When a vendor calls its product Worry-Free, sceptics (like me) tend to reach for a pinch of salt. The latest version, however, has some interesting new features that look like they really could help take the ...

The new Smart Scan technology in Worry-Free Business Security 6.0 lifts the Trend Micro security suite above the competition, making it less demanding on client resources and quicker to update. CPU-sensitive throttling is another useful new feature, ...

On the subject of computers and security issues, the tendency is to think in terms of protection such as anti-virus and firewalls. Keeping Windows updated against vulnerabilities is another obvious measure, but rarely do we mull ...

The Personal Software Inspector is a useful second line security utility, particularly given its freeware status. It runs smoothly, by and large, and if you encounter any slight hitches as we did, the Secunia forums prove a helpful resource.

The concept of identity is a tricky one. Who are you, exactly? Yourself? The trouble with that is the mental construct of your "self", your thoughts, can be observed by you, so you aren't that. "You" ...

A useful utility and second line of defence which runs quietly in the background with little or no input from the user. However, we feel it's priced on the expensive side.

The best things in life are free. And it's a good job, too, in this day and age of evaporating money. You can bet that as the global recession marches onwards, more and more users will ...

A useful piece of security software that's easy to get to grips with and provides an excellent range of features given that it's freeware. For serious use it might be worth considering an upgrade to the pro version, as that allows for forgotten ...

Keeping your computer in shape is a bit like looking after your body. Cram it full of junk, fail to ensure the motions of your recycle bin are regular and neglect the fitness of vital components, ...

System Mechanic is a thorough and impressive maintenance tool which will ensure your PC doesn't develop a beer gut (or a file gut, at any rate). It's easy to use for the novice, while the expert can dive into the deeper scans a bit more to pick and ...

ZoneAlarm has done a good job of keeping its software at the cutting edge in terms of security, refining and improving the range of featues on offer over the last few years to stay competitive in ...

The core of ZoneAlarm Extreme is based on a suite that's done superbly well over the last few years and still offers the same solid, comprehensive protection against modern threats. Forcefield adds online guards and may be of particular interest to ...

As long as there are human beings using computers, there'll be a need for file recovery or 'undelete' software. Be it a lost document, some accidentally removed photos or allowing strangers with itchy delete fingers near ...

As it stands, this is a good, successful application, but one you're only likely to stump up for when you really need something of its ilk. Not cheap, but could well prove invaluable on its day.

AutoSave Encrypt is an innovative new way to protect sensitive data from prying eyes and differs from most other installable software-based solutions by preloading all of the technology required to encrypt, burn and securely delete sensitive ...

There's very little to criticise in terms of the operation and efficiency of the AutoSave Encrypt CD-R and the main problem for most will be the price. At £24.95 for four discs these things aren't cheap, though you can request a free sample disc to ...

There's something that got our back up fairly early, albeit temporarily, where PC Tools Antivirus Free was concerned. Granted, just by the product that we're talking about that may sound a little churlish, yet it's another ...

A solid anti-virus option if there's no budget whatsoever to spend. It's not perfect, but in the free market it's as good as you're going to get.

Given the regularity with which laptops, USB Flash Drives and other portable media are lost, left lying about or simply stolen, it makes sense to protect the data they're carrying, even if you can't look after ...

There's a performance hit when encrypting and decrypting files and it's not fond of iPods set up as disk drives, but for the money, this is a strong, secure means of protecting data stored on removable devices.