ad-Aware 2007
An excellent spyware and ad-ware removal utility. This free utility will run on most Windows computers and will discover and remove most.

Spy Sweeper
Another excellent spyware and ad-ware removal utility that provides real-time protection. Webroot provides a 30 day, fully functional trial version of the utility.

SpyBot S&D (Search and Destroy)
An excellent free spyware, ad-ware, and Trojan removal utility by PepiMK Software.

Task Manager Tool -Process Library Scanner
This free application will give you a complete analysis of all the processes running on your PC and details the risk of each one!  Microsoft Gold Certified application.  This is great tool that compliments the Windows Task Manager.

Personal Firewall

Kerio Personal Firewall
Highly respected  free firewall that almost went out of existence until it was rescued.  This is becoming the free firewall of choice by professionals.

Zone Alarm Personal Firewall by Zone Labs
Protects your computer by placing a barrier between your PC and all network traffic coming in and going out of your computer.  Make sure you are downloading the free ZoneAlarm firewall and not the ZoneAlarm Security suite which is “nagware”.  What that means is that after 30-60 days of free use, the software begins to nag you to upgrade to the paid version.

Software Security Suites

These are software programs that combine anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall into one package.  You’ll find them put out by Symantec, McAfee, ZoneLabs and many others.  These are typically for pay software that takes up a significant amount of computer resources since they actively monitor all systems. Most Internet Service Providers now give subscribers free Antivirus suites by McAfee or symantec.  Microsoft also provides a free antivirus product call Security Essentials that is availble to download

RootKits scanner

McAfee now provides a Rootkit scanner -  A Rootkit is basically a malicous program (virus) that hides itself by using invalid WIndows characters – Microsoft will not let you create a file or folder with characters – !@#$%^&*()….).  Most antivirus scanners can not detect rootkits.

Microsoft Security Updates

Windows Updates
Your computer should already be configured to automatically download Windows updates. In case it is not, or if you would like to double check, click on the Windows Update link.

The 46 Best Free Utilities
Ian “Gizmo” Richards maintains a running list of the 46 best free utilities on his “Tech Support Alert” Web site. Gizmo keeps the list up to date by adding and removing utilities and updating each of the 46 descriptions. I have referenced this page frequently, and have now added it to our Tool Kit.

Nir Sofer’s list of free utilities and tools -  Techie tools  – Recover passwords, Wireless router keys, networking utilities, command line utils, and much more.

Ultimate BootDisk 4 Windows