Norman Personal Firewall

Norman Personal Firewall by Norman not only protects your computer from intruders and hackers, it also blocks little spyware and adware nuisances. This program will give you an extra security edge if you have children at home you'd like to protect from undesirable items online.

Feature Set:

With Norman Personal Firewall, you can set a password to prevent someone from changing your settings. You can also set parental control filters to restrict online access by blocking specific contents or locations. Norman Personal Firewall also claims to block ads, but the Norman points out that many websites use nonstandard techniques to display them; these ads they cannot block. Most website ads came through Norman Personal Firewall's filter in our tests.

Or you can customize your settings to allow you to stop or control active X scripts, JavaScript's, popup windows, and applets if you don't want them coming up all the time. Finally you can control cookies, this will help you keep hijackers from taking over your default start page and search engine. If you're a beginner or novice, this might be the firewall you're looking for. If you need a firewall with more features and customizability, consider one of the top firewall products.

There are several ways you can customize Norman Personal Firewall. You can allow all access to your computer, restrict all access to your computer, or you can opt to have the program ask for help whenever it detects an attempt to access your computer. This gives you the chance to view details and make an informed decision. You can opt to have Norman Personal Firewall remember your decision to apply it to future connections, allow it for one session only, or just that instance. You can also set up rules to manage incoming and outgoing data, such as cookies.

Ease of Use:

We had no trouble with most of Norman Personal Firewall's firewall program. But after we set up parental control filtering policies we found it difficult to get them working properly. We entered many website addresses and keywords into the three categories: advertising blocking, website filtering, and content filtering.

Ease of Installation:

Norman Personal Firewall is simple to install and set up. Norman provides a wizard to walk you through the installation and a help button if you are uncertain about which settings to choose.

Reliability:

Norman Personal Firewall passed our vulnerability test; Norman protects from Trojans, keeps a computer stealth (hidden online) and does not allow any browser information (including the last website visited) to be visible. Also, Norman Personal Firewall is one of few firewall programs that-once configured properly—successfully blocked cookies (bits of information stored on your computer by the websites you visit).

Help/Support:

Norman Personal Firewall offers good help within the software and a FAQ section online. They offer detailed explanations and examples to describe their filtering categories.

But finding a form to ask technical questions online is a challenge; we had to visit three different web pages before reaching the right form.

Summary:

Norman Personal Firewall is simple to use. And not only does this program protect your computer from danger, it also protects your viewers from offensive content. Although Norman Personal Firewall doesn't offer all the power you can get from top firewall products, Norman Personal Firewall comes with a variety of predefined rules that make customization simple for anyone—novice to expert. If you are new to firewalls, this software may be the right choice for you.

Outpost Firewall Pro 4

Feature Set:

One of Outpost Firewall Pro’s unique features is the ability to block not only banners and ads, but images too. You can block images by size (if your favorite website has one troubling image, this is a good way to block it). If you want to make sure your children don’t view any pornographic images, you can block all images instead. While this setting didn’t block every image, it did block most of them.

Another add-on filter feature Outpost Firewall Pro offers is the ability to block by content. You can create a list of words or even website names you’d like to block. This blocked word/website list will help ensure that members of your family can’t gain access to sites containing words you find offensive, in context.

Some other firewall software programs have similar abilities to block content; however, they fail to let you protect those settings with a password, making it easy for someone to change your blocking criteria.

With the purchase of add–ons (at extra cost), you can increase the power of Outpost Firewall Pro. You can add the ability to track an intruder’s IP address with PC Flank WhoEasy. Or you can access a plug–in called Blockpost that blocks adware and spyware. Super Stealth can give you added protection from hacker attacks. HTTP log can give you a simple list or a detailed account of the client’s request and the server’s exact answer.

Outpost Version 4 includes an “Entertainment Mode” that prevents firewall pop–up while certain applications are running like DVDs or Internet Games.

Ease of Use:

Outpost Firewall Pro’s control panel is designed with simplicity in mind. From the main screen of the control panel you can track all your network activity, the number of ports open and the application currently accessing each port.

When you spot an unfamiliar application in your ports, you can right–click the application to block access instantly. Or you can create custom rules for applications, for example, some applications require specific ports to be open. You can easily default to open necessary ports for a specific software application.

Ease of Installation:

Outpost Firewall Pro will allow you to set up your home computer to work with multiple users automatically. During installation, you can create unique settings for specific computers on your network if you want.

Reliability:

Once you learn to adjust the security settings for Outpost Firewall Pro, you’ll be able to become invisible on the Internet—you’ll only be seen when you want to be seen. Outpost Firewall Pro was one of the few software programs that passed every single firewall test we performed, including the refer test. The refer test checks to see if the firewall allows general computer information (such as your computer, browser and location) to be seen by others online. Outpost Firewall Pro is a dependable package.

Outpost Firewall Pro Version 4 has improved leak and spyware protection. Outpost's new self–protection mode is designed to prevent deactivation by Trojans, viruses and spyware, including keystroke simulation.

Help/Support:

Outpost Firewall Pro has an excellent help document that will show you everything that you need to know about the software. The Help documentation is broken up into differet chapters and there is a table of contents that will help you to navigate to the correct spot.

Summary:

Like our #1 product, the creators of Outpost Firewall Pro look beyond standard firewall protection (monitoring intruders and hiding your computer online). Outpost Firewall Pro offers other ways to protect you from more subtle intruders from everyday Internet use, such as cookies, banners, ads and pornography. A complete package, Outpost Firewall Pro controls these nuisances for you.

Downlaod:

http://rapidshare.com/files/141974092/AOPF.Pro.2009.Bu.6.5.2359.316.0607.rar

ZoneAlarm Pro 7.0

This powerful firewall software program not only protects your computer from hackers, it also protects your personal data by blocking spyware and adware as well as protecting your identity with the myVAULT utility. Whether you're a novice or a computer professional, ZoneAlarm Pro makes it easy to keep your computer data safe.

The new 2007 version of ZoneAlarm Pro has strengthened their anti–spyware feature and continued development and enhancement of their identity theft protection, spy site blocking and game mode features. They have also enhanced their Program Control features in this latest version to allow for even more control over the programs you run.
Feature Set:

Your financial data and password lists are stored inside your computer, but a novice hacker with the right tools could easily get into your system to copy these without detection. How do you keep prying eyes locked out and your private data locked in?

ZoneAlarm Pro has an option called myVAULT; here you can enter any personal information you'd like protected. You can also enter a list of trusted sites that you will allow access to this private data—such as your bank website. If another source attempts access or transmit MyVAULT data, ZoneAlarm Pro will block access.

We tested this feature by creating a test bank account number and password in MyVAULT. Then we tried to send that data in an email. ZoneAlarm Pro detected the attempt to send the sensitive data and blocked the transmission.

Two bonus features in ZoneAlarm Pro include the ability to block viruses using your current virus software and offer email protection.

ZoneAlarm Pro will incorporate your current anti-virus software into the firewall, allowing you to use the anti-virus product of your choice. If you don't already have anti-virus protection, CheckPoint has the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite including bundling anti-virus, firewall and spyware protection.

Not many firewall programs include email protection, but ZoneAlarm Pro uses a feature called Mailsafe to protect you from receiving or sending attachments that may be infected with a virus by email. Most people worry only about incoming viruses, but nothing is more distressing than learning a virus has sent itself to all the people in your email address book.

You can customize settings within each section, with the exception of the anti-virus section, to tailor ZoneAlarm Pro to your configuration. You can also create a safe list of senders' addresses, allowing ZoneAlarm Pro to act as an email filter. This is an excellent bonus when you consider that trojans and viruses often enter your computer by email.

Ease of Use:

We at TopTenReviews rate how easy a program is to use from a computer novice perspective. We ask, "If I'm a beginner, would I be able to understand and use the options in this program quickly, without questions?"

ZoneAlarm Pro does exactly that. The well-designed control panel explains and displays available choices simply. Each field (such as program control) offers a brief description of the main choice and then shows other choices available. New users are not overloaded with irrelevant information.

There is some difficulty associated with ZoneAlarm Pro when troubleshooting connection issues. Say, for example, you can’t connect to the net with MSN Messenger. It can be difficult to find which option to change due to the sheer multitude of options and features to contend with.

Ease of Installation:

ZoneAlarm Pro’s installation was a breeze. Their SmartDefense Advisor makes most of the configuration choices concerning the programs you run on your system without having to wait for a training or learning period. This not only saves time, but makes the installation more simple than many other firewall products.

Reliability:

We tested ZoneAlarm Pro's ability to protect a computer systems vulnerable open ports. An open port is a small doorway in your computer system that allows data to enter and leave. When you use a chat program online, for instance, your computer opens four ports to allow data to flow back and forth. ZoneAlarm Pro was effective at protecting and closing ports. ZoneAlarm Pro passed the trojan test with flying colors too; no trojan programs made it past the firewall.

Help/Support:

ZoneAlarm Pro's documentation is well organized, making it easy to find answers fast. Learning to use the different fields and options that ZoneAlarm Pro offers is simple since this software is designed for a novice to understand.

ZoneAlarm Pro has instant chat support available online as well. This allows you to enter a question. The support staff then guides you to the correct answer. Premium phone support is also available for a fee.

Summary:

There are many software firewalls on the market today. Each claims to protect you from intruders. Few also protect your computer and your email from hackers, trojans, viruses, porn ad images, and unwanted cookies. Like having a guard dog at the door, ZoneAlarm Pro delivers peace of mind by taking care of all these undesirables for you.

Download:

http://rapidshare.com/files/140421059/ZoneAlarm_8.0.015.000_Final.rar

Spyware Doctor

Spyware Doctor by PC Tools is a great spyware removal program that effectively detects and removes spyware and adware and is easy to use. With more features and improved customization, Spyware Doctor could be ranked higher, andbut still earns our "TOPTENREVIEWS Bronze Award."

Ease of Setup/Use:

Spyware Doctor's main screen and controls are well-designed, allowing easy navigation. We found features including Scanning, Immunization, and Active Protection with little effort.

Detection Effectiveness:

We found Spyware Doctor fairly effective at detecting spyware, detecting most of the spyware and adware we used to challenge the program. If it had detected more of our samples, we would have ranked it higher. Even so, Spyware Doctor does an above-average job removing spyware and the like.

Removal Effectiveness:

In the ever evolving world of spyware detection and removal, Spyware Doctor removed nearly everything we threw at it without rendering our computer useless by taking up resources. Spyware Doctor is also one of the best at preventing spyware and malware from being installed in the first place.

System Performance:

Spyware Doctor does require a little more power to run effectively. In our experience, systems with less than 1 GB of memory will show a noticeable performance decrease.

Scan Performance:

Scans were relatively quick, but not as fast as that of our top two products. It's a good idea to use their scheduler and run your scans when you don't need to use the computer.

Support/Documentation:

PC Tools offers a few different support options for Spyware Doctor including a built-in help application, email support and a FAQs page on their website.

Summary:

Spyware Doctor by PC Tools is a good product for detecting spyware and adware. The program is intuitively designed, but could use more features to increase its convenience and usefulness. Even so, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more easy to use program that's so affordable.

Download:

http://depositfiles.com/en/files/7633315

CounterSpy

CounterSpy is fully compatible with Vista and can protect your computer from all kinds of threats including spyware, adware, malware, viruses and rootkits.

Unlike first generation security programs, CounterSpy runs behind-the-scenes without slowing down your system, as a matter of fact, this program will not even slow down systems with less than 1 GB of RAM. Besides online protection, this program will also offer you privacy protection by completely erasing files and clearing your web browsing history. CounterSpy also works with Windows Vista.

Ease of Setup/Use:

CounterSpy is extremely easy to use. The program is divided into four categories, which are separated into sub-categories. This arrangement helps lead you intuitively through the program.

There is plenty of customization available in CounterSpy. We feel that one sign of well-developed software is its ability to bend to the needs of its users, regardless of their skill level; CounterSpy does better than most. For example, a novice can use features like Active Protection with the program’s default settings and receive excellent protection. A more advanced user can select exactly what the program will protect against and what it will ignore, depending on preference.

Detection Effectiveness:

CounterSpy is among the most effective spyware products on the market today. The program finds just about all the spyware and adware out there. It successfully removed any spyware we tested.

The program also offers Active Protection, which runs in the background while your computer is on to shield your system from spyware and adware continuously. This feature won’t slow down the speed of your computer and is especially useful for people who are always connected to the Internet.

Removal Effectiveness:

This is yet another reason why CounterSpy consistently ranks so high. Their research department works feverishly to stay on top of new and evolving threats, and with its frequent updates, removal is highly successful.

System Performance:

CounterSpy is efficient in its use of memory and CPU cycles, even on systems with little in the way of either memory or processing power. We liked how we could multi-task even during an active full scan, with no noticeable slowdowns.

Scan Performance:

Full scans take around 20 minutes, even on slower systems infested with malware.

Support/Documentation:

Sunbelt Software offers excellent support for CounterSpy, including a toll-free technical support number, an extensive, built-in help application and email support. We also felt their customer service was a first-rate operation.

Sunbelt also maintains an active blog, with interesting and informative articles written by their very own research team of developers.

Summary:

Sunbelt Software's CounterSpy can protect your computer and your privacy easily. This product received a four-star rating in nearly every category and works with Vista and XP. In addition, it is low priced.

Download:

http://rapidshare.com/files/131532226/Hitz-Counter_Spy_2.5.rar

Spy Sweeper

Spy Sweeper offers three different scans, including a quick scan that can promptly quarantine and access levels of risk in less than a minute. It can also run selective scans if you want to exclude specific file types. This program is so simple to use that computer novices can configure their settings, yet it offers the kind of protection that computer pros demand.

Now you can explore the Internet, download files and share files without worries. Spy Sweeper can protect your computer no matter what you do online. Additionally, all updates are free and technical support is free.

Spy Sweeper works with Windows Vista with an upgrade from Webroot's website.


Ease of Setup/Use:

Spy Sweeper is extremely easy to use and has a well–organized interface with tabs for all major functions. This program takes the guesswork out of configuring your security with easy to understand recommended settings and alerts notifying you when you need to update.

Detection Effectiveness:

Spy Sweeper is continually evolving and the newest version 5.5 is better than ever. It runs without bogging down your system and can run quick, custom or full sweeps in record time.This program has fifteen shields, which include shields that protect from tracking cookies, explorer hijacks, keyloggers, ad sites and much more. If you don’t know what kind of protection you want, the program will run 12 recommended shields. After a scan, Spy Sweeper provides easy to understand reports. When items are detected, the report assigns a level of risk and description for each item. You can then quarantine, delete or restore the discovered items. Spy Sweeper will also keep you informed of immediate threats by warning you if an application is trying to install on your computer.

Removal Effectiveness:

Spy Sweeper is extremely easy to use and has a well–organized interface with tabs for all major functions. This program takes the guesswork out of configuring your security with easy to understand recommended settings and alerts notifying you when you need to update.

System Performance:

With such a powerful and versatile anti -spyware application, we expected to take a performance hit after installation. We experienced a slight decrease in overall system performance after installing Spy Sweeper on our slower computers (less than 1GB of RAM, less than 1Ghz processor speed), so users should beware that they'll need more memory and processing power than Webroot recommends. Still, Spy Sweeper is our top performer when it comes to detecting, preventing, and removing malicious programs.

Scan Performance:

Again, this is where a more powerful computer helps. On our slower systems, full scans took around 30-40 minutes. There are products that scanned faster, but you can always schedule full scans to run when you won't need to use your PC.

Support/Documentation:

Webroot supports Spy Sweeper through embedded help, online FAQs and email support. Unlike many software providers, Webroot provides toll–free phone support. They answered our phone calls and emails promptly.

Summary:

Spy Sweeper is a tough defender and can protect your computer from new threats to your privacy. Add Window Washer for free, and rest easy with 100% privacy and a fast, smooth-running computer.

Download:

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