Software

Items relating to software and security

Freebies I use that work - Note: with the free editions the idea is that once you are set up in a business proper, you do 'the right thing' and buy a license - i.e get the premium or pro edition - but if you are on a low wage or just want to test out a system to see how it works - these freebies are the business.

I recommend these tools over anything someone will try to sell you with a PC in a shop - they are the tools I recommend to family and friends and it will save you spending an extra £100 or so on a piece of crap that will fry your computer processor / mess up settings - these tools update via the Internet and do the job:

http://free.avg.com/ - with avg I don't personally use the spyware removal tools or other add ons that come with it - I keep to the basic AVG antivirus and I use the spyware removal tool that comes with Windows.

I however I think there still maybe a spyware tool or virus hiding in my machine that is stubborn / stealthily hidden - I also use these tools for extra checking:

Spybot search and destroy (this free app checks your machine for a wide range of spyware that maybe hidden) http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Trend Micro is a free on-line scan of your system - note though that if you have a lot of stuff on your machine is can take a long time to check - but it is a good scan that can find hidden bugs http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Another tool I've sworn by for YEARS on trendmicro : Hyjackthis - note - this tool is best used by people that have read the instructions - as wrong use can wipe your system and that smug salesman will tut tut - saying i told you so - using freeware - tut tut - this of course is bull - you just need to learn to use it correctly - but if you haven't got the time/patience to learn what you are doing - I'd leave it as it's a simple, but advanced tool that can get rid of spyware hooks/redirects and other nasties and it goes right into your system to get them . http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis