Everyone's computer needs network security software. Times when Internet access was not popular are over, and we can't but do our best not to fall victim to online criminals. What is to be done to ensure your network is protected enough to fight back malicious attacks?

• If your network uses Wireless connectivity, you need to possess wireless security tools that display wireless access points, SSIDs, channels, WEP encryption status and signal strength;
• Install personal firewall software like ZoneAlarm to protect personal computers against hackers, data thieves and internal misuse by blocking dangerous Internet threats;
• Download or buy and install antivirus and virus removal software that scans for viruses, worms and Trojan horses on your hard drives, CDs, e-mail, IM and P2P, but make sure the company offers frequent updates for their software;
• Use e-mail spam blocking software. Sometimes, it is included into larger network security software packages, but you can also get some standalone applications for free;
• Protect your machine with spyware removal and blocking software, that helps block unscrupulous vendors from placing Trojan horses on your computer;
• If you do not like watching annoying ads, use pop-up blocking software. In most cases it is free, like Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition;
• Prevention is better than cure - scan your machine for vulnerability using the corresponding scanning software;
• Last but not least - make sure you have an intrusion detection software on your machine, that help you monitor your network for attempted intrusions or attacks.

If you are an expert in computer security, it would be a good idea to have some more applications in your arsenal. E.g., you might want to get a packet sniffer software to analyze your network packet traffic, port scanner software to scan for open ports on your computer to help you secure it, encryption software to hide or encrypt files within other files like bitmap or jpg images, network monitoring software to help monitor network activity and performance and so on and so forth.

More links to free computer network security software can be found in our Web Links section.