Top Ten Free Antivirus of 2009

I keep track with developments of antivirus software nearly everyday and have get myself into testing various kinds of antivirus. Same as last year, i decided to summarize my topics on antivirus for the last month of 2009 by re-adjusting my list of top ten FREE antivirus of the year.

1.Microsoft Security Essentials

Who'd thought that Microsoft's home-made security solutions would take the number one spot? Previous versions of Microsoft Live OneCare sucks bad in detection in my opinion, but after revamping and redeveloping the scan engine into what was now know as Security Essentials, the antivirus actually sort of outperforms lots of existing antivirus in terms of detection rate, speed and usability (why, it caught some malwares on which Avast! and Kaspersky missed in my independent testing!). The only nuisance about Microsoft Security Essentials is that it can be very harsh on the CPU, especially during computer bootup.

2. Avira Personal

Last year's number one antivirus, Avira, has been taken off the top of my list, but that doesn't mean it is bad. Avira still has one of the best detection rates out there for a free antivirus and is actually easy to use and pretty stable and consistent with its detection rate and performance. However, malware database update for Avira can be a painstaking process (this is due to server overload on which Avira has yet to find a solution). Also, Avira sometimes throw up lots of false positives, especially if users set the heuristic level too high.

3. Avast! 

Avast! is one of my favorite antivirus (no bias intended) because it is interactive, simple to use, and quite light on resources. In fact, Avast! outperforms both Avira and Security Essentials in terms of performance, consuming less RAM and CPU power on idle. Detection rate is reliable and consistent too. The bad thing though, is its ridiculous, media player-like user interface which looks as though it is lacking professionalism. Besides, Avast has been sticking to the v4 label for more than three or four years already, without any significant upgrades or optimization in its features. Let's just hope that the significantly improved Avast! v5 Beta can come out of beta as soon as possible.

4. Panda Cloud Antivirus

Panda is the first company to popularize cloud-based protection and actually was successful at it. It requires users to sign up for a Panda Cloud account in order to use its protection features but then it's pretty much worth it; Panda Cloud Antivirus utilize cloud-based scanning which means that user's PC does not slow down to a crawl during scanning and detection rates are greatly improved. The only problem is Panda does not seem to offer lots of side features apart from scanning and reports, which might not be attractive to advanced users.

5. Qizhi 360 Security (known as Qihoo 360 Security in some media)

This might sound unfamiliar to most but then it is a very popular free antivirus in China, barely a few months old into its official launch. Qizhi 360 Security is a Chinese antivirus which utilizes a modified BitDefender scanning engine with additional enhancement from Kaspersky malware database, making it a very powerful antivirus free for use (In fact, it totally outperformed local Chinese antivirus such as Rising and Kingsoft till a state that those companies started complaining Qizhi 360 Security...). It is easy to use, consumes extremely little resources and also offers gaming mode, a function not available in most free antivirus software. Despite this, Qizhi 360 Security's installer is extremely hard to download, thanks in no small part to the extremely poor download server used by Qizhi. Also, the antivirus is available in Chinese language only, which is rather disappointing for non-Chinese affiliated users.

6. AVG Free

Despite claims that it is the most widely used free antivirus in the market, AVG's performance says otherwise: The antivirus is getting more and more bloated and resources hungry with every release, has a so-and-so detection rate and often conflict with lots of software, which has never happened before in previous releases. Regardless, it is still considered quite easy to install and use and actually is quite easy to configure, second only to Security Essentials and Panda Cloud Antivirus.

7. PC Tools Antivirus Starter Edition

Not much change has occured with the PC Tools Antivirus; in fact, i have a weird suspicion that the 2010 version is essentially a rebranded version of the 2009 version...with no major upgrades or feature tweaks. Nevertheless, PC Tools serve well for those who ask for simple protection and nice user interface. Only problem is, unlike the top 5 antivirus mentioned above, PC Tools is significantly heavier on PC resources, which does not make it an attractive antivirus to use on a low-end PC.

8. SecureIT 2009

Another lesser known antivirus - SecureIT 2009 is essentially an Internet Security packed with firewall, online protection, popup blocker and integrated antivirus and antispyware module powered by ClamAV. It does not have a glossy user interface, but it does offer all-round protection with moderate PC resources. Only problem with SecureIT 2009 is the scanning engine itself: since when did ClamAV ever made an impact on the antivirus industry? Nevertheless, SecureIT 2009 can be considered the best antivirus around that uses the ClamAV antivirus engines, and i appreciate that.

9. Immunet Protect

Another cloud-based antivirus. Like Panda Cloud AV, it requires users to sign up in order to enjoy its features, but then there are lots of issues to iron out. From that bulky-designed interface to the lack of features, Immunet Protect does not strike me as a better Cloud antivirus than Panda Cloud Antivirus. It is still currently in beta stage, but then i guess we can give credit to Immunet Protect, since it does work as advertised and most importantly: it is light on resources and actually scans at super-fast speed in comparison with Panda Cloud Antivirus, which is significantly slower.

10. DriveSentry

The only antivirus on the list that utilizes whitelisting and HIPS technology extensively. DriveSentry is in my opinion, a decent antivirus for advanced users. Like Norton, DriveSentry is another antivirus company that emphasize innovative technology development in more efficient detection but then with a massive installer size (more than 90MB excluding its database), slightly confusing interface and fewer database update than conventional antivirus, it is not the best antivirus for novice users. It does have an impressive interface and scanning speed though, and is thus, still a good addition to users' existing antivirus protection (being one of the few antivirus to be able to run side by side with other antivirus).

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Get Free BufferZone Pro v3.21-41 (Save $40)

Computer security: Physical or Virtual is very important. The major reason to use computer security is to secure our valuable data stored in computer. Fortunately, personal computer security software are not much expensive and a person (not student or unemployed. lol) can easily afford it. Virtual security software are like Internet security software (BitDefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Panda, etc), virtual environment software (Sandboxie, BufferZone) and some sort of alarming software (LAlarm) to prevent physical theft.

BufferZone is The Best Companion of your Internet Security Software. If you remember, sometime ago I wrote about LAlarm (Free for personal use and recommended). Read LAlarm again to get one more security layer. The triangle of these software can be a best security package for your computer.

BufferZone creates a buffer (virtual wall) around any application which is accessing Internet e.g. Internet Browsers, P2P applications, messengers, etc. By creating a buffer, it is in fact securing your computer from being attack by any Malware.

When you run an application inside BufferZone, you will see a Red-Border around the application which indicates that a buffer is created and now whatever you with that window, no Malware is gonna harm you.

Grab It:

This is PC-Welt magazine promo which enables you to Grab your free copy of BufferZone Pro.

Open the following URL into your browser and download BufferZone Pro. Install it.

http://www.trustware.com

After installation, use promo-code 890A-EE1B-9E3A-D884 to register your free copy.

When first time you will run the program, a registration window will open. Fill it and press button Activate. You need to be connected to Internet when registering.

Enjoy it.

Warning: May not work properly on Windows 7. 

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Get Free Online Armor Premium Firewall v4.0 (Genuine) (Save $20)

Here we go. Now here is a new promo for CHIP MAGAZINE READER. But every body can access it because the registration page is accessible through Google search.

You know about Online Armor Premium Firewall. It is better than many paid firewalls. So do not be lazy and get your personal license in your early leisure. First what they say about Online Armor Premium Firewall v4.0:

• Online Banking Mode
• Kernel Mode Security
• Automatic Updates
• Web Shield
• Mail Shield
• Phishing Filter
• Execution Protection
• Termination Protection
• Autostart Protection
• Firewall
• Standard Mode
• Advanced Mode
• Keylogger Detection
• Import/Export Settings
• Tamper Protection
• Transparent Blocking
• DNS Spoofing Protection
• Support
• Script/Worm protection
• Program Guard

 Grab it:

1: Open the following URL into your browser (URL copy n paste). Fill a simple form with your name in first text box and email in second test box. Submit it and within 5 seconds you will get your free genuine license of Online Armor Premium Firewall v4.0.

http://www.tallemu.de/promo_chip0912_2.php

 

2: Check your email and you will have an email from Tallemu subject Ihre kostenlose Lizenz von Online Armor Firewall. Follow the following snap to find your license in email which you received.

3: Download Online Armor Premium Firewall v4.0 from the following webpage (URL copy n paste).

http://dl1.online-armor.com/downloads/OnlineArmor_Setup.exe

Enjoy your one new license of Online Armor Premium Firewall v4.0. Do not forget to activate it within 30 days of license arrival.

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Get Free BullGuard Internet Security 8.5 From 00.01-PST 5th-Nov To 23.59-PST 6th-Nov 2009

I did not see many promotional offers of BullGuard like Kaspersky and Avira. BTW, this is first time, if I remember, that I can see a full one year offer of BullGuard Internet Security 8.5 will be open for everybody. It is sure, I will not miss this chance to get a world class Internet security software free of cost. I advise you to Grab It, whatever, you need it or not, Grab It. You may need it later.

I do not remember ever I have tested it. Whatever, I consider it as a very good security software. The reason is, it has integrated Agnitum Outpost Firewall and my favorite BitDefender AntiVirus engine. You know Agnitum and BitDefender, both stands at top place when the matter is of computer security and are very popular name among people seeking computer security software.

BullGuard claim that there are 10 million people using their security software.

General Features

• Antivirus - Give computer viruses like Trojans and worms no chance.
  
• Antispyware – Protect yourself from identity theft and online fraud.
  
• Powerful Virus Scan and Removal - Search out and destroy any viruses that might already be on your computer.
  
• Firewall – Protect your computer from unwanted intruders like hackers.
  
• Spamfilter – Keep your inbox clean from junk mail and phishing attempts.
  
• Backup – Easily secure your important files from computer crashes, damage and theft.
  
• Support– Free 24/7 Live support in plain English.

Special features

• On-access and on-demand scanning
  
• Security updates every 2 hours
  
• Webfiltering for proactive website scanning
  
• Increased rootkit detection capabilities
  
• Protection against identity theft
  
• New Firewall, resulting in faster system speed
  
• Silent Firewall with little user interaction required
  
• Intrusion and transmission detection
  
• Beginner and advanced user settings

Grab It:

This offer will continue for 48 hours from 00.01 PST on Thursday 5th November to 23.59 PST on Friday 6th November 2009. You should be ready to Grab It. Please, do remember the time. You can not Grab It before the time or after the time.

Open the following URL into your browser, download BullGuard Internet Security 8.5 and install it. Again, do not forget time of offer. (URL copy n paste)

http://www.bullguard.com/tracking.aspx?url=try%2fbullguard-internet-security.aspx&affiliate=techsupportalert

This offer is being made by Techsupportalert (famous Gizmo's Freeware) and BullGuard cooperation. The original article can be found here (URL copy n paste).

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/get-top-rated-bullguard-internet-security-suite-free.htm

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Get Free Panda Internet Security 2010 on 22-OCT-2009

We know thak 22-OCT-2009 is the launch day of Windows 7: they day when Windows 7 will be publically available though many are already using its pirated RTM and OEM releases. Whatever, there is no doubt Windows 7 is a big leap in Windows history. There are some critics who say Windows 7 is a new cover of Vista. They are not wrong but perfectly wrong. BTW, Panda is giving away its most famous Internet Security 2010 on this day: 22-OCT-2009.

Current time is 0905GMT. You have almost 11 hours and 55 min to wait. At the moment, it is not clear that this offer is just for Windows 7 users and/or for USA residents. We have to wait until this offer goes live.

Further information is here:
http://us.pandasecurity.com/w7launch/

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Get Free UpdateStar Premium Edition + Norman Antivirus & Antispyware

Anyone who has been to my blog recently will know that I wrote a post about Norton Internet Security 2009-2010 license which is valid for 6 months. Today, you are going to grab UpdateStar Premium Edition + Norman Antivirus & Antispyware. In fact, UpdateStar Premium Edition is a CHIP.de offer. Luckily, the license distributed can be used on premium editions as well as on CHIP edition of UpdateStar. This article is not very long. The reason is you can read all information about their software on their websites. So,  i leave you to save your time and run to grab these offers!

Grab It:

As there are two software offers, I will describe UpdateStar promotion first and then Norman AntiVirus n AntiSpyware.

UpdateStar Premium Edition:

 

1: Open the following URL into your browser and simply type your email where it is asked and submit it. (copy n paste)

http://www.updatestar.com/license/register/chip

2: you will receive a confirmation email containing confirmation link. Confirm it by clicking on the link.

3: Soon, you will receive a long email which will be in German language. Do not worry to read all. Just find word Lizenzschlüssel and on the right side of this word is your license. Remember, use license without inverted commas.

4: Download installer from UpdateStar website and use the license to register it. You will get UpdateStar Premium Edt with this license.

Norman AntiVirus n AntiSpyware:

Just open the following URL into your browser and fill the form with required information. Email should be real. Use the promo-code 25JAHRE-DE. You will receive an email containing your one year free license of Norman AntiVirus n AntiSpyware. (copy n paste URL)

http://www.norman.com/support/auth/en

Enjoy one or both of these offers for the day!

P.S: Interested readers can check out the source from here.

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Returnil Virtual System 2010 Free for Home Use

Returnil Virtual System 2010 is a completely new product that uses a combination of antivirus, antimalware and a virtual system to protect your computer from all types of viruses and other malicious threats.

Utilizing its powerful virtualization technology, Returnil Virtual System allows you to work on a copy of the operating system of your computer, thus facilitating the possibility of keeping your real operating system in an unchanged, preserved, hence safe condition. With RVS' virtualization turned ON, you can renew the working-copy of your operating system from the original as many times as you want, or need to, by just simply restarting your system. Additionally, you can create a virtual storage disk within your computer where you can save documents, data, and files while using the System Safe (Virtual System) feature. Using the File Manager utility, you can choose to pick and save any changes you want to your real system (this feature is only available in the Premium versions).

Returnil Virtual System's protection concept is very easy to understand. It provides an impenetrable, yet extremely simple to use mechanism to prevent unwanted or malicious changes from being made to your supported Windows® Operating System and the drive where Windows® is installed. You operate a copy of your system in a virtual environment, so anything you do will happen in the virtual environment, to the copy, and not to the real operating system. If your computer is attacked or gets infected with malware, all you need to do is simply restart your PC to erase all changes induced by it. Once restarted, the working-copy of your system is renewed, enabling you to go on working as if nothing ever happened. At the same time, Returnil Virtual System can create a virtual storage disk for you; the purpose of this storage space is to provide a place for you to save your data when the System Safe (Virtual System) mode is turned ON. You can customize the size of this disk to meet your individual requirements.

When the System Safe (Virtual System) protection is OFF, you can install or remove programs, save documents within the Windows® disk drive, install security upgrades and software patches, alter configurations, and update user accounts. All changes made will remain following a restart of the computer.

Returnil Virtual System is designed to take the risk and worry out of exposing your computer to all types of malicious software, downloads, websites, or any accidental unwanted changes that might have adverse effects on it, or infect it with harmful viruses, spyware and other malicious programs. By copying your system to the random access memory (RAM) rather than to the hard disk, Returnil Virtual System also provides better speed and reliability.

Features

*Keeps your system safe when connected to the Internet
*Viruses, Trojans, Worms, Adware, Spyware, Keyloggers, Rootkits and unwanted content disappear with a simple reboot
*Enforces settings and protects your Internet privacy
*Helps reduce overall disk wear by copying and operating your system from memory rather than the hard disk
*Saves time and money by considerably speeding up the system
*Reduces or eliminates the need for routine disk de-fragmentation
*Leaves absolutely no traces of computer activities
*Eliminates the dangers of evaluating new software
*Seamless integration with supported Windows Operating Systems
*Easy to use, simple to configure, and the one tool in your arsenal that will be there to save the day when all else fails
*RVS is your last "line of defense" against malicious software

Open the following URL into your browser (copy n paste) to read more and download Returnil Virtual System 2010 Free for Home Users:
http://www.returnilvirtualsystem.com/rvs-home-free

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Microsoft Security Essentials Free Released & Why You Should/Shouldn't Download It

I know a lot of websites has covered this, but i just can't help covering it myself, particularly as i am a user who has been running it on my Vista machine for three and a half months. The long-awaited freeware security tool of the year, Microsoft Security Essentials, has just been released for public download yesterday, having been in private beta since 23rd June 2009. Download is made available at its official Security Essentials website and will be available for 32-bit and 64 bit version of Windows XP, Vista and 7.

As a tester myself, i felt that the final version of Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty solid. As a basic antimalware, it is extremely easy to use and configure, is good-looking, very silent in the background that you wouldn't even know it's there, and best of all, it is FREE of charge. Some issues regarding high CPU usage and slow removal process which occurs during the beta testing stage is removed in the final release, making Security Essentials a very complete and reliable security product.

 

Detection-wise, it is pretty strong as well. I pitched Microsoft Security Essentials against Kaspersky and Avast! during my beta-testing stage, and it catches a few things that Avast! and Kaspersky missed. In fact, it is so stable and compatible, you can run Security Essentials with many other antivirus, though it is of course, not recommendable.

Microsoft Security Essentials is a stripped-down version of the now-unsupported Windows Live OneCare; this much is widely known by many computer enthusiasts who follow the IT headlines everyday. I am repeating this fact here because i think it is necessary to tell readers that Security Essentials is only meant for users searching for a basic PC protection. In Security Essentials, you will have the usual antivirus and antispyware module, but bear in mind that it does NOT offer Antispam, Anti-rootkit, behavioral protection or any other more advanced security methods such as cloud detection or sandboxing.

All in all, I would agree most critics that Microsoft Security Essentials as a good antivirus, but i would only recommend it to users who are asking only basic security protection. For complete protection, users will still have to find additional security tools such as a third-party firewall (Comodo, for example) or a behavioral detection tool such as Drive Sentry.

Learn more and download the final release of Microsoft Security Essentials from the Microsoft Security Essentials official website.

For a professional review of the security software, you can read Paul  Thurrott's reviews here.

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Lucky Draw to Win Free 1-Year, 3 PCs Genuine License of CA Security Suite 2010!

Guys,  here is a good news to one and only one of you readers. The 1st anniversary of my blog, Digital Plexus, is almost drawing near coming 21st of October (which coincidentally meets with the worldwide launch of Windows 7, by the way), so i wish to hand out something unique for my readers.

I currently have one free genuine 1-year license key of CA Security Suite 2010 on my hand, received just a few days earlier. I have did a 4-month beta testing for the CA Development Team and to express gratitude for my contribution, CA gifted me a 1-year genuine license key for their latest CA Security Suite 2010. Since i did not expect to receive such a huge reward for beta-testing and i already have an up-and-running internet security in the form of Kaspersky, i decided to give this license key away to one lucky reader by organizing a lucky draw.

The 1-year worth of license key can be used on a maximum of 3 PCs and is a Gold Master release - only the CA Security Suite 2010 that have Gold Master status can use the license key. Rest assured, for i have privileged access to the Gold Master version of CA Security Suite 2010 and will provide the lucky user with both the license key and the download link to the Gold Master version.

To encourage you in trying your luck, here's some screenshots from the beta version as your viewing pleasure. The official full version has not been released to market yet and is currently in Release To Manufacturing (RTM) process, So there are no official description of the new features.

Here's what you can do in order to stand a chance to win that 1-year, 3 PCs license key:

1. Visit my tech-blog, Digital Plexus or Computelogy and write a comment on any single posts of mine you find interesting. You must make sure that I am the author of the post.

2. Remember to nickname yourself uniquely when you post your comment (to avoid cases where users have similar nick), because i will be identifying the winner based on the name given on the post. Readers who comment as 'anonymous' will be excluded from the draw.

3. This is an optional choice: users can also follow my blog (scroll down until you see the follow my blog column). It's not part of the required lucky draw process but those who follow my blog will be given higher consideration in general.

4. There is no limit to the length and amount of the comment and the more meaningful the comment is, the better. Readers with the best comment will win the license key and access to the Gold Master version of CA Security Suite 2010.


This lucky draw will last for two weeks starting Monday, 28th of September 2009. After this period ended one user with the best comment will be chosen and announced via Computelogy and Digital Plexus.

So what are you waiting for? Leave a comment on any of my posts on Digital Plexus and Computelogy starting 28th September 2009 onwards! You'll never know that you might be that lucky winner!

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Download Free 90-Days Genuine Norton Internet Security 2010

Like it or hate it, Norton is already an established antivirus with considerable amount of popularity. Just a few weeks ago, Norton 2010 is released to public and is well-received by critics, as usual. Though i'm no fan of Norton, I am currently test-running Norton 2010 on one of my virtual machines running Windows XP and surprising to say, Norton has become quite stable now, although it still have rooms to improve.

Some new features of Norton Internet Security 2010 includes:

• NEW! Norton IdentitySafe: On-the-Go lets you access your most up-to-date log-ins and passwords on any Norton Internet Security 2010 protected PC.
• NEW! Norton Safe Web: identifies unsafe and dangerous web sites right in your search results.
• NEW! Norton Quorum Technology: Analyzes downloads, files and applications and tells you if they can be trusted before you install and use them.
• NEW! Compatible with Windows 7

 So, if you are a loyal fan of Norton, or you would like to try Norton's latest offering, here's a free 90-days genuine Norton Internet Security 2010 for you. The free offer is sponsored by famous Dutch insurance company ING, and the subscription is only an introductory one. Unlike the usual method where users have to navigate through lots of steps just to get a genuine license code, this time all users have to do is download the installer that has the license code integrated with it - it's that simple!


Download Norton Internet Security 2010 installer with integrated 90-days subscription, click on this download link.


For additional troubleshooting on installer downloading issues, click here.

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PrivateFirewall is another Powerful Firewall & HIPS Free For Use

Even though it is recommendable to use a third-party firewall due to Windows Firewall lacking protection features, there are not many firewalls out there which can really protect users for real. Comodo Firewall is one of the best in the field, but along with most of the other working and effective firewall, it is much too technical to be used by users who are novice and are less technical on the IT side. 

This is why I decided to share this freeware firewall which is easy to use and is very effective according to personal experience.

Private Firewall is an integrated desktop firewall and multi-layered intrusion prevention software that delivers signature-less, real-time protection from known or new spyware, viruses, hacking techniques, and other intrusions on Windows desktops and servers. Developed by Privacyware, it protects both inbound and outbound traffics of user PCs. In general, it protects users from threats such as hacks, rootkits, keyloggers and rogue malware. It is also regarded by critics as one of the easiest third-party Firewall to use out there.

Some of the features of PrivateFirewall include port tracking, URL and packet filtering and application/system behavior modeling and anomaly detection components to deliver proactive, comprehensive protection. Besides displaying all the above features, PrivateFirewall records and shows in a detailed table, all the software connection rules that have been made in a PC, even those inbound and outbound rules made by software that have already been uninstalled from a machine. PrivateFirewall also provides a traffic-light-like interface where users can simply block all network connections, allow all connections or revert to the configured settings with the simple click of a button.

However, there are also a few weaknesses. PrivateFirewall does not keep tabs on cookies and referrals which I consider pretty risky because some cookies and referrals can bring harm to a PC, although with running cleanup tools daily, cookies are much less of a problem. PrivateFirewall also have a tendency of freezing whenever a program using massive resources is run for the first time. However, with a more high-end PC, this should be less of a problem.

PrivateFirewall works on all 32-bit and 64-bit of Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7, including all versions of Windows Server. It used to be a shareware, but now Privacyware thankfully decided to turn it into a freeware.

Download PrivateFirewall from Privacyware now by clicking this download link.

To learn more of PrivateFirewall, visit their official Privacyware website.

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Get IObit Security 360 v1.0 Free (no beta)

IObit Security 360 v1.0 is now out of beta and RC phases. There are two releases Free and Paid. The free release is not what they promised. There are many functions which are not available in free but are part of paid version. But paid release is out of scope. I will talk about free IObit Security 360 v1.0. Lets see what they say:

IObit Security 360 is an advanced Malware & Spyware removal utility that detects, removes the deepest infections, and protects your PC from various of potential Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Keyloggers, Bots, Worms, and Hijackers. With the unique "Dual-Core" engine and the heuristic Malware detection, IObit Security 360 detects the most complex and deepest Spyware and Malware in a very fast and efficient way. IObit Security 360 has a real-time Malware protection for prevention of zero-day security threats. IObit Security 360 can work with your Antivirus for a superior PC security.

The interface is very simple and every function is categorized under related module. You will see four modules on left hand; Overview, Scan, Protection and Tools. The layout is similar to Norton AntiVirus 2009.

Overview module will show you overall status of IObit security. Under Scan status, you will have three options is scanning; Custom Scan, Full Scan and Smart Scan. Protection Module is where you can start and stop real time protection. Under Tools module, you will see different tools like Unlock and Delete, Security Holes (not for Win7), Privacy Sweeper, System Tuneup (Advance System Care needed) etc.

You will not get automatic updates, no schedule updates, no Idle-Time scanning and no schedule scanning in free release is provided. You have to do manual scan whenever you want. As there are not automatic updates, my view is there is no zero-day security. It might be good for bit older threats but not good for new borne Malware.

If you want to use IObit Security 360 v1.0 Free for Malware protection, better to use Spybot - Search & Destroy, SpywareBlaster (Home Edt.) & SpywareGuard, Spyware Terminator & Web Security Guard.

Click Here to go to Free IObit Security 360 page.

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Get Free BitDefender Total Security 2010 for Six Months (Probably One Year)

If you happen to be a BitDefender fan then you got some good news. Just two days ago BitDefender team released their 2010 security products line with lots of improvements in performance and features along with support to Windows 7. The overall layout of their 2010 products is somehow similar with only a small change in contents and a totally face-lifted color scheme compared with the 2009 products.

The most comprehensive and feature-rich product from BitDefender team is Total Security 2010. It has lots of system maintenance features which are just saving our few extra bucks which we may spend on buying software for similar purposes. When there is a question of protection, BitDefender and Kaspersky stands side by side. Let's have a look at its features before the trick of getting Six Months license:

Malware Protection
* Protects against viruses and other malware using industry-leading technology (NEW)
* Scans all Web, e-mail and instant messaging traffic in real-time
* Provides an unmatched detection rate of new threats based on two different proactive technologies
* Blocks spyware programs that track your online activities
Protect your identity: shop, bank, listen and watch, privately and securely
* Blocks web pages that attempt to steal your credit card data
* Prevents personal information from leaking via e-mail, Web or instant messaging (NEW)
* File Shredder permanently erases sensitive files and traces of files
Guard your files and conversations with top-of-the line encryption
* Instant Messaging Encryption keeps your conversations private on Yahoo! and MSN Messenger
* File Vault securely stores personal information or sensitive files
* Automatically backs up files and folders
Connect securely to any network at home, at the office, or away
* The two-way firewall automatically secures your Internet connection wherever you are
* Wi-Fi monitor helps prevent unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network
Protect your family and their computers
* Parental Control blocks access to inappropriate websites and e-mail
* Limits kids’ access the Internet, games, etc. to specific times
* Makes it easy for you to manage the security of your network from a single location
Play safely, play seamlessly
* Reduces the system load and avoids requesting user interaction during game play
Get fine-tuned performance from your computer!
* Removes unnecessary files & registry entries, for improved performance
* Optimized scanning technology skips safe files for better scan speed and lower system load
* Antispam stops unwanted e-mail from reaching your Inbox
* Laptop Mode prolongs battery life
Let professionals solve any security issues
* Assistance with common issues built directly into the product

Grab Six Months License:

If you guys remember, in one of my article regarding BitDefender Total Security 2009, I shared info to get 6 months license. That license is still valid. That was an OEM license. If you got license at that time, you should not worry but if you could not get, do not worry because the license is already published in that article. The same license can be used to register BitDefender Total Security 2010. The license is:

BB7798E9A1E6E5B1E044

Download BDTS2010 and install it. When you are asked to register, use the license along with email which is not registered before. After registration do not forget to check your email because BitDefender will send you a registration confirmation email. You should confirm your registration. Enjoy another six months protection.

...Probably One Year Protection:

When your trial will end, use BitDefender's own uninstaller to uninstall BitDefender Total Security 2010 and reinstall it with the same license. Most probably, it will work again. Hope you will enjoy full one year protection.

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Get Free One Year Protection of Panda Internet Security 2010

Few days ago, a three months trial period of Panda Internet Security 2010 (PIS 2010) was released for WOT users. But, anybody can use it; there are no restrictions. There is no difference between WOT release and the release which you can get through Panda's own site.

Panda Internet Security is a reliable security solution for your computer. I have used it for some time in past but it could not stay permanent in my computer. The reason is I use BitDefender and Kaspersky on regular basis. At the moment, I will prefer Panda Internet Security 2010 over Kaspersky Internet Security 9 and AVG Internet Security 8.5 because of its strong firewall. During a firewall test in my computer, both KIS 9 and AVGIS 8.5 could not hide my few ports on Internet but PIS 2010 hide my all ports. This is the only reason I can prefer PIS 2010. PIS 2010 takes about 250MB disk space after installation which is just 200MB less than F-Secure Internet Security 2010.

Other than a strong firewall, what Panda Internet Security 2010 can do for you:

* Protects you against Virus, Spyware, Trojan, Rootkits, Bots and other types of Malwares
* Most effective and strong Advanced Proactive Protection
* Strong Personal Firewall to protect you against Hackers, Datatheft, Malicious inbound and outbound activities, etc.
* Anti-Phishing Filter
* Anti-Banking Trojan Engine
* Web Filter
* Personal Info Filter
* Parental Control
* Backup & Restore

Trick: Get One Year of Panda Internet Security 2010:

Simply, download Panda Internet Security 2010 installer from the following link (copy n paste):
http://www.mywot.com/en/panda/internetsecurity
After download, first save it at some safe place where you can access it later. Install the Panda Internet Security 2010 and register it. After registration, you will see a three months working period of PIS 2010. You should also activate your product for assistance. Activation can be done through "Main-Window/Services/Activate the product".

To use for whole year, you simply have to uninstall it before the trial ends. Restart your computer and install it again. You must use a new email on each new registration. You need 4 times installation in whole year. So, there are just two tiny headaches: 1: creating new email (will take maximum 2 minutes on yahoo) 2: Reinstalling Panda Internet Security 2010 (will take maximum 10 minutes). Less than 1 hour work will give you a full one year protection. Enjoy a full year protection of Panda Internet Security with this old trick.

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