Crawler Parental Control's easy-to-use application provides you with comprehensive control of user activity on your computer.

Crawler Parental Control gives you a holistic overview of your children's activity on your computer and allows you to individualize and restrict their actions and time spent at the computer. Amongst it's main features are Content Control, Time Control, Usage Logging and Email Notifications, Application Usage Restrictions and System Restrictions. If you're worried about them looking at your own personal data, you can hide content on your computer that you don't want them to see. If you're tired of them screwing up your PC with malicious programs, you can also prevent your children and other users of your computer from installing unwanted and potentially harmful software and uninstalling applications that you need to use. Most importantly however, you can have control over the content that they are viewing and specify keywords and dangerous content that you want it to look for. This includes porn sites or those that require credit card for unauthorized online shopping.

If you're looking for an easy to use, comprehensive protection system for your PC, then Parental Control ticks all the right boxes.

Download Crawler Parental Control 1.1.0.226 in Softonic

We've all been in that horrible scenario where an essential file has seemingly disappeared into thin air - either via accidental deletion or malware which has invaded your system.

First thing's first - this is no substitute for an anti-virus checker but it does offer you extra protection against the worst case scenarios in file deletion. It's mainly aimed at those that want to protect their files from kids or another unauthorised users that may purposely or accidentally delete files. Of course, if you are using Windows, I suggest the best way to do this is is to create an entirely new user profile for each person but if this is not possible, then this is an excellent alternative.

System Protect allows you to pick those files and folders that you want to protect such as important documents, your favorite music, vacation photos, movies etc. It's best used as an extension to your currently existing security suite. to keep your system stable and get automatic deletion alerts - a virus checker may inform you of a virus attack but it won't tell you whether the target is going to be deleted - System Protect will.

If you don't have much faith in your antivirus software or are worried about other users on your PC, then this is an excellent solution.

Download System Protect 1.0.0.83 in Softonic

Sharing a PC is never a good idea if you've got sensitive or confidential information that you don't want strangers, or even loved ones, to access.

My favourite way to protect myself is simply to create another profile for other users on my system but this is not always possible if Windows isn't working properly. In which case, one good option is to lock those files and folders that you don't want accessed by prying eyes. System Vault simply can't hide files and folders but it can require users to enter a password before accessing them. It also allows you to remove common files or folders that are accessed from your MRU files on your PC so that anyone using your machine, can't see what you've just been looking at.

One word of warning though - if you install the program, uninstall it and then reinstall it again, your protected files are completely reset. This means that anyone that really wants to access your files merely has to uninstall the program so it's a good idea to use some kind of system protection system in addition to this program. However, the developers advise that to avoid losing your directories and files when re-installing the application in future you should export your list of paths and import them again on reinstallation.

A simple way to protect your files but be warned that it's not very secure any anyone who uninstalls it will have access to your files.

Download System Vault 1.16 in Softonic

It often happens that we have to hide files or folders, especially when working on a shared computer. The most effective way to do it is by using a specific program.

Free Hide Folder is a free application that lets you select a list of folders you would like to keep protected. By clicking the Hide button in the main menu, all the selected folders will magically disappear on your computer. In order to have access to them you will have to pass through the program which has a pre-selected password to enter.

It's all very easy to use and actually effective if you have sensitive files to protect, but I have little issues on the usability side. It's not possible in fact to hide a folder just from the right-click menu; you will always have to pass through the Add function of the program. Again, if you want to see a folder that has been previously hidden, a double click on it in the program's window is not enough; you will have to select the right button in the right-click menu of the application.

The program installs icons in the Start menu, letting other users know you are hiding something, so maybe a combination of keys to launch the application would have been more effective. I suppose you can always delete the Start menu link but then you will not have direct access to your folders.

Free Hide Folder is a useful free tool to protect and hide sensitive folders on your computer. Some usability issues may render slightly annoying using it, but they don't affect its efficiency.

Download Free Hide Folder 2.0 in Softonic

If you're worried about unauthorised access of your files but regularly share a PC, then one of the best ways to protect yourself is by encrypting your folders.

This might be a laborious and time consuming process if you've got lots of data to protect - as encryption can frequently take time - but it doesn't have to be too painful with Kaka Folder Protection. The program is fast and straightforward and once installed, you'll notice a "lockdir.exe" in your folders. Double click on this to run the program and it instantly asks you for a password to encrypt the folder. You can choose to encrypt either the current folder or an alternative folder of your choosing. The program would have been better if it installed itself directly into Windows Explorer shell and required a right click to activate but it's really no big drawback to double-click the .exe.

The developers claim that the program uses strong encryption technology although it doesn't reveal exactly what this is. This may cause some concern for those who are worried about the strength of the encryption. Once encrypted however, the good thing is that the folders are protected against illegal copying, deletion or adding extra files to. The program also adds a padlock symbol to protected folders so that users can immediately see what is protected and what isn't it - which is OK unless you're trying to protect files discreetly.

A simple and easy to use program that doesn't reveal what kind of encryption it uses but should be enough for most home users.

Download Folder Protection 4.8 in Softonic

If you're ever worried about what's happening with your PC when you're not around then this is an ingenious solution.

If you've got a USB stick, dod you know you can use it for more than just portable storage? You can in fact use it to block people accessing your PC by installing USB PC Lock Pro and inserting it into any available USB port - nothing more. Once plugged in, it blocks everything from keyboard access to MSN Messenger messages and audio of any kind - so no need to worry about any embarrassing noises whilst you are away from the PC. Once installed on the stick, the upper part of the screen shows the main features such as the Presence and Security Status. Below this are a number of "Plugins" which you can enable separately depending on what you want blocked such as media player, messenger etc. Once set, the program sits in the system tray discreetly so that no one even knows its running.

If you're worried about leaving your PC for long periods of time and have a USB stick, this is an effective and simple solution although obviously, anyone who knows what it is can simply take it out and access whatever they want to.

Download USB PC Lock Pro 1.6 in Softonic

We've all had embarrassing moments where the boss walks by and we're looking at something we shouldn't be.

Magic Boss key immediately cleans your desktop, taskbar and any other program or folder that you may have open at any one time. You can do this without even touching your keyboard. By clicking with the two mouse buttons at the same time you can remove all open windows, including Magic Boss. There's no real noticeable difference in the performance of your PC whilst Magic Boss is working although if you're running a lot of applications at one time, you might find that Boss Key does not kick in as soon as you'd like it to. In which case, the boss will see both what you're looking at plus see that you've got Boss Key installed so you're running a bit of a risk. The one thing it does not do as well is remove icons in the system tray so make sure you've got nothing dodgy running that shows up there.

This is one easy way to beat the boss although don't rely on it if you've got lots of applications running at once.

Download Magic Boss Key 3.40 in Softonic

If you're worried about security on your VPN network, then OpenVPN is a fully-featured SSL VPN solution which can accommodate a wide range of configurations, including remote access, site-to-site VPNs, WiFi security, and enterprise size solutions.

The focus of this program is security. OpenVPN provides many options for controlling the security of the VPN client but it also provides options for protecting the security of the server itself. The big advantage is that it's a cross-platform app so it doesn't what matter which type of computer the users are using and it offers excellent stability and scalability for hundreds or even thousands of clients. Installation is also simple and it supports both dynamic IP addresses and NAT. The developers claim that they have worked hard to make it responsive in terms of both normal operation and error recovery. What I liked most is that if it drops the connection, within 5 minutes it will reconnect although this is rather too long for my liking. If you could reduce this to just a few seconds, it would be much more useful as no one wants to hang around 5 minutes for their VPN to connect again.

A simple and secure client that offers users across all platforms a free and powerful VPN solution.

Download OpenVPN 2.09 in Softonic

Bugged by ads and popups? Halt! lets you create your own list of sites that you want to block and specifies categories with your own blocking rules. After installation, the Halt! control center has 3 main frames. The left frame will list sites with their categories. The top right frame will list categories. The Bottom right frame will set schedules.

You can start by adding a category such as "$$$", add a description such as "High Risk Gambling" and you've thus set the blocking rule for this category "Always" and a date when this rule should expire. The next column is called 'Change'. This is the time delay which will be applied to this category if you decide to change the blocking rules, or if you amend a sites category. So if you set Change to "one month", and later decide to change the blocking rule from Always to schedule it will take 1 month to apply the rule change.

Halt! was written to help people with an addiction to internet gambling. So it has been designed to be difficult to disable or uninstall. A password (entered during installation) is required to stop or uninstall this program. However, this is all very well but if you forget the password, you're going to find it very hard to get rid of.

This is a great program for anyone that's fighting online gambling although whatever you do, don't lose the installation password.

Download Halt! 1.2 in Softonic

DeVault protects files and folders in any format or compression ratio. The program does not need to move files and works with your own list of files ordered by category. At the same time, you can perform several operations with the protected files such as synchronize daily scheduling by the hour, record backups, share directories and export details of the database to an XML file.

The program also features built-in compression and backup options that make it ideal for both personal or business use. For busy professionals, encryption and automatic task scheduling is also available. Using this application, you can share multiple files and multiple revisions of the same files with others in a single digital vault. However, it's not clear what encryption methods are being used and so the security may not be 100% reliable.

Ultimately, deVault acts as a safety deposit box in which to store documents that are highly sensitive - it's a good solution for anyone dealing with secret data.

Download deVault 4.5 in Softonic

Facial recognition is something we've all seen in movies, used to grant access to secret labs, high-tech computing systems or locked safe boxes. Now you can also use it to keep your PC secure while you're away from it.

Despite its cartoonish name, BananaScreen is an efficient tool that will protect your computer from unauthorized access in a very easy way. Simply install it, plug your webcam, record your own face and you're done. The program will lock the PC after the lapse of time you set in configuration options and immediately unlock it only if the same face that was recorded before sits in front of the computer.

BananaScreen did a good job during our tests, recognizing our face on every occasion and blocking other users. There's also the option to enter your own Windows password in case it doesn't work. However, and since it's still a beta version, we have doubts about its reliability. In fact, we've read comments from users who were able to fool the program by using a picture of the computer's owner.

Download BananaScreen 1.2.1 Beta in Softonic

If you travel often with your laptop then there must have been times when you've had to leave it alone momentarily. It's always a risk though but you can have some peace of mind with Laptop Alarm. Laptop Alarm does exactly what it's name suggests - sets off a high pitched alarm if someone attempts to take your laptop.

Not only that, but it blocks the laptop functioning correctly via triggering passwords and controls a series of parameters that can identify whether your laptop is in other people's hands or not. If somebody moves the mouse, it disconnects the USB connection USB and can even cut off the electricity supply if it's plugged in. In addition to all this, a loud shrill alarm goes off lasting several seconds until your attention has been alerted.

In order to deactivate the alarm and reactivate the laptop's functions, you need to enter the password in the main window of Laptop Alarm. This is not a 100% secure solution against theft and it would be terribly embarrassing if it went off by accident but it definitely provides some peace of mind.

Download Laptop Alarm 1.2 in Softonic

Protect EXE offers a simple yet effective way of blocking access to any given application: it sets a password to the EXE file and asks for it every time you want to run the file.

It's certainly a good measure to prevent children from using a certain kind of programs or protecting sensible tools, but there's no way to filter restrictions so these will also be applied to you.

Also, be careful when choosing the password to protect the file: you'll need it to unlock the file sometime in the future and there's no way to recover it.

Download Protect EXE 0.4 Beta in Softonic

We're always being bombarded by warnings about the dangers of malware and although the level of threat is probably not as high as the antivirus companies make out, it's still essential to take precautions. Although it's far from a complete antivirus tool, DriveSentry does a very thorough job of preventing certain applications trying to access the Internet without your knowledge.

A good thing about this program is like, unlike many of its rivals, it doesn't bombard you with pop-up messages warning you whenever a program is trying to access the Net. Instead, you have an easy-to-manage list of programs that are automatically granted permissions, which you can quickly add to at any time. What's more, permissions can also be applied on a Registry level, meaning you can give writing access to certain common processes. With an instant access System Tray icon thrown in for good measure, this is a great no-frills firewall app for those who want their system protection to be done in the background.

Download DriveSentry 2.1 in Softonic

If you need to protect confidential information on your PC then this nifty solution from those clever people at Google could be your saviour. The simple tool gives you the power to automatically apply a password to any type of file as soon as it is created so that it can only be accessed with this password.

If you forget the password then unfortunately there's no way of retreiving it through FLocker, although the program does leave the original, unprotected version of the file in tact, so you can revert back to this. A safer bet is to store all your passwords in a password management application. It's a shame that this program doesn't boast these capabilities though.

Download FLocker 1.1 in Softonic

myWIFIzone lets you decide who gets blocked from your WiFi network and who doesn't with a click of the mouse. So you can give "Uncle Bill" in Apartment 301 free access, while blocking "Freddy Freeloader" who lives on the second floor. You don't need to wade through tedious router logs or set up complicated firewalls. myWIFIzone gives you real-time alerts, event logging and intruder blocking right from your PC or laptop.

Download myWIFIzone Internet Access Blocker 4.0 in Softonic

Folder Latch allows you to lock or unlock private information in folders, providing you with an easy and effective way to protect sensitive data. It does not require installation and integrates seamlessly with Windows Explorer, working also from files context menu.

The locking process is fast and easy: select the folder you want to protect and assign a password to it. To unlock, just reverse the steps. Please remember to use the password hint option. Otherwise, if you lose or forget the password, you won't be able to access your protected folders.

Download Folder Latch 3.0.0.2 in Softonic

ABC Security Protector is a nice free password protected security utility, which enables you to protect your PC by disabling some features like: use of the MS-DOS command prompt in Windows and real mode DOS applications from within the Windows shell, and disable function keys on boot up like the F5, F6 and F8 keys.

The program is very useful if you want to disable the lowlevel access to your system. It's easy to use, reliably protected by the password and excellent online help is also available. Try our free password and security tools.

Download ABC Security Protector 5.41 in Softonic

PC Locker Pro is a program that locks and protects your computer when you leave. It is a powerful, easy to use tool allowing you to lock you computer by clicking just one button in the system tray or using a custom hotkey. Then PC Locker Pro will display a lock screen and protected your computer. The windows hotkey and mouse will be disabled. You only need to enter the password to unlock the computer. PC Locker Pro will lock the computer after incorrect shutdown.

Download PC Locker Pro 1.2 in Softonic

Raise My Rights, enables limited user accounts to run certain programs as Administrator or any other user. The program creates shortcuts to programs handled by Raise My Rights. Those programs execute with the privileges of the specified account.

The encryption used for storing user data is Rijndael/AES 256-bit with "salt". Hashes of the handled programs are stored so if the program is tampered it will not be run.

Download Raise My Rights 1.3.2334.32225 in Softonic