RemoveIT is a free trojan, adware and spyware scanner that searches and destroys dangerous viruses, trojans and spyware.

However, the effectiveness of it is open to debate. The developers claim that it's so good, it "locates and removes many new dangerous files including spyware, malware, virus, worms, trojans and adware that other popular AV programs do not find." This program therefore is NOT a real-time scanner - it's based on cleaning-up after something has installed itself on your PC rather than real-time protection which I always think is a dangerous approach.

There's nothing flashy about this program - the interface is based on Windows Explorer shell which also includes a slightly more advanced and expanded version of Windows Task Manager (to stop and block illegal processes) and the same with a Service Manager which gives you an overview of the services and program currently running on your PC. With these tools, you have more control over what runs on your PC both during startup and day-to-day operation. The Services Manager is recommended for beginners as you can see clearly the actual names of the programs running while the Process Manager only shows those files that are running as parts of programs and as a result, you may shut something down that you didn't mean to.

For a free and light malware scanner, this is a solid program although it does not seem to detect anything that other scanners (such as Ad-Aware) can't so it's maybe not as effective as the developers claim.

Download RemoveIT Pro 4 SE 25.9.2008 in Softonic

Malware Defender is what is known as an HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention System) which basically means it protects you from all kinds of malware and spyware that may try to hijack your system.

The key advantage of Malware Defender, however, is that it is very low on resources despite featuring a realtime protection system, process manager, kernel module manager, hooks detector, autostart application manager, file explorer and a registry Editor. Combined, these protect your from viruses, worms, Trojans, adware, spyware, keyloggers and rootkits.

Malware Detector doesn't seem to be the most intuitive program to use. The reason it is so lightweight is that it's very stripped down, meaning that the results are reduced to nothing more than a crude list of its functions and status. It does however run incredibly discreetly which makes you wonder whether it's really having an effect but it seems to pick up everything that Adaware, etc. finds.

Malware Detector is probably not a great starting app for beginners but if you need a lightweight malware scanner, it's a decent option as long as you know what you're doing.

Download Malware Defender 1.1.2 in Softonic

Security is one of the key elements in a healthy computer life. And with tools like Rising Antivirus staying safe is now much easier.

Rising Antivirus is a free antivirus tools that offers comprehensive protection for your system against viruses, worms, Trojans, rootkits and other nasty creatures that may threaten your computer.

Behind a sleek dark interface, Rising Antivirus keeps a powerful array of security tools with which you can analyze your system according to a customizable schedule, keep an eye on currently active applications and automatically scan email messages and Office documents.

Rising Antivirus features several types of scan and includes a highly detailed configuration menu. I especially liked the fact that it's quite unobtrusive and doesn't bother you with warning messages all the time, like other antivirus tools do. On the downside, the general system scan is quite slow.

Keep your system safe from all online threats with Rising Antivirus, a free antivirus solution.

Download Rising Antivirus 2008 Free Edition in Softonic

If you thought those invertebrates in Worms were vicious little blighters, then wait until you've checked out Hedgewars, in which armies of hedgehogs pit their wits against each other.

Hedgewars sees you take control of a team of hedgehogs and during the course of the game, control switches from one to the other. You must use whatever tools and weapons that are at your disposal in order to defeat the rival gang. There is a vast range of these available in Hedgewars, including stuff like parachutes, bazookas, cluster bombs, mines, pick axes, TNT, etc. Each provides a uniquely amusing way of dispatching your enemies.

Controlling Hedgewars is a little weird to start with, as there is no cursor displayed on screen. You can move around the playing area by moving the mouse, but the controls of the hedgehogs themselves are all based around the cursor keys. The only time the mouse is used in Hedgewars is to access the arsenal of weapons by right-clicking.

Hedgewars proves to be a fun and amusing diversion, which is great to look at with some hilarious sound effects and speech. Just like Worms, its beauty lies in the fact that no two games you play in Hedgewars will ever be the same, as terrains are randomly generated every time.

If you're tired of commanding worms and lemmings perhaps it's time to switch to Hedgewars.

Download Hedgewars 0.9.6 in Softonic

If you're worried about the security of your system, you need an application like AhnLab V3 Internet Security.

AhnLab V3 Internet Security is a comprehensive security tool that protects your whole system from any kind of online threat, including viruses, worms, hackers, Trojans, spam and phishing.

Though this may all sound too complicated for you, the good thing about AhnLab V3 Internet Security is that it features an easy, clearly designed interface, with different tabs for each one of the program's functions. AhnLab V3 Internet Security thus includes all the tools and options needed to fight against online dangers.

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, you obviously 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 2007 Platinum in Softonic

Soldat is a unique side-view multiplayer action game. It takes the best from games like Liero, Worms, Quake and Counter-Strike and gives you fast action gameplay with tons of blood and flesh. Soldiers fight against each other on 2D battle arenas using a deadly military arsenal. This is what multiplayer was invented for.

Download Soldat 1.4.2 in Softonic

So you’ve made the leap and installed the versatile internet browser, Firefox, but are you ready to trade in your Outlook Express for Mozilla’s open source mail application? Thunderbird is Mozilla’s award winning and free solution to manage your mail more efficiently.

Thunderbird woos users thanks to its flurry of options and the benefits of an open source application. Automatic updates ensure that you have the latest version of Thunderbird, preventing any security threats and offering you new features as soon as they’re available.

The biggest worry for users is switching from one mail application to another and losing precious information. With Thunderbird the switch is painless because you can quickly import your mail and contacts from your Outlook and set up your POP3 or IMAP account is a snap. To stay well organized we suggest that you take advantage of Thunderbird’s filters. While this option is nothing new to the experienced Outlook user, you’ll come to see that Thunderbird makes filters much more accessible, thanks to a simple selection of combinations and actions. Create distinct folders for your personal and professional mail and your newsletters and associate them with filters to avoid the hassle of constantly sorting your mail. Another feature we could single out is the integrated spell checker, a blessing if you send many emails and can’t be bothered to constantly verify your writing.

Although it isn’t visible right away, Thunderbird also features an RSS reader. Handy if you need to follow the news or specialist websites, this tool fits seamlessly into Thunderbird and you could almost forget that it is a mail application. Paste in the RSS feed from your favorite news source and the main messages window will reveal a list of all the latest feeds. The message pane is used as an integrated browser window to display the selected article.

Email is the number one source of viruses, that’s why Thunderbird offers various levels of message encryption, a spam filter and support for valid certificates. We found the spam filter particularly effective. Set it to “learn” mode, and it teaches itself to separate the valid email from the rest of the junk. You have to be mindful of this option though, because Thunderbird can become too restrictive and may decide on its own that one of your friends is suddenly persona non grata. Reviewing your junk folder every now and then should avoid you accidentally losing friends. Thunderbird also automatically turns off Javascript and by default does not load remote images, a good way to defuse the risk of viruses from dodgy emails.

Another known feature of the Mozilla line of products is customization. Just as with Firefox, Thunderbird can integrate a slew of extensions and add-ons to rev up your inbox. You can also add or remove icons from the actions pane, selecting the ones you use most frequently.

The one place where Thunderbird fails, and professionals will confirm this, is the failure to integrate Microsoft Exchange support. An essential tool in any work environment, the collaborative messaging software is sorely missed in Thunderbird and seriously limits its usefulness in offices. Furthermore, we can question why Mozilla included an RSS reader yet failed to incorporate a calendar, standard in most mail applications nowadays.

While the lack of proper business minded features will limit Thunderbird’s point in the workplace, the simplicity, customizability and security make it a number one choice for home users. If you’re worried about your safety on the Internet or are just looking for a more efficient way of handling your mail, Thunderbird is probably the best solution out there.

Download Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5.0.10 in Softonic

Trojan Remover is designed to aid in the removal of Trojan Horses and Internet Worms when standard anti-virus software has either failed to detect the problem or is unable to effectively eliminate it.

The majority of Virus and Trojan Scanners are able to detect malicious Trojan Horses and Internet Worms but aren't always very efficient in removing them once triggered. Trojan Remover aims to carry out such a removal without the user having to manually edit system files, including the Registry. The application removes the additional system modifications that some Trojans carry out, which are often ignored by other Virus and Trojan Scanners.

Download Trojan Remover 6.7.1 in Softonic

Magic Utilities is designed to make your computer clean and more stable. The utilities within the package include Uninstaller Plus, StartUp Organizer,and Process Killer. Magic Utilities enables you to easily and safely uninstall programs, inspect and manage the programs that automatically start when your turn on or log on to your computer. The appication lists and controls all currently running processes (system and hidden processes are also shown).

Key features include:

• User-friendly interface to list and uninstall programs
• Drag-and-drop support
• Automatically detect the bad entries left behind in registry by misbehaved uninstallers
• Automatically detect the files left after a program has been uninstalled
• Automatically detect the new programs have been installed on your computer or added to your startup configuration
• Full control all program's unistall info
• View, Edit, Delete and Add entries to your start-up configuration
• Rate all your start-up programs to list potential harmful program
• Display a list of all running programs and force-quit frozen applications
• Display details of an certain running program so you can find harmful background processes like spyware, viruses and worms
• Export uninstalled programs, start-up programs and the currently running programs list to a file

Download Magic Utilities 2007 5.50 in Softonic

Antivirus tools are the kind of software applications that you need to use for an extended period of time in order to fully test them. Still, having only a few hours to try Kaspersky Anti-Virus, I must say I got a really positive impression.

After a slightly troublesome installation process which included the eventual uninstalling of other antivirus apps plus an updating process, you're ready to launch Kaspersky Anti-Virus and let it take care of your computer. In fact, it monitors not only the file system, but also email and web browsing, thus providing you with a comprehensive security solution that will keep you safe from today's most usual dangers on the Web.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus features several different scanning modes (Critical areas, My computer, Startup objects and Rootkit scan). Each one of them can be run manually or programmed to run according to a certain period of time. You can also define your own scan mode and set an exception list for those files, folders and apps that you trust and needn't be scanned. One thing I particularly liked is the possibility to create a rescue disk, in case your PC is completely ruined by a virus attack.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus seems very light on resources, which is always good in a program that you must have constantly running. However, files and apps may take slightly more time to open while Kaspersky Anti-Virus analyzes them. I guess this is a small price we have to pay for being a bit more secure. In any case, you may as well use the exception list and make sure all your trusted apps are included there.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus offers a complete protection against virus, Trojans and worms for your file system, email and web browsing.

Download Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 8.0.0.357 in Softonic

Kaspersky® Internet Security 7.0 provides you with the same proven anti-virus protection as Kaspersky Anti-Virus together with additional features including Parental Control, a personal firewall, an anti-spam filter, Privacy Control and more.

Product Highlights

• Integrated protection from all Internet threats
• Integrated antivirus protection: 1) Hourly automated database updates, 2) Preliminary behavior analysis, 3) On-going behavior analysis. New!
• Real-time scanning for email, Internet traffic and files
• Personal firewall with an IDS / IPS system. Improved!
• Protection from leaks of confidential data. New!
• Parental Control. New!
• Protection from spam and phishing
• Automatic database updates

Additional Features

• Protection from viruses, Trojans and worms
• Protection from spyware and adware
• Protection from all types of keyloggers. Improved!
• Detection of all types of rootkits. Improved!
• Protection from viruses when using ICQ and other IM clients
• Rollback of malicious changes on your PC
• Self-defense of the antivirus program from being disabled or stopped
• Tools for creating a Rescue Disk
• Free technical support

Download Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 8.0.0.357 in Softonic

Developed by one of the world’s leading IT security providers, Comodo AntiVirus leverages multiple technologies (including on demand & on access scanning, email scanning, process monitoring and worm blocking) to immediately start cleaning or quarantining suspicious files from your hard drives, shared disks, emails, downloads and system memory.

Updated virus definitions are automatically downloaded according to a schedule of your choice or by a single click on the 'updater' button. Once installed, Comodo AntiVirus will unobtrusively sit in your system tray, silently and efficiently defending your system from the latest virus outbreaks. It's easy to install and configure, will not slow down your PC by hogging system resources and is free for life to the end user.

Download Comodo AntiVirus 2.0.17.58 Beta in Softonic

Avira AntiVir Premium is a professional anti-virus package that offers the latest in protection technology.

It covers just about every major threat to your system including viruses and malware, worms, Trojans, adware, Spyware and phishing. The program features real-time on-access
scanning so you can be sure you are protected 24 hours a day. There are also manual options for full system scans and it automatically keeps its virus database updated with the latest threats. The interface also makes available an easy to access POP3 based MailScanner that scans emails before they are stored on your machine. The overall interface is one of the best things about this security centre for me because unlike many, it's not cluttered. It's extremely easy to navigate and read and doesn't leave you wondering whether it's in scan mode, updated or ready to go.

This really is one very solid anti-virus suite that seems to run so well, you'll hardly notice it but when you do need it, you'll find yourself presented with a friendly interface that makes using it a pleasure.

Download Avira AntiVir Premium in Softonic

Free anti-virus software can be a mixed bag - sometimes they can do more harm than good while at others, they can save you hundreds of dollars with solid real-time protection.

Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic is the free version of Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Premium. This doesn't mean that it's any less powerful bit it does mean that many advanced features are unavailable. The program can scan up to 30 different file types and seems to have been designed with a particular focus on Trojans according to the developer blurb. Protection is served in real time and as with all virus scanners, you are immediately given the choice whether to ignore, quarantine or delete the infected file. What's nice about this scanner is that for those viruses that it can't identify or clean, it compiles a report which can then be automatically submitted to Avira's lively user forum where someone, somewhere, should be able to help. The scanner sits in your system tray bit can be expanded to show the current settings and the status of any scans in progress. Scanning is quick and it doesn't slow your machine down significantly. Unfortunately however, it provides no option for scanning incoming and outgoing mail or adware/spyware but if you're just looking for a trojan blocker/remover, it's a very solid product.

A powerful and well organised anti virus scanner that helps you get to the bottom of virus issues rather than hinders your progress.

Download Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Free Anti-Virus 8.1.0.295 in Softonic

In the never ending battle against spyware and adware that infects Windows with alarming regularity, Spy Emergency is a comprehensive security option.

This program claims to cover just about anything - malware, spam, spyware, adware, virus, trojans, worms, homepage hijackers and much much more. In other words, it's just about the most all-round solution you can find for attacks and other nasties that try to attach themselves to your system. The program follows the regular format of most anti-spyware software but doesn't overwhelm you with unnecessary options and dials. Clicking the "Start" button initiates scans and at the completion of a scan, you're asked to review the results and decide which items you want to remove. Items are ranked in order of potential threat so you can see at a glance which ones pose the biggest threat. Another plus to this system is that unlike many spyware checkers, it's remarkably light on system resources which makes it a good option for those on older machines.

Although I'm not convinced it's removing everything it should, it's still a very comprehensive product that has all possible angles of attack covered.

Download Spy Emergency 2008 5.0.305.0 in Softonic

Do you use Outlook Express for your personal or business mail?. Is your data safe? Viruses, worms, trojans, power surges, hard drive failure and human error are just some of the many ways that you can lose your important email messages.

While most users understand the importance of backing up their email, many find that doing so is time consuming, complicated and too technical. You need to know what to backup, where the information is stored, which files to copy, and that's before you even have to think about restoring it when you need it, or for that matter, whether you've definitely backed-up everything as required. As a result, many users either postpone their backups, or are using partial data sets that may be useless when they need them.

Download Express Assist 9.6.1 in Softonic

The battle against trojans and spyware is a constantly ongoing one but there's no need to spend big money on expensive solutions.

a-Squared is a free anti-spyware/anti-malware scanner that can pick up just about anything that's illegally installed itself on your system. It frees your PC from malware after a simple and fairly quick scan to improve your PC performance and reduce any performance or internet related problems. However, this is one program that does so with caution which is a refreshing change. Instead of just wiping anything off your system, it places those components that are critical to system performance in quarantine meaning that there is less chance of your system becoming unstable after a scan. The program is regularly updated although unfortunately not automatically - you have to instruct it to perform an online update at periodic intervals. The program has clearly been designed with beginners in mind - there are no complicated scanning functions or strange components to deal with. It reminds me somewhat of CCleaner and in a way, performs a similar job but with a focus on malware instead of temporary files.

An extremely simple and affective malware scanner, it should pick up any illegal software that's attached it self onto your system in a safe and secure way.

Download a-squared (a²) Free 3.5.0.25 in Softonic

Tackling Spyware is an ongoing task that sometimes seems to neverend. Firefox and IE have improved vastly in dealing with them but a lot still gets through.

SuperAntiSpyware is a surprisingly powerful Spyware detector and scanner that ensures that anything that you've downloaded is clear of any nasty software or spyware that might slow down or harm your system. The program can detect and remove spyware, trojans, dialers, worms, hijackers and rootkits. At the same time, it's very light on your CPU and won't slow it down while scanning so you can work comfortably at the same time. In addition, it has a special repair utility that tries to fix broken internet connections that have been damaged due to spyware or malware. It's not just a scanner though - it also protects in realtime to ensure that you are constantly protected before malware gets a chance to root itself onto your hard drive.
It also carried out a "pre-emptive" scan which scans 50 critical points of your system during system start-up and shutdown.

A powerful Spyware detector and scanner that will ensure that if anything has rooted itself onto your hard drive, you have a good chance of finding it.

Download SuperAntiSpyware 4.1.1046 in Softonic

Words such as "backdoor", "spyware" "worm", "rootkit" or "keylogger" have become increasingly common, and its not pleasant to realise that you have one on your computer. Mamutu (a combination of the words Malware and Mutu together) is designed to stop the malware from spreading.

In effect this is simply a process killer. Thanks to the easy to use interface you can see what processes are running on your system and close those that seem suspicious. In addition, Mamutu controls real-time worms, Trojan horses, spyware, backdoors, dialers and handling programs and so on. The only obstacles are the need to register (you just need to give your email).

This is a useful choice for anyone concerned that their current malware protection system is not picking up harmful threats.

Download Emsisoft Mamutu 1.6.0.0 in Softonic

SMS Cute is designed for faciliting Short Message Service (SMS) on mobiles. It can be used with mobiles of MOTO series as well as some other types. If you are a SMS worm but have ever tired of typing on tricky keyboards, SMS Cute is right for you. It supplies an integrated environment for composing, sending, receiving and managing SMS via a mobile connected to your computer.

Customization

There are various types of connection that are adopted for mobiles from all makers. SMS Cute can incorportate with serial, USB or bluetooth ports with ease. Users can define connection characteristics such as data rate, port number, time out control, etc.

Management

SMS Cute is capable of handling a number of managemental jobs like creating, moving between folders and exporting messages. Contact numbers distilled from received messages can also be directly exported as a vCard.

Ease-of-use

The interface with SMS Cute is straight-forward. Use of SMS Cute could be just like operating most email clients like Microsoft Outlook. Users may get familiar with its usage without spending extra efforts.

Compatibility

Based on Microsoft .NET Framework, SMS Cute can run on a number of popular platforms such as Win2k, WinXP as well as WinNT and Windows 2003 Server. Users can also export the mobile numbers of the messages received to a variety of formats such as vCard and Excel, which could be edited directly or read by other applications.

Download SMS Cute 2.2 in Softonic