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Top 10 Free IT Security Tools

Malware creators commonly spread their dubious wares to unsuspecting machines at no extra cost—not that anyone would want to pay for such inconveniences, but still, it would be nice if commercial web application security developers could provide the same token generosity when it came to their IT protection products.

Yes, there are obvious financial reasons as to why this proposal isn't feasible, but it's still quite possible to develop a remarkable security arsenal without spending a single dime. The Internet is filled with free or sample products that are specifically made to protect systems from device incompatibilities, online outlaws, malware contagions, and the like, and here the top ten best among them:

1. Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer: The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA for short) is a free trial software that helps Windows-based platforms check, double-check, and triple-check just how safe your IT infrastructure is from the ongoing threats of the worldwide web. The MBSA examines your system for missing security updates and typical errors in configuration, then gives advice on how to improve your security measures so that they're in line with Microsoft's highest security standards.

2. Openssh: With Openssh you can secure and encrypt your traffic to your servers.

3. AVG Anti-Virus: This award-winning and popular anti-virus program is renowned for its willingness to provide topnotch scanning that's comparable to its significantly more "expensive" counterparts without asking the user to spend a cent on it. The tool analyzes all email traffic over the SMTP or POP3 protocol, quarantines suspected virus-infected emails, and is compatible with Eudora or Microsoft Outlook.

4. Ad-Aware: This is a program that helped bring down (or at least temporarily contain) the growing adware contagion a few years back. The Ad-Aware application regularly scans your machine for hidden virtual bloodsuckers—which may include spyware, worms, and trojans—and removes them from your computer permanently. Because it has netted over two-hundred fifty million downloads and counting, this Lavasoft software is perhaps the most popular free security tool in existence.

5. Ethereal: The Ethereal Network Protocol Analyzer is a celebrated open source packet sniffer that supports network protocol, software, analysis, and troubleshooting development. Moreover, this free IT security tool will work smoothly with all the popular OS platforms, particularly Linux, Unix, and Windows.

6. NetStumbler: Bogus wireless networks have proven themselves to be significantly dangerous security risks because they enable a cyber attacker to enter business systems unimpeded.Fortunately, the Windows-compatible NetStumbler has the ability to sniff out rogue wireless LANs based on the 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards.

7. MailWasher: This particular security tool is the perfect spam removal software. Never again will you have to worry about your mailbox being clogged by spam or any other unsolicited email. The POP3-useable MailWasher pledges to sieve and block spam messages while enabling legitimate email to pass through your inbox unhindered.

8. Karen's Replicator: Because complete and regular backups are an important part of any security strategy, Karen's Replicator is also a vital tool in your IT security arsenal. For freeware, it's the best backup storage application available in the market to date. It can copy folders and files into a storage device unfailingly, and it can even restore changed or damaged files on a compromised web server.

9. Snort: When it comes to the self-explanatory objectives of the Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS), Snort comes out on top. Even if it weren't freeware, it'd still be one of the best protocol analyzers in existence because of its premium ability to actively block or passively detect a variety of probes and assaults. Few programs could match Snort's detection capabilities.

10. Gnu Privacy Guard: This isn't just one program, but a whole group of open source encryption applications that was created under the umbrella of the Free Software Foundation's software project. GnuPG can be integrated with front ends that offer compatibility with any OS out there.

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