Free downloads can ease privacy concerns in Windows XP and Vista
The internet raises undeniable privacy concerns on several fronts, from malware and spyware to trojan horses and key loggers, no one is truly safe from the harm we put ourselves in while surfing the net. Some free downloads for both XP and Vista can protect you and your computer from such harm, if you know where to find them that is.
IT World has laid out 15 free software downloads you’ve "probably not heard about" that can protect many of the vulnerabilities in Windows, both old and new. From firewalls, password protectors, rootkit killers, trace cleaners, anonymity securers, and more, the added layers of protection should fill in the gaps that normal anti-virus and spyware software leaves open.
Firewalls could top the list of the best resource in securing your machine to the fullest. Unfortunately, both XP and Vista have firewalls that are flawed. XP’s version doesn’t include outbound protection, while Vista’s lacks the customization features necessary to configure it properly for different situations. The worst part is, most home PC users think they’re perfectly safe using the built-in versions.
Luckily, there’s several good alternatives that are freely available to pick up the slack. Comodo Firewall Pro, for example, provides both inbound and outbound security and monitoring which is vital. Trojan horses, spyware, and the likes often use silent outbound connections to do their damage, while some other various software uses invisible outbound connection from your PC to send out spam or malware without you knowing it. Microsoft should have known about these vulnerabilities in XP, and in Vista without a doubt. Why would they include such an incomplete security feature in an OS that’s so widely used.
Other important security measures that can be taken, are with password protection. Many people use simple passwords so they easily remember them, or have so many that they like to let their browsers remember them for them- but the problem is, it creates a serious security threat. Since we all use online banking, and username and passwords for a variety of financial and social applications, it’s easy to forget that if that information gets in the wrong hands, it could be detrimental. Apps like KeePass and KeyScrambler will make sure that doesn’t happen. KeyScrambler, for example, scrambles each password sent over the internet so that even if it’s intercepted, it can’t be translated into anything usable.
By taking a simple proactive approach, and by downloading and installing some simple free software, you can significantly lower your chances of a disaster happening. While you’re never 100% safe doing anything online, every step taken to beef up security is worth while overall.
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