|
BOOT CAMP 344 (21/09/04)
Shareware and Freeware, part 2
In the second part of
our annual roundup of some of the best shareware and freeware we continue with
last week’s theme of security and privacy. The virus scanner, firewalls and
spyware and adware cleaners mentioned last week provide good basic protection,
however, if you use Internet Explorer and Outlook Express your PC will never be
one hundred percent secure and it is wise to take some additional precautions.
Before we begin a brief
reminder of the warnings and advice given last week. Prior to installing any new
software on your PC ensure that your essential backups are up to date and as
usual you install these programs entirely at your own risk. If you like what you
find and you continue to use a freeware program then please help the author or
publisher to continue to develop their product by taking out a licence or making
a small donation.
CCLEANER, freeware, 296kb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP, www.ccleaner.com
As you may know Windows
keeps track of every web site you have ever visited in a hidden and protected
file called index.dat, which is extremely difficult to get at, let alone delete
by any normal means. Crap Cleaner (to give it it’s full name) erases those
secret and intrusive log files, along with a lot of other information that you
may not wish to be stored on your PC. Unlike previous freeware cleaner utilities
CCleaner also works under Windows XP and it is very fast so if you want to keep
your web surfing private use it at least once a week.
COOKIE MONSTER, freeware, 400kb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP,
http://ampsoft.freeservers.com/english/
Utilities.html#CookieMonster
Cookies are small text files stored on your PC by many of
the web sites that you visit, ostensibly to speed up the loading of web pages
and store preferences but the information can be used for more devious purposes
so it is worth keeping them under control. Cookie Monster lets you retain the
ones that you want, for legitimate and frequently visited sites, and zaps the
rest with just a few mouse clicks
HIJACK THIS, freeware, 157kb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP, www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/
index.html
Your browser, especially if it happens to be Internet
Explorer, is under constant attack from malicious web sites and programs
installed on your PC, allowing it to used to send data from your PC, via your
Internet connection, without your knowledge or permission. Hijack This scans
your browser and the Windows Registry for all of the add-on, plug-ins and
undesirables like ‘homepage hijackers’ and lists them in a log file. Simply
highlight any suspicious entries then click the Info button and it will tell you
what it does and whether you need it or not. Any unwanted items can then be
marked for deletion. A Hijack This log can also help experts to track down
browser problems and identify any other nasties that might be lurking on your
PC.
NETSTUMBLER, freeware/beggarware, 1.3Mb, Windows 9x/XP, www.netstumbler.com/downloads
Netstumbler is a handy little utility for those using
Wi-Fi in their home networks or for logging on to wireless ‘hotspots’ with a
laptop or pocket PC. The program searches out and displays details of any
wireless LANs (local area networks) in the vicinity, which could be causing
interference or allowing others to log on to your PC or network. It can also
help you to set up your own network, identify areas of poor coverage, align
directional antennas, or locate Wi-Fi hotspots when you are out and about. Note
that the latest version of Netstumbler is designed to work with Windows XP
though it may also work with some Windows 98 set-ups; it also has problems with
some makes of Wi-Fi adaptor so you should read the Release Notes before
downloading the program.
PEST PATROL, shareware, $39.95, 4.2Mb, Windows
9x/NT/2000/XP,
www.pestpatrol.com
And
SPY SWEEPER, shareware, $29.95, 3.8Mb, Windows
9x/NT/2000/XP,
www.webroot.com/wb/products/
spysweeper/index.php
Although the freeware adware and spyware cleaners AdAware
and Spybot (see last week’s Boot Camp) both do an excellent job the updates and
revisions needed to keep them on top of the job can sometimes be a little
erratic. Some users feel safer with paid-for commercial or shareware programs
that offer on-line support and upgrades. Pest Patrol and Spy Sweeper are amongst
the best of the bunch but just because you’ve paid for a program that doesn’t
necessarily mean it is safe! See Tip of the week
Next week – Shareware and freeware -- part 3
JARGON FILTER
HOME PAGE HIJACKER
Malicious program that changes the home page setting of your
browser without your permission, directing it to a pornographic web site or
search engine
HOTSPOT
Public Wi-Fi access points in hotels, airports, cafes etc.
some are free though many now require the user to pay a fee or subscription
before they can log on
PLUG-IN
A data file that extends the capability or adds extra
features (sometimes unwanted) to a program or application
TIP OF THE WEEK
There are now a staggeringly large number of free and
paid-for adware and spyware clean-up tools and websites. Some of them are
promoted through pop-up windows on web pages that suggest your PC may be at risk
by displaying ‘hidden’ information about your computer that the web site has
apparently managed to extract. In most cases these are scams, intended to scare
you and the details shown are quite routinely made available by your browser
(type of browser, PC operating system etc.) and do not represent any threat to
your PC’s security. Some commercial programs do work well, and we’ve included a
couple of them this week, but most should be avoided. At best they don’t work as
well as Spybot or AdAware (see last week’s Boot Camp) but a significant number
of them generate false reports and some of them deliberately infect your PC with
spyware and adware, or worse, so beware! If you are concerned that you might
have visited a dodgy site or downloaded a suspicious program then check them
against a list of rogue products and suspect antispyware sites at: www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
NEXT
|