E s s e n t i a l   R e a d i n g

"Security, as with just about everything in computing, is more of a people problem than a technical problem" - David Platt, Why Software Sucks... and what you can do about it

"No organization can be considered "secure" for any time beyond the last verification of adherence to its security policy. If your manager asks, "Are we secure?" you should answer, "Let me check." If he or she asks, "Will we be secure tomorrow?" you should answer, "I don't know." Such honesty will not be popular, but this mind-set will produce greater success for the organization in the long run."  
- Richard Bejtlich, The Tao of Network Security Monitoring

"...security is a process, not an end state." 
- Mitch Kabay, "Perils of Rushing to Market" in The Risks Digest, volume 19, issue 91

"Security is a process, not a product."
- Bruce Schneier

"The computer security field is over-populated by “instant experts” who “know everything” about security in general and viruses in particular, without actually having done the research." - Viruses Revealed, page 4

Home Computer Security & Cyber Security Tips - Articles by CERT. Very highly recommended. There is some overlap with my "Getting Started" guide, but mostly expands on subjects that I did not.

OnGuard Online- Government website on fighting malware and avoiding scams. This site covers subjects not covered by the above articles, including information that will be invaluable for families developing acceptable use policies. This site is less focused on technology than other articles and more about educating yourself. Among many other things, this site covers subjects such as staying safe on "Social Networking" sites (such as MySpace), ID theft, phishing, and online shopping and banking.. 

What to look for when choosing backup software - This website also contains numerous articles about backing up your data, including tutorials (click "All Articles RSS Feed" on the left), a discussion forum, free backup software, and links to other free backup software. See the System Tools & Other section of this site for more backup software.

Information Security Glossary - Definition of terms used while discussing security technologies of all kinds. This glossary covers most things from basic to advanced concepts, including phrases that aren't exactly technical (see "three finger salute"). If you're just starting or not fully up on computer jargon, you might want to bookmark this page. SANS and Microsoft also have their own security glossaries that are also quite good. If you need to find the definition of general computer terms not covered by these, Webopedia is an excellent reference for all skill levels that I use myself... and don't forget WikiPedia.

Top 10 Reasons Security Products Don't Work - A deeper look into the problems of security software from both the sides of the security software vendors and the security software users. Although this article is geared towards IT professionals (pro "computer guys"), this article contains essential tips to consider when choosing security solutions even at home. I would consider this another "must read". (Note: concerns about configuration are less important for home-user security applications, but do still apply. If you don't read help files for anything else, make sure you read them for your security software.)

Understanding Computer Infections: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Understanding how malware infects a computer is the single most important factor in learning to secure your system. This is definitely a must read. Although it's in 3 parts, they are relatively short reads.

CastleCopsWiki - A security wiki for the CastleCops security forums. A great resource for Everything from common definitions to instructions on how to disinfect specific malware infections. If you're on the quest to learn about home computer security, bookmark this page.

About.com Antivirus FAQs - Tips on choosing a good antivirus

Defending Yourself in the Information Age - Free eBook

How much protection is enough? - Article by Fred Langa

Aaron Margosis' Blog - The "how"s and "why"s of using a limited user account

System hardening - Hardening your system against attack

The Virtual Conflict - Who Will Triumph? - Article from Kaspersky Labs about the fight between malware authors and anti-malware vendors. Gives a thorough look into the problems security software vendors face today.

I would also strongly recommend visiting some of the "Security News" sites, Books, and eBooks in the Links and Deeper Reading sections.

In addition to the information linked above, the first most significant step you can take towards securing your system against malware is to use an alternate browser and email client.Most exploits are directed at Internet Explorer, so by switching you can effectively take yourself out of the "line of fire". Most people also find they simply like alternate software better as they generally have better usability features. This software installs beside your existing software, and does not require you to uninstall or otherwise disable your existing software, you simply don't use it anymore. Firefox and Opera can both be installed on your computer at the same time, if you wish to try them side-by-side.

Browsers: Firefox or Opera (most other alternate browsers just add more features to Internet Explorer, and are still subject to the same weaknesses)

Email: Opera comes with it's own email program, the makers of Firefox also make an email program called Thunderbird. A non-free alternative is PocoMail.

Firefox, Opera, and Thunderbird are all free. Firefox and Thunderbird have many useful extensions (they extend the functionality of the program, similar to plug-ins). Once installed, click Tools > Add-ons, make sure you're in the "Extensions" tab, and then click the link in the lower right-hand corner labled "Get Extensions". Both browsers also have built-in popup blockers, another essential component. 

You should also consider using an ad-blocker. Many malware writers are distributing malware through advertising venues. For Firefox, follow the above directions to find new extensions, look for "Adblock Plus" and "Adblock Filterset.G Updater" (automatically updates Adblock's list of items to block). For Opera, plugins such as OperaAdFilter exist. Or you can use a separate program such as WebWasher, Proxomitron, or any number of other free or commercial ad filters which work independantly of the browser, and usually support all browsers.

An excellent plugin for Firefox and Internet Explorer is SiteAdvisor. This plugin shows you what sites are safe and what sites are not, and why. This tool is free, and has a very large database of websites. There is a paid version, SiteAdvisor Plus, that will also block malicious websites, available from McAfee. 

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A n t i - V i r u s

NOD32 - The best detection of unknown threats
http://www.nod32.com

Kaspersky (KAV) - The best detection of known threats
http://www.kaspersky.com

BitDefender (free on-demand only scanner available)
http://www.bitdefender.com

AOL Active Virus Shield (free antivirus based on Kaspersky)
http://www.activevirusshield.com/

AntiVir - Excellent detection rates (better than most commercial AVs) (free)
http://www.free-av.com/

eScan Anti-Virus Toolkit - On-demand only, does not clean (free)
http://www.mwti.net/antivirus/mwav.asp

Dr. Web CureIT - on-demand only (free)
http://download.drweb.com/win/

Dr. Web Link Checker - Scan internet links within your web browser (free)
http://info.drweb.com/show/2653

ClamWin (open source antivirus, on-demand only) (free)
http://www.clamwin.com/

ClamWin Portable - Run ClamWin from a USB flash drive (open source, free)
http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/clamwin_portable

ClamWin Antivirus Glue for Firefox - Automatically scan downloaded files (free)
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/771/

(See the "Links" section for discounted/free antivirus software)

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B e h a v i o r a l . A n t i - M a l w a r e
Anti-malware software that analyzes potential threats by their behavior,
rather than specific file signatures.

Prevx2.0 - Behavioral heuristics, community database with realtime lookups and reporting, limited behavior blocking, and more. Stand-alone security, also compatible with other security software
http://www.prevx.com/

Primary Response SafeConnect - Behavioral heuristics
http://www.sanasecurity.com/

Panda TruPrevent (no longer available as a stand-alone application, but the older "Personal" version may be found by searching the internet)
http://www.pandasoftware.com

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A n t i - S p y w a r e

SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard (free)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com

Spyware Blocklist (free) and lots of information on spyware
http://www.spywareguide.com/

CounterSpy
http://www.sunbelt-software.com

SpySweeper
http://www.webroot.com

SuperAntiSpyware (free & paid versions available)
http://www.superantispyware.com/

Spyware Terminator (free)
http://www.spywareterminator.com/

Ad-Aware (free)
http://www.lavasoftusa.com

Spybot Search & Destroy (free)
http://www.safer-networking.org

Spyware Doctor
http://www.pctools.com

SpyCatcher
http://www.tenebril.com/consumer/

Bazooka Spware Scanner (and information) (free)
http://www.kephyr.com/

CWShredder & Trend-Micro Spyware Scanner (free, full paid version available)
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

AVG AntiSpyware (formerly Ewido) (free and paid versions) 
http://www.ewido.net

BOClean
http://www.nsclean.com/

TrojanHunter
http://www.trojanhunter.com/

a-squared (free and paid versions)
http://www.emsisoft.com

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F i r e w a l l s

 If you need help opening ports, visit PortForward.com
You can find a list of ports (and what they're for) HERE and HERE
For general help, read: Understanding and Using Firewalls

Look'n'Stop- Easy to use with lots of flexibility for advanced users and very light on resources. Beta driver passes most leaktests. A personal favorite.
http://www.looknstop.com - Latest update available HERE

Outpost - Passes most leaktests with advanced options (free and paid versions)
http://www.agnitum.com

XP Firewall Control & x-Wall (free and paid versions available)
http://www.sphinx-soft.com/

WatchDog - Monitors XP firewall and keeps it running (free)
Available at SNAPFILES

StoneWall - Open source firewall with antivirus (ClamAV) and IDS (Snort) (free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/stonewall

VisualZone & VisualICE Report Utilities - Intrusion analyser and reporting utilities for ZoneAlarm & BlackICE (free)
http://www.visualizesoftware.com/

eEye Blink Personal - Personal firewall with IPS, anti-phishing, and scans for security issues. Limited free version available, paid version includes antivirus and anti-spyware. Another personal favorite, but may lack ease of use. Free version (and possibly paid version) privacy policy may be objectionable to some, read carefully before installing!
http://www.eeye.com/html/products/blink/personal/

Comodo Personal Firewall - Advanced options can pass all leaktests but may require significant knowledge to use. Still a good firewall without the advanced options. (free)
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

FileSecLab Personal Firewall - Very configurable with some unique features (free)
http://www.filseclab.com/eng/products/firewall.htm

Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall (free and paid versions available, includes other generic protection. Trial reverts to free version after 30 days)
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm

NetVeda Safety.Net (free)
http://www.netveda.com/

Tiny Personal Firewall
(note: also includes comprehensive generic protection, but not recommended for beginners)
http://www.tinysoftware.com/

CXH-I - Free for home use. No application filtering, not suitable for beginners. Intended for use on a dedicated computer.
http://www.idrci.net/

Information and downloads of firewall leak-tests, and comparisons of different firewall's abilities to stop them, can be found at http://www.firewallleaktester.com/

HARDWARE FIREWALLS
These firewalls require a dedicated computer and protect your entire network, often replacing a router.

Astaro Security Gateway -  (Build your own) Proxy, firewall, web & email content/antivirus/anti-spyware filtering, IDS/IPS, anti-spam, VPN, and more. Dual engine antivirus (ClamAV & Command). Free home license for up to 10 computers, inexpensive subscription for antivirus, anti-spyware, content filtering, anti-spam, and IDS. Inexpensive license for business use.

Gibraltar - (Build your own) Proxy, firewall, anonymization, VPN, anti-spam, web & email antivirus. Free personal license for up to 5 computers, subscription fee for antivirus (Kaspersky).

IPCop - (Build your own) Proxy, firewall, IDS, VPN, and more with add-ons available. Open source (free for all environments)

Yoggie - Linux firewall appliance with a strong range of protections. Models available for individual personal use (incl. laptops on-the-go), home network, and SOHO. I haven't used this, but it looks very promising and thorough.

ZoneAlarm Secure Wireless Router - Firewall, antivirus, IDS/IPS, print server, wireless and wired router made for home use.

D-Link SecureSpot - Firewall, antivirus, parental control, popup blocker, anti-spam, identity protection.

NetGear WGT624SC (Super G Wireless Router - Security Edition) - Firewall, wireless router, antivirus, anti-spyware, parental control, more.

SonicWall - Firewall, antivirus, anti-spyware, IDS/IPS, VPN, more.

Eli - Firewall, antivirus, anti-spam, content filtering, wireless router, DSL/Cable modem, more.

Stingray Firewall - Small and simple hardware firewall with antivirus (ClamAV)

Many modern routers have limited basic firewall capability (no antivirus, etc). Look for "Firewall Routers" with "SPI". All routers will prevent incomming connections. Note that it is still very highly recommended that you use a software firewall along with a hardware firewall or router.

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W i F i . S e c u r i t y

JiWire has a great write-up: "Complete Guide to Wi-Fi Security", covering both public WiFi use and wireless home networks. A must read.

Hotspot Shield  - Wireless Intrusion Prevention System, encrypts connections
http://anchorfree.com/hotspot-shield/

JiWire Hotspot Helper - Wireless IPS, firewall, encrypts connections, mailer to work around hotspot restrictions, hotspot finder and status monitor
http://jiwire.com/hotspot-helper.htm

AirDefense Personal - Wireless IPS (free)
http://www.airdefense.net/products/adpersonal/

Sana Security AirCover - Wireless IPS
http://www.sanasecurity.com/products/ac/index.php

MyWIFIzone - Prevents freeloaders from using your WIFI (free)
http://www.mywifizone.com/

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G e n e r i c . P r o t e c t i o n
Behavior blocking and system monitoring, may not suitable for beginners

This section is intentionally limited. While behavioral blocking can provide some protection, they are frequently over-estimated to a severe degree. Anyone, regardless of skill level, should do some study before attempting to use such a solution for security against anti-malware.

The unfortunate reality is that while they may be good in theory, they require extensive knowledge about computer programming and security to use effectively. As much as they may add a feeling of control over one's computing environment, that feeling all too easily leads to a false sense of security. Restricting program functions does far more harm than good, unless the user is fully aware of what programming functions are, why they are implemented, and what may result. Attempting to control the functions of legitimate programs is purely asinine, and only invites disaster. If you believe that such an option is a realistic security solution for yourself, then I would very strongly urge you to consider alternatives. Every time such technologies have been studied, the practical reality has always turned out to provide no more security than chance alone can provide - even to so-called "advanced" or "expert" users. 

Keep in mind that learning how malware operates, learning how to distinguish malware from legitimate files, and finding viable ways to stop them from functioning requires a significant amount of expertise in very specialized areas of study. It should be noted that malware does not infect a computer by inventing new techniques - they use established and legitimate operating system functions, and to believe that only malware uses any particular function will inevitably lead to confusion and possibly even problems. As an example, if explorer.exe were to create a hook, you would need significantly more information to determine whether the action is malicious or benign. The same action by the same process could potentially be either, and unless you have significant insight into why it happened then such a decision would be impossible to make correctly. Keep in mind, also, that malware is written by people that do understand these things, and devote all their time and skill into bypassing such systems and tricking you into thinking that they are legitimate. If the experts have difficulties with these kinds of things, do you honestly believe you can do better? Is your confidence really so high that you are ready to make such a drastic wager, especially when there are far more realistic options available to you?

Any vendor that claims to put this kind of "power" in the hands of the average computer geek (or worse yet, the layman) is deluded at best, and engaging in deception (for profit) at worst. It would be akin to offering a kit that claims to give you all the power of a medical doctor without any prior training or knowledge. 

While such solutions may prove invaluable in a business environment where the computers have specific uses and strong acceptable use policies, there are many many other solutions available for home computers that provide infinitely more protection. If you truely are an advanced or expert user, then using system diagnostic tools should prove far more valuable, and configuring your system properly a far more effective defense. Those wishing to investigate these technologies further would be well advised to study up on the technologies. ZDNet has many whitepapers on the subject that may help to provide some perspective. The links in this section were specifically chosen for ease of use and limitation of scope. While they may not all provide extensive coverage, these are the only solutions I can mention in good conscience.

Anyone looking for "HIPS" software is STRONGLY encouraged to try solutions listed in "Other Security Tools" first, and read up on the resources instead. Learning that information and those tools will provide more than any "HIPS" software ever will.

Online Armor - Behavior blocking with web & mail filtering, made for ease of use. Enhanced version with antivirus and firewall available
http://www.tallemu.com

AntiKeylogger Shield - Behavior blocking geared towards keyloggers
http://www.amictools.com/v-anti_keylogger_shield.html

wssecure Application Monitor - Open source tool that alerts when it detects a new process or an existing process is modified (free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/wssecure

ScriptDefender - Script blocker (free)
http://www.analogx.com/

ScripTrap - Script blocker (free)
http://keir.net/scriptrap.html

Mike Lin's StartupMonitor & Startup Control Panel (free)
http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml

RegRun - Registry monitor & tools, disinfection tools, and more
http://www.regrun.com

MJ Registry Watcher  - Regisry monitor (free)
http://www.jacobsm.com/index.htm#sft

RegDefend - Behavior blocking for the Windows registry
http://www.ghostsecurity.com

ViGUARD - Very comprehensive behavior blocker, content filter, and integrity checker
http://www.viguard.com/

WinPatrol - Registry monitor and more (free)
http://www.winpatrol.com

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 V i r t u a l i z a t i o n
Creates an isolated area within your system for programs to run so they can not access, and therefor cannot harm, the rest of your system. Some are more integrated with your system than others. 

DefenseWall - Sandbox with virtualization. Made for ease-of-use.
http://www.softsphere.com/

BufferZone - Sandbox with virtualization, including virtual file system. Freeware versions available for single applications
http://www.trustware.com/

ShadowUser - Sandbox, returns your system to the way it was when exiting "shadow mode"
http://www.shadowstor.com/

GeSWall - Sandbox with virtualization (free)
http://www.gentlesecurity.com/

GreenBorder - Sandbox with virtualization
http://www.greenborder.com/

VIRTUAL MACHINE SOFTWARE
Virtual machines load an entire OS within the application, isolated from the rest of your system.
Great for testing, but requires more system resources.

Installing and Configuring Virtual PC - A guide to using MS Virtual PC. 

How to use VMware Player to create your own images - Tutorial

Using VMWare Player to run Live CDs - Video tutorial

Surf the Web in Complete Safety - Why and how to use a Linux virtual appliance for web surfing

VMWare (generally considered the best) - Free: Player - Server - virtual appliance images

Parallels - Superior performance with a very low price, a personal favorite

Microsoft VirtualPC (free)

VirtualBox (open source - free)

Live View - Open source forensics tool that creates a VMWare VM from a disk image (free)

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O t h e r . S e c u r i t y . T o o l s

DieHard - Prevents memory problems that may lead to buffer overflows (free for non-commercial use)
http://diehard-software.org/

Site Advisor - Shows safety rating for websites and Google searches, highly recommended. Now part of McAfee's security suite. (free, paid version available from McAfee)
http://www.siteadvisor.com/

LinkScanner Pro - Filters malicious scripts from internet traffic, identifies phishing websites, and more (limited free version available)
http://www.explabs.com/

Tiger Security Application - Control several security applications from one place (open source, free)

USB Wireless Security Lock - Locks your computer when you walk away, timer version also available. Open source software available HERE.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/698d/

Proxomitron - Internet content filter (free)
http://www.proxomitron.info
Kye-U's browser security pack for Proxomitron (filters malicious scripts)

SuperAdBlocker - Ad blocker with built-in antispyware
http://www.superadblocker.com/

Firetrust Benign - Removes malicious content from email & MailWasher Pro (spam filter)
http://www.firetrust.com/

Email Sentinel Pro - Removes malicious content from email
http://www.emailaddressmanager.com/

Tiger Envelopes - Open source email encryption for Thunderbird (and possibly others) (free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tigerenvelopes

nLIte (create custom Windows install CD, integrates service packs, hotfixes, and drivers, and remove unwanted components for security, privacy, and performance) (free)
http://www.nliteos.com/

AutoPatcher - Create a CD with all current Windows Updates and lots of tools and tweaks (free)
http://www.autopatcher.com/

Watchdog, SP2 TCP/IP Patcher, RockXP, and other free tools (free, website in French but not hard to navigate)
http://www.rockxp.org/

CallingID Link Advisor - Displays website owner and risk assesment of links in browser, email, and IM (free)
http://www.callingid.com/

Watcher - Iintegrity checker, scans hard drive and registry for new/changed items (free)
http://www.donationcoders.com/kubicle/watcher/index.html

Dekart Logon - Log on to your PC with a fingerprint reader, smart card, USB key, and more
http://www.dekart.com/

SecurePC - Open source program to use a USB flash drive as a key for your PC (free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/spc1

Sentinel - Iintegrity checker that can automatically scan new/changed files & auto-start items with your existing antivirus (free)
http://www.runtimeware.com/

STMD Desktop - Scans IE for "spy" DLLs (free)
http://www.ossecurity.ca/

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (free)

Security Task Manger (task manager that gives security ratings for running processes)
http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/

For applications that can configure your system for maximum security (and improve performance at the same time) Click here to visit my "system hardening" page.

Security tools for advanced users & admins
(Should only be used by those with strong knowledge of networking)

10 Best Security Live CD Distros - Article from Darknet.org

SecureDVD - Multi-boot live-dvd with multiple security based Linux LiveCDs for pen testing, forensics, and much more (free)

Top 100 Network Security Tools - Great list of advanced tools

WireShark - (formerly ethereal) packet capturing tool (free)

Kiwi Syslog Daemon - Highly configurable tool for seeing what your router, firewall, or other network device is doing. Fantastic tool for advanced users (free, paid version available)

Securepoint Intrusion Detection System (free network IDS for personal use, runs on your desktop and shows you suspicious traffic from your whole network)
Available at MAJOR GEEKS

The Dude - Network monitoring software, outstanding freebie

Remote BHO Scanner - Scans a Windows domain for BHOs, lists any found and if they are catagorized as spyware on the CastleCops BHO list (open source, free)

NMAP - Port scanner with advanced capabilities for security auditing (free)

UMIT - GUI for NMAP for Windows (open source, free)

The Nemesis Project - Open source virus analyst studio (free)

Nessus - Security scanner (free and paid versions available)

Metasploit - Open source security scanner (free)

Snort - Open source IDS/IPS (free)

Bleeding Snort - Bleeding edge signatures for Snort (free)

SnortCocaine - Open source management tool to securely gather and correlate data from numerous Snort sensors (free)

FTools - Open source tool to gather and/or develop topographical information and attributes about specified directories and files for forensics

Winfingerprint - Open source tool that is able to Determine OS, enumerate users, groups, shares, SIDs, transports, sessions, services, service pack and hotfix level, date and time, disks, and open tcp and udp ports. (free)

proDETECT - Open source tool to detect packet sniffers on a LAN (free)

Taof - The art of fuzzing  - Generic network protocol fuzzer (open source, free)

iDefense Labs - Many open source (free) tools for security research and malware analysis

Foundstone - Excellent free security tools (security research, testing, forensics, and more), white papers, case studies, data sheets, webcasts, and more (visit the "Resources" section)

Sam Spade - Internet utility package (free)
Available at Major Geeks

About.com directory of free tools & utilities (tons of tools)

Directory of Network Monitoring Tools

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R o o t k i t . D e t e c t o r s

Rootkit Revealer (free)
http://www.sysinternals.com/

Sophos Anti-Rootkit (free)
http://www.sophos.com...

Prevx2.0 - Complete anti-malware solution that also scans for, and protects against, rootkits
http://www.prevx.com/

UnHackMe
http://greatis.com/unhackme/

GMER (free)
http://www.gmer.net/

Rootkit Unhooker (free, requires technical knowledge to use)
http://rku.xell.ru/

F-Secure Blacklight (free during beta period)
http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (free)
http://www.microsoft.com/...

SpySweeper - Has option to "sweep for rootkits", but you must set this option in the preferences
http://www.webroot.com

Many more are currently being made, keep an eye out!
There is a great list available at antirootkit.com - most for advanced users
Prevention is the best cure. Some generic protection software can prevent rootkits from installing, but always remember that a rootkit, just like any malware, cannot install if it can't get on your system!

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P r i v a c y . T o o l s

Tor Park  - Portable version of Firefox with anonymizing proxy. No install, just download and run (free)
http://torpark.nfshost.com/

SpoofStick - Anti-phishing browser plugin for Internet Explorer and Firefox (free)
http://www.spoofstick.com/

TrueCrypt - Creates encrypted volumes that work like another drive (free)
http://www.truecrypt.org/

AxCrypt - Encrypts files in their current location (free)
http://axcrypt.sourceforge.net/

CompuSec PC Security Suite - Full hard drive encryption, authentication, and more (free)
http://www.ce-infosys.com/english/

GnuPG - Communications encryption based on PGP (free)
http://www.gnupg.org/

jv16 PowerTools - Registry, hisotry, & file cleaners and more
http://www.macecraft.com/

Java Anonymous Proxy (JAP) (free)
http://anon.inf.tu-dresden.de/index_en.html

The Onion Router (TOR) - Anonymizing proxy (free)
http://tor.eff.org/

PWGen - Open source password and passphrase(!) generator, creates up to 2048 bit passwords! (free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pwgen-win

Eraser - The original secure file deletion tool (free)
http://www.heidi.ie/eraser

Inferno - Open source tool for secure deletion, disk wiping, history cleaning, and file encryption (free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/inferno

CCleaner - History cleaner (free)
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Easy Cleaner - History & temp file cleaner, similar to jv16 PowerTools (free)
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm

KeePass - Secure password manager (free)
http://keepass.sourceforge.net/

ClipClear - Displays contents of the Windows clipboard and also lets you clear it (open source, free)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/clipclear

Dekart - Encryption software, password manager, and more
http://www.dekart.com/

Doc Scrubber - Remove personal info from word processing documents (free)
http://www.docscrubber.com/

TRACE! - Similar to Doc Scrubber (free)
Available at SNAPFILES

IE Privacy Keeper - Automatic history cleaner, also works with Firefox (free)
http://browsertools.net/IE-Privacy-Keeper/

CyberScrub - Privacy cleaner with secure file deletion, antivirus also available
http://www.cyberscrub.com/

Universal Shield - File hiding/access control and encryption & SecureWord (password manager)
http://www.everstrike.com/

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S y s t e m . T o o l s
& . O t h e r . S o f t w a r e

SysInternals tools (many quality system tools, including Process Explorer, AutoRuns, and RootkitRevealer) (free, all are "must haves"!)
http://www.sysinternals.com/

Acronis True Image (drive imaging)
http://www.acronis.com

Bart's PE - Bootable live Windows CD with many plugins available (free)
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Tutorial - Plugins

Mozy (online backup service. 2 GB for free, more for cheap.)
http://www.mozy.com/

MyBackupBox (drive imaging program that works automatically in conjunction with an external hard drive. Just plug the drive in and it automatically backs up your entire computer.)
http://www.mybackupbox.ca/

FD-ISR (Can be used for system recovery but excels in creating isolated testing environments. May not be suitable for non-technical users, but possibly if willing to read the help file thoroughly)
http://www.raxco.com/

ADRC Data Recovery Tools (undelete files, recover files from physically damaged drives, raw file copy, drive image & restore, import & export boot sector - no install required) (free)
http://www.adrc.net/data_recovery_software.htm

RegSupreme / RegSupreme Pro ("best of breed" registry cleaners)
http://www.macecraft.com/

Process Info (find out what those processes in task manager are) (free)
http://www.gomiller.com/

PocoMail (email client with many security options, a personal favorite)
http://www.pocosystems.com/

Mozilla Thunderbird (open source email client with lots of add-ons available) (free)
http://www.mozilla.org/

Erunt and NTRegOpt (registry backup and defragmenter) (free)
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

PC Inspector File Recovery (recover deleted files, best free tool for home use) (free)
http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome.htm

Drive Image XML (drive imaging, Win 2k/XP only) (free)
http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

RecoverMyFiles (recover deleted files, best commercial tool)
http://www.getdata.com/

ZipGenius (archive program, like WinZip, with security & privacy options) (free)
http://www.zipgenius.it/

KeyNote (notes program with encryption) (free)
http://www.tranglos.com/free/index.html

ProcessTamer (lowers priority of processes using high CPU, keeping your computer from locking up, very handy) (free)
http://www.donationcoder.com/

SyncBack, InstallSpy, FingerPrint, more.. (free)
http://www.2brightsparks.com/

Unlocker (shows you what is currently using a file you may be trying to delete and allows you to unlock it) (free)
http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

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O n l i n e . S c a n s . & . T e s t s

Jotti's Malware Scan - online virus scan by 13+ scanners, scans one file at a time
VirusTotal- online virus scan by 28+ scanners, scans one file at a time
BitDefender online virus scan
F-Secure online virus scan
TrendMicro online virus scan (also free spyware tool downloads)
Norton online virus scan
Reliable AntiVirus (RAV) online virus scan
AhnLab online virus scan
McAfee online virus scan
Dr. Web online virus scan, scans one file at a time
Kaspersky online virus scan
eTrust online virus scan
Authentium online virus scan
Windows Live OneCare online virus scan
ArcaVir online virus scan

Panda ActiveScan online virus, spyware, and other malware scan

Ewido  online trojan scan & micro-scanner
WindowsSecurity.com online trojan scan (uses a-squared)
a-squared web malware scanner

CounterSpy online spyware scan
PestPatrol online spyware scan (click the "Free PestScan " graphic)
SpywareGuide online spyware scan (uses X-Cleaner)
ZoneLabs online spyware scan (uses Anonymizer)
Tenebril online spyware scan

Norman Sandbox Information Center - Submit a file and get a report of the file's behavior
CounterSpy Sandbox

ScanIt Browser Security Test - Probably the quickest and easiest test to run.
Compendum of Browser exploit tests (thread at Wilders Security Forums)

GFI Email Security Test
PCFlank - Firewall, trojan, and browser/privacy tests
PCPitstop - Variety of online scans, including virus, malware, and full system health check-ups
Audit My Pc - Firewall, spyware, privacy, pop-up, and patch managment tests
a-squared - Firewall, security, exploit, and browser checks. Very lengthy.
GRC Shields Up! - Online firewall test

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I n f o r m a t i o n  &  R e s o u r c e s

OpenDNS - DNS servers for anyone to use freely, corrects [potentially dangerous] spelling mistakes and blocks known phishing sites, may also provide faster lookups.

PortForward.com - Help opening/forwarding ports on most firewalls and routers.

Firewall Guide - Lots of information and resources on security (not just firewalls)

Eric Howes (malware expert) has a website similar to the page you are looking at now.
(my page hopes only to compliment his and other sites around the web, not mimic or replace it.)
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/

Spyware Warrior - Home of the "Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Websites" & tons of other info on the war against spyware (by Eric Howes and Suzi)

Talisker Security Wizardry - Great links to security software & resources

SpywareGuide - Another good site for spyware info

Microsoft Tech-Ed 2005 Media Casts - Fantastic videos of presentations from the 2005 Tech-Ed conference, particularly the Jesper Johansson presentations.

Knujon.org - Spam reporting

AntiRootkit.com - Great information site about dealing with rootkits

Microsoft MVP's - Most Valuable Professionals in the area of security. Most of these folks have great webpages with excellent tips/guides for securing and/or disinfecting your computer, some even have their own freeware for download. Very much worth looking through.

Security related Tips & Tricks

Astalavista.net - Security community and resources, geared towards advanced users

Wilders Security Forums - By Microsoft MVP Paul Wilders

CastleCops - Security forums, resources (including Windows startup, LSP, and CLSID lookup), software reviews, news, and more.

A.S.A.P - (Alliance of Security Analysis Professionals) - A great list of security forums for home users, most provide assistance with removing malware by volunteer experts

Anti-Online - Security forum geared towards advanced users

CounterExploitation (cexx.org)- Privacy resource

VersionTracker - Stay up to date on vulnerabilities for virtually all software

Tech Support Alert - Excellent source of software recommendations & reviews (security & otherwise)

Windows starup online repository - List of files commonly found in the Windows startup, what they do, and if they're needed, useless, or harmful. 

Snapfiles
Softpedia
MajorGeeks
Download.com
Kool Lite Tools - Best freeware site on the web
NoNags - freeware without nag screens
Last Freeware - last freeware versions of freeware that later became shareware

NewEgg (BOClean $25, Acronis True Image $33, SpySweeper $20, Kaspersky AV $25, much more, subject to change)

Software Shop at Calander of Updates (many programs 5%-20% off)

F-Secure anti-virus 6 months free and/or 50% off
http://www.f-secure.com/protectyourpc/

FREE eTrust EZ Antivirus and PestPatrol 2005
http://www.ca.com/de/dsin/

FREE Panda AntiVirus
http://www.pandasecurity.com/promotions/itathome/register.aspx

Did you know most large internet service providers offer free security software? Ask yours!

Do you know of any other offers for free or discounted software? Email me at: Re
(legitimate and reliable sources only, please. Offers should preferably be from the manufacturer)

VMyths - "The truth about computer security hysteria" - a must read for anyone interested in security

CCCURE.ORG - Among other content, this site tracks news from several other security sites

TechWeb - Security and Privacy news & articles

Dark Reading - Security news, highly recommended

InformationWeek, Security - online computer magazine with dedicated security section

Infosyssec - Security news

SecurityStats - Security news and statistics

RootSecure.net - Security news portal

Security Pipeline - More news

ComputerWorld - Major computer/IT site, this link goes directly to their security section

IT Observer - Network security portal

SANS Top 20 Internet Security Vulnerabilites

Secunia - stay up to date with software vulnerabilities

SecurityTracker - Similar to Secunia. Tends to get more advisories than Secunia, but not as well organized.

Hideaway.net - Security resources for all skill levels

CERT Coordination Center

Tao Security Blog

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D e e p e r . R e a d i n g
(If you skipped the "Essential Reading" section, you might want to see those first)

Computer-Tutorials.org - Lots of free tutorials and resources on a wide range of subjects, including security

TutorialsFind.com: Security - A directory of tutorials, security section. Geared towards the home user

WindowSecurity.com - Lots of articles, tutorials, software, and more, includes discussion forum and blogs

SecurityDocs.com - A website full of security whitepapers for all skill levels

Computer Technical Tutorials: Security - A directory of tutorials on the internet

How to secure Windows 2000/XP

NSA Security Configuration Guides

Using Software Restriction Policies to Protect Against Unauthorized Software

Security and Privacy in Opera (the Opera web browser)

The Honeynet Project - White Papers. See the rest of the site for lots of good information. This site is very much worth acquainting yourself with

Hackin9 Magazine - Lots of great in-depth articles on all things security. Online or print subscriptions available.

Help Net Security - Security news, articles, and tools

IronGeek - Security articles, reviews, resources, and more. This is a personal site with outstanding and in-depth resources

SecurityFocus - major security website with tons of articles and security mailing lists worth checking out, including the famous BugTraq mailing list, for all skill levels.

The CISSP and SSCP Open Study Guides website - Free resources for these security certifications

SANS Institute - Computer security education and information security training

Information System Audit and Control Association - CISA and CISM certifications

The Open CSO Project - "The ultimate resource for aspiring security professionals"

Sig² - Special Interest Group in Security and Information inteGrity - Society for security professionals: security research, events, and more. (see the "G-TEC" section for in-depth reading)

Invisible Things - In-depth information on rootkits and tools for detecting them

OpenRCE - Open Reverse Code Engineering community, for information and resources on malware analysis through reverse engineering

Malware Analysis for Administrators - How-to article for IT professionals 

Malware: Fighting Malicious Code, by Ed Skoudis & Lenny Zeltser - A must read for enthusiasts on up. This book clearly lays out the different kinds of malware and how they work without getting too technical. Home users with any level of technical aptitude would do well to read this book as well. This book does not presume you are a computer genius, but is also quite suitable for those that are. This book is my number one recommendation for anyone that wishes to understand what kind of malware is out there.

Viruses Revealed,  by David Harley, Robert Slade, and Robert Slade - This is much like "Malware: Fighting Malicious Code", but goes further in-depth.

Microsoft Windows XP Networking and Security Inside Out, by Ed Bott & Carl Siechert - Although this book doesn't go very far in-depth, it provides a great reference for those details we all forget.

The Tao of Network Security Monitoring: Beyond Intrusion Detection,  by Richard Bejtlich - A must-read for those that have a network to secure, or are generall interested in network security.

The Art of Intrusion,  by Kevin D. Mitnick and William L. Simon

The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security, by Mitnick and Simon

The Art of Computer Virus Research and Defense,  by Peter Szor - If you want to become an anti-malware professional, this is a must read.

Hacking Exposed series of books

Free Security eBooks for IT professionals (requires registration, but worth it)

More Free eBooks on just about any security related subject you could want and for all skill levels

Even more Free eBooks (links to security section, but this site also contains other computer books)

TCP/IP Tutorial and Technical Overview from IBM

Forensic Discovery, by Dan Farmer and Wietse Venema

Cybersecurity Today and Tomorrow

Windows XP Security Guide from Microsoft

Windows Vista Security Guide from Microsoft

The Threats and Countermeasures Guide from Microsoft - Security settings in Windows XP & 2003

Safeguarding Your Technology - For IT professionals

Handbook of Information Security Management - For IT professionals