TO HELP PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER AGAINST THE MANY HOSTILE THREATS ON THE INTERNET, HERE'S A LIST OF PROGRAMS THAT YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL IN DEFENDING YOURSELF. These programs include freeware, shareware, free trials, and demos of defensive programs. Whenever possible, we've listed the program's main site which you can visit for the latest version of the software.
Freeware programs are free for you to use, copy, and distribute without license restrictions. (In some cases, they even include source code that you can study and modify.)
Shareware programs are "try before you buy." You get the full program but if you continue to use it you must pay for it.
Demoware and trialware are time limited or "crippled" versions of a piece of software. If you like the program you must buy the full version to continue to use it.
To save money, try the many freeware programs first. Many freeware programs offer equal (or better) protection than shareware or commercial software. For example, while BlackICE is a well-regarded (and excellent) firewall program, ZoneAlarm offers similar protection for free.