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ZoneAlarm |
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Monitoring both inbound and
outbound traffic to your computer, this free firewall provides
excellent protection for the average PC user. Select which programs
can access the Net, or block all traffic completely when you're away
from your machine. |
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SpywareBlaster
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Detecting and removing spyware is important, but it's
even better to keep it off your machine completely. Javacool
Software's nifty utility prevents ActiveX-based malware from
installing itself on your PC. |
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Avast Home Edition |
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You'll need to register this program once a year to
use it free, and the interface is a bit tacky, but it quickly scans
your computer for viruses without hogging too much memory. Looking
ahead to the next Windows update, Avast already works with Windows
Vista beta 2. |
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CCleaner
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Not only will this fabulous freeware wipe away your
Internet surfing tracks, it also removes unused files on your machine
to optimize performance. A Registry-cleaning tool with automatic
backup functionality is the icing on the cake. |
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HijackThis
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When your standard adware protection isn't solving
your problem, try this target scanner. It analyzes key areas of your
local drive and Registry to suggest all possible threats. |
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