Comprehensive protection

Norton 360 takes care of all aspects of safety for your computer, including viruses, hacker attacks, spyware, identity theft, and data loss. The Norton 360 dashboard controls four main areas: PC security, Identity, Backup and PC Tuneup. Each of these areas then provides access to the main tools and tasks needed to keep your system safe. Every area is comprehensive in nature, with various different customization options and choices to choose from.

Security features

Among the security utilities that Norton 360 offers are email protection, anti-phishing filters, IM monitoring, anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, and functions for safe web browsing like scanning your Facebook wall. This program will also perform PC tune up-asks that improve the performance of your system, and it can back up important data in the event of a computer meltdown.

Norton 360 has several configuration options that allow you to modify various areas. Unfortunately, although lots of the features sound good, the suite is geared at intermediate users. Norton 360 does a good job of everyday security, but lacks the more advanced features and information that higher level users might seek. If you're looking for a little more antivirus power, check out Avast! instead.

Norton 360 lives up to its name, providing comprehensive 360-degree protection for your computer.

Download Norton 360 All-in-One Security 6.0.0.145 in Softonic

Cain & Abel has been developed in the hope that it will be useful for network administrators, teachers, security consultants/professionals, forensic staff, security software vendors, professional penetration tester and everyone else that plans to use it for ethical reasons. The author will not help or support any illegal activity done with this program. Be warned that there is the possibility that you will cause damages and/or loss of data using this software and that in no events shall the author be liable for such damages or loss of data. Please carefully read the License Agreement included in the program before using it.

The latest version is faster and contains a lot of new features like APR (Arp Poison Routing) which enables sniffing on switched LANs and Man-in-the-Middle attacks. The sniffer in this version can also analyze encrypted protocols such as SSH-1 and HTTPS, and contains filters to capture credentials from a wide range of authentication mechanisms. The new version also ships routing protocols authentication monitors and routes extractors, dictionary and brute-force crackers for all common hashing algorithms and for several specific authentications, password/hash calculators, cryptanalysis attacks, password decoders and some not so common utilities related to network and system security.

Download Cain & Abel 4.9.41 in Softonic

Why use Sandboxie?

Malicious programs and viruses usually work by trying to make changes to your computer that serve the hacker's ends, but not yours. Sandboxie is a sandbox app - in other words, a program that acts as a safe zone where you can try out programs, apps and links that you suspect of being dangerous. It prevents any changes being made to your computer by containing the program - and any viruses it may harbor - within the confines of the app, and doesn't let them loose on your PC.

Thanks to the closed testing environment created by Sandboxie, you can freely try programs that you don't trust, without any immediate risk to your system. All files created in your sandbox remain inside it and are deleted when you close it, though the program has a special feature ('Quick Recovery') to recover them.

Not an antivirus

Sandboxie also features an extensive settings menu and is thoroughly documented, including a tutorial to get you started. While you are using Sandboxie, however, you should be aware though that this is no replacement for a standard antivirus app. Sandboxie's more of a tool for advanced users who want to assess specific programs in a safe environment and doesn't work as a general way of keeping your computer safe.

Sandboxie is a handy tool to test untrustworthy software without putting your system in danger.

Download Sandboxie 3.68 in Softonic

To avoid being infected by online spyware or fall under an unexpected phishing attack, you can use AVG LinkScanner. This security tool is actually one more component of the AVG Antivirus software, only that you can now install and use it as an independent, standalone app.

AVG LinkScanner analyzes websites before you open them and blocks you out if it finds any sign of potential danger. It can also detect phishing scams and stop the installation of fake plug-ins from untrusted websites. The program offers to install its own toolbar on your browser (either Firefox or Internet Explorer) but it's not really necessary, as it only includes a couple of buttons and a Yahoo!-branded search field.

AVG LinkScanner scans websites, links and search results in real time, and I must say it runs very smoothly. It doesn't hog resources nor slow down your browsing speed. It works fine along with other security tools, though it's obviously not a replacement for your antivirus or firewall.

The only thing I didn't like about AVG LinkScanner is that it's overly linked to Yahoo! search. Either if you say no to using the Yahoo! search engine – which is offered during the installation – you still have it on the toolbar.

With AVG LinkScanner you can be sure you're safely browsing the Web, away from phishing attacks, spyware and other online threats.

Download AVG LinkScanner 9.0.819 in Softonic

If your computer is stolen or you simply don’t remember where you left it, Prey can lend you a hand. All you need is mark it as Missing on your personal Control Panel on the Prey website, and the system will start sending reports every 20 minutes.

Prior to that you obviously need to install the Prey client on your computer and sign up on the developer’s website. Then you can add all the devices you’d like Prey to look after, so that if any of them is ever misplaced or stolen, you can use the program to track it down.

The reports created by Prey contain a bunch of information about the computer: currently running apps, network connections, screen snapshots and even a picture of the thief – that is, if your computer has a built-in webcam. Prey will use its current internet connection, but if there isn’t any, it will search for a free wifi spot.

The efficiency of Prey depends a lot on the thief’s actions: if they format your laptop's hard drive right away, there’s little the program will be able to do. But in any case, it’s good to count on a tool that can help you recover your computer. As the Prey developers say, “there’s always a chance!”.

Prey tracks down stolen or misplaced computers and helps you locate and get them back.

Download Prey 0.5.3 in Softonic

This tool works by scanning your browsers to see what might be lurking in them. It gives you a clear and straightforward list of the results, sorted into different categories. These categories will mean very little to you at first, but if you click Info in the main HijackThis interface, you'll find a guide.

Each HijackThis entry has a check box. Check this and hit Info on selected item... and you'll get more details on what the entry is and what effect fixing it will have. HijackThis is definitely a tool for user who know what they are doing. Although it does give you information on the results - and warns you if an option could have dangerous results - the decision to delete or change is ultimately yours.

HijackThis is a good tool, even though it's not going to win any prizes for looks. It has plenty of options, like an ignore list for items you know to be safe, and plenty of extra tools, like the ability to delete a file on reboot and open the ADS spy. All your actions are also recorded in a log file and automatically backed up.

HijackThis is basic and functional, but a practical and efficient way of keeping an eye on browser elements.

Download HijackThis 2.0.4 in Softonic

When you first run RogueKiller, it will search for services and processes that may be hidden on your computer. It scans quickly and will rapidly quarantine anything suspicious.

Once the scan has been completed, RogueKiller will delete the files. It's best to look at the text reports generated by the app though, to make sure everything picked up by RogueKiller is in fact, harmful. In our tests, RogueKiller was very aggressive, taking innocuous programs for malicious ones. Overall, you should be very comfortable with system processes and the inner workings of Windows to safely use the program.

The other features of the program allow RogueKiller to undo the damage caused by fake antivirus tools, such as repairing host files, proxies, DNS and shortcuts. You'll even be able to read the Roguekiller developer's opinions on why you most likely got infected.

RogueKiller is a straightforward, minimalist app that detects rogueware of all kinds. It's not for beginners though.

Download RogueKiller 7.3.2 in Softonic

AhnLab V3 Internet Security is a comprehensive security tool that protects your computer from any kind of online threat, including viruses, worms, hackers, Trojans, spam and phishing. The program features a nicely designed interface with different sections for the specifically protected areas: system, network, content and email, as well as some system tweaking options.

Though this may all sound too complicated for you, the good thing about AhnLab V3 Internet Security is that it's quite easy to use, includes links to the correspondent settings menu on each separate function and is also thoroughly documented.

In a way AhnLab V3 Internet Security reminds me of the Windows Security Center, as you can control pretty much all security options from a single, centralized interface. That said, this is the kind of application you need to try it for a certain period of time in order to fully test its performances.

AhnLab V3 Internet Security protects your computer against all sorts of online threats.

Download AhnLab V3 Internet Security 8.0 in Softonic

What's more we're concerned (not that we've got anything to hide, mind you) about the proliferation of undetectable spy software that records literally everything you do on your machine, from the words you type on your keyboard to the web sites you visit.

Spy software is now even being marketed to suspicious wives/husbands/boyfriends/girlfriends as a way of checking on what your other half is getting up to when they're not looking over their shoulder.

The interface arms you with several different ways of blocking, undoubtedly the most important being the ability to discover which program is carrying out this activity and what EXE file it's using.

It worked very well in our tests and instantly detected the spy software we installed for the evaluation. Although it doesn't automatically uninstall the programs it detects, SnoopFree provides you with the data you need to get around the software's password-protection and manually remove them.

Download SnoopFree Privacy Shield 1.0.7 in Softonic

Cookienator enables you to remove these tracking cookies and therefore keep your online privacy safe from major search engines, ad platforms and other web business based on data tracking. It doesn't require installation and works with cookies stored by Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari and Flash. Also, Cookienator can be configured to delete tracking cookies automatically and includes a customizable list with the most important sites.

Unlike other cookie cleaners, Cookienator only gets rid those cookies that are created to track your online activities. This means you can keep cookies that are actually useful and do not mean any risk to you or your system.

Cookienator lets you remove tracking cookies from your web browser, while leaving harmless ones untouched.

Download Cookienator 2.5.32 in Softonic

AVG Identity Protection is like an additional layer of protection that sits on top of other security apps, like an antivirus or a firewall, and protects sensitive data like passwords and credit card numbers from theft – either by hackers or by Trojans which collect personal data.

The program is based on behavioral analysis, which means it analyzes all the programs currently running on your system, and makes sure they’re all working as they should be. The moment AVG Identity Protection detects any unexpected behavior, it shuts the program down to prevent any possible risks. All suspicious processes are immediately quarantined.

AVG Identity Protection adds more protection to your system. On the downside, we found it a bit lacking in configuration options with which to adjust the program’s risk threshold to your specific needs.

AVG Identity Protection works in collaboration with other security tools on your computer to protect sensitive data from online theft.

Download AVG Identity Protection 9.0.772 in Softonic

If you are security conscious and want to make sure that files you delete stay deleted and cannot be found again Hardwipe is for you.. This can give you piece of mind if you are selling or throwing out an old computer, meaning no one can search and old drive for personal data or files.

There are three main functions in Hardwipe. You can wipe specific files, wipe a whole drive, or clean your free hard drive space. You can choose high or low priority, which will use more or less system resources, and choose which type of data wiping you want. The selection of data wiping algorithms is pretty much the same you'll see in any app like this. You can perform a simple data-randomizing wipe all the way up to a 35-pass deletion, which is extremely secure.

Hardwipe does what it claims, and is easy to use. If your PC is shared and the normal log in has Administrator rights, be aware that Hardwipe can do some major damage if used maliciously or carelessly. We'd recommend only installing Hardwipe on an account that requires and Administrator log in! This secure data deletion program is not a cleaning app - for basic PC spring cleaning we'd recommend CCleaner.

Download Hardwipe 1.5.0 in Softonic