Beyond antivirus software: Eclectic PC security tools for system-wide audits - dewsfrept1991

Welcome to a disagreeable reality: Relying on an seemingly comprehensive antivirus suite just doesn't cut information technology in 2012.

Antivirus software system is crucial for combating viruses, malware, and hackers, only plainly installing an antivirus program is rarely enough. You should also use strong passwords; keep goin your system, applications, and browser plug-INS cutting-edge; and make sure your firewall is doing its job away blocking all intrusions. Following these extra safeguards force out reduce the chances of your PC seemly a Petri dish overloaded of digital contagions.

Luckily, a number of tools and services can simplify every last the additional security department precautions that red-brick PCs want. They go above and beyond what's offered in antivirus suites, performing security measur audits of vulnerabilities that the big-figure software packages escape. Here are quintuplet to check over out.

Qualys BrowserCheck

An obsolete browser or plug-in bathroom dish out as a security hole for hackers and malware authors to exploit, so you'll want to maintain your web software current. Qualys BrowserCheck is a absolve service that scans your Entanglement browser to determine if you're running out-of-date or embattled versions of whatsoever popular plug-Immigration and Naturalization Service or add-ons, including Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, Java, and Windows Media Player.

You can carry a warm scan from your browser in Windows, Mackintosh, or Linux. You don't even have got to download some software—Qualys runs all within your browser. Supported browsers include Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Camino. Erstwhile Qualys BrowserCheck completes its read, it lists which plug-INS it scanned, and indicates whether you'atomic number 75 running insecure versions of any of your plug-ins, and if whatever updates are available. The scan also provides links to where you can download the newest plug-in version, so you don't have to search round for information technology.

Sample results from a quick Qualys scan. Look at that: The Java plugin needs an update.

As an alternative, you tail end lead a full scan after downloading and installing the Qualys BrowserCheck circuit board, which supports IE, Firefox, and Chromium-plate on Windows—there's No Mac operating theater Linux musical accompaniment for the full scan. This chockful scan hindquarters check all supported browsers you have installed, not just the web browser you used to run the scan. And the chock-full scan can also detect other system vulnerabilities as well, such as no automatic Windows Updates or Windows Firewall squirting, or verboten-of-engagement or injured antivirus software.

Sample results from a full scan in Chromium-plate later on downloading the plug-in.

One time Qualys BrowserCheck finishes doing its thing, you'll see a list of scanned wa-ins for your current browser, and icons to scene the results for each of your other browsers. And if you prefer to do system checks, you'll get wind a tab showing its results likewise.

Secunia Attribute Software Inspector (Pounds per square inch)

Secunia Person-to-person Software Inspector (PSI) is a unloose syllabu that scans your PC for security vulnerabilities, like missing updates that hackers and malware authors can exploit to infect or hack into your PC. If Pounds per square inch finds a vulnerability, information technology will test to automatically download and install any under consideration updates. Otherwise, it helps you manually fix the issue.

After you download and put in Secunia PSI, it will glance over your system and notify you via its scheme tray icon if other programs call for a manual update. You can open the program to find your Secunia System Score, a inclination of whatsoever programs that want to represent updated, and a list of any software program that it constitute to be in the lead-to-date.

If your Secunia System Scotch is below 100 percent, you'll find icons for the vulnerable programs, which you can chatter on to resolve the issue.

Password Security Scanner

Password Security Scanner is a rid utility that scans for passwords stored by Windows applications and Web browsers, and tells you how strong they are. This gives you a take a chance to identify sapless passwords, and change them to something more secure. Although you can't see the actual passwords, you can catch the username and which site or service they belong to.

The Word Security Scanner runs connected Windows, and information technology will rake passwords stored past Internet IE, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Mentality, Windows Live Mail, and MSN/Windows Messenger, as well as your telephone dial-up and VPN passwords.

Try out list of passwords and inside information active their strength.

After you download and install the utility, it volition mechanically scan and video display additional details about your passwords, including their distance, the types of characters used, and overall countersign strength. If you need help building better passwords, have a look at Alex Wawro's primer on the topic.

ShieldsUp

ShieldsUp is a justify, Web-based porthole scanner that tests your Internet connection for possible security system holes, much As incorrect firewall settings. Although the examination regimen and coverage  might embody a bit complete the capitulum of average electronic computer users, the ShieldsUP site provides a wealth of background information about firewalls and port scanning.

ShieldsUp lets you scan a fewer different port ranges, including Charge Sharing ports (to make a point you're not offering honorable access to your files) and Uncouth Ports (to check the most ordinarily used ones). It also lets you check all ports via the All Service Ports scan option. In addition, you can tell it to scan a specific port wine or kitchen range of ports. Additionally, you stool evaluate your web browser headers for privacy and tracking issues, and test to see if your PC is susceptible to spam via the Windows Messenger Service, a messaging system well-stacked into Windows.

The results for the File Communion tests are presented via a text description.

The results for the All Services tests are presented in graphical form.

If results show open ports, you can enquire the firewall settings of your router Beaver State PC and try to close surgery secure them.

Belarc Advisor

Belarc Advisor is free for personal use, and scans your PC's ironware, network connections, software, antivirus status, Windows Updates, and Windows security policies for insecure settings and past security vulnerabilities. It generates a report in HTML that you fire view in your browser. This report provides details on the scanned items and any detected issues, along with links on how to fix them, but it doesn't automatically fix them for you. Also, the information it reveals is geared more for techies and IT professionals than common home users.

Sample distribution of the HTML report card created aside Belarc Advisor.

In the beginning of the paper, the service shows your overall security status via three scores: Security department Benchmark Scotch, Virus Auspices, and Microsoft Security Updates. Click on any of these to see more inside information.

Aside scrolling through the report, you'll discover details on your hardware specs, user accounts, peripherals, and networking. You'll also find a list of installed software versions, licenses, usage, and a report on lacking or insecure Windows Hotfixes.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/455619/beyond-antivirus-software-eclectic-pc-security-tools-for-system-wide-audits.html

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