Security software has, for the most part, kept pace with the ne’er-do-wells of the computer world to become an industry with a variety of tools we can use to keep our computers safe. We looked at security software that targets different aspects of protection for your laptop, from firewalls to anti-malware to theft recovery.

Check Point Software ZoneAlarm Pro
$49.95 for one year of updates • www.zonealarm.com

Bottom Line: ZoneAlarm Pro is a powerful yet easy-to-use firewall application with a few bonus features thrown in for good measure.

ZoneAlarm Pro is a firewall that includes multiple layers of additional protection for your computer. Two levels of firewall keep threats out, but if malware finds its way onto your computer, ZoneAlarm Pro features antispyware to dig up and get rid of the offending bug.

Still, ZoneAlarm Pro is focused on prevention. The Network And Program Firewall protects against inbound, outbound, and program threats, and it can hide your computer from being seen while on the Internet. The Operating System Firewall goes even deeper; this feature specifically fights the nasty brand of spyware that targets your computer at the rootkit and kernel level. It monitors all the computer activity that occurs below the average user’s radar, such as Registry changes.

Other features in the basket include Identity Theft Protection, Wireless PC Protection, and the SmartDefense Service. Identity Theft Protection monitors incoming and outgoing communication for potential identity theft threats such as spam, keeps track of stolen credit card lists to ensure that your number is absent, and even offers phone assistance for those who need help recovering a stolen identity. Wireless PC Protection secures your computer from hackers whenever it detects an available wireless network, so you don’t need to worry about disabling your wireless radio when on the move. The SmartDefense Service keeps track of all current malware updates and automatically adjusts your computer’s security settings accordingly.

A few extra features that round out the program include Game Mode, which shuts off security alerts while still protecting your computer, so you can play games uninterrupted, and the Smart-Defense Research Center, which is a library of sorts (accessible from the main ZoneAlarm screen) which alerts you to the latest viruses and security threats.

The majority of ZoneAlarm Pro’s features are customizable, so you can set the level of security you want. The software also identifies the apps necessary for accessing the Internet by asking permission the first time a program attempts it and remembering your decision. When you install the program, it will automatically shut off Windows Defender, the firewall that comes with all WinXP and Vista OSes, so there won’t be any conflict between the two programs.

Absolute Software Computrace LoJack For Laptops
$49.99 for a one-year license • www.lojackforlaptops.com

Bottom Line: In case of a disaster, you get peace of mind backed by a financial guarantee.

Keeping your computer safe from viruses, spam, and spyware is important; however, one often-overlooked facet of security is the loss or theft of a computer. As laptop manufacturers continue to develop smaller, lightweight computers, the devices become easier for thieves to swipe. Your computer could disappear in the time it takes to order a latte while doing some work in a café.

LoJack For Laptops helps you recover you laptop if it’s lost or stolen. If your laptop goes missing, you simply file a police report and then contact Absolute Software’s Recovery Team. If the alleged thief attempts to access the Internet, LoJack For Laptops will “call home” to Absolute Software’s Monitoring Center. It’s almost impossible for a thief to remove LoJack For Laptops from your computer—that is, if he even notices it’s there. When you install the software, it settles into the BIOS firmware, so it will survive hard drive changes and even OS reinstallations.

The IP address used to access the Internet will pinpoint the location of the computer. The Recovery Team will then work with local law enforcement to retrieve the laptop. As LoJack For Laptops calls home every 15 minutes once it’s activated, it’s tough for a criminal to evade recovery for long. Absolute Software clearly has confidence in its ability to recover your pilfered PC; if the company fails to retrieve your laptop, it will give you $1,000 to replace the system.

PGP Whole Disk Encryption 9.8
$149 • www.pgp.com

Bottom Line: For a program with a fairly intuitive, wizard-assisted interface, the level of customization and general usability is excellent.

Whether you’re trying to keep spyware from sniffing around your important data or trying to keep a laptop thief from rifling through your files, disk encryption will keep your information private and inaccessible to anyone but you.

PGP Whole Disk Encryption 9.8 locks the contents of your entire system, including all files and folders and boot drive. If encrypted, no one can view your files should your laptop become lost or stolen; the would-be thief would need your passphrase to access your computer’s contents.

You can also create a secure virtual disk with the Virtual Disk Volumes feature. This generates a storage space (with its own drive letter) on your hard drive that can be separately encrypted. When you need to move or alter files, you “mount” the virtual disk and use it like any other hard drive space. Making a virtual disk is a matter of following a setup wizard, with which you can set parameters such as drive capacity, format (FAT, FAT32, or NTFS), and even the type of encryption (256-bit AES, 128-bit CAST5, or 256-bit Twofish).

PGP Zip is a feature that lets you create a secure, portable archive of any number of files and folders. This is especially convenient for transporting files from one place to another because it secures the data and compresses it to optimize space on the storage medium. Only PGP software can create or open PGP Zip files, so to be able to exchange files with someone who does not have PGP software, you must use PGP SDAs (Self-Decrypting Archives). These are also secure and portable, but you can open them without PGP software.

To set up your encryption keys (public or private), as well as set permissions for other people to have access to your data, use the Key Management function. You can add or delete users from your key directory to manage how much access other users have to your information.

The program also comes with a shredder feature, so you can eradicate sensitive deleted data that otherwise could possibly be undeleted with recovery software. The shredder uses military-grade technology to delete unwanted files permanently.

Spybot-Search & Destroy
Free • www.safer-networking.org

Bottom Line: In this case, you get a great deal more than you pay for.

The name says it all; this is more of an offensive measure than a defensive one. It seeks out and removes spyware from your computer. Spyware is a sinister threat that tracks your computer activities and sends that information to outside parties without your knowledge or consent.

Spybot–S&D automatically scans and removes spyware. When the program finds a threat, it will shred that threat and keep a log of all such activity. To protect your system from accidental deletions that could, in turn, negatively affect your computer’s performance, Spybot-S&D creates a Registry backup during installation, which can act as a restore point if necessary. Also upon setup, you can run a one-click immunization, so your computer is protected immediately.

The software is free to use; if you downlad the program, you are encouraged to make a donation so the developer can continue to offer the free software.

Steganos Secure Traveler
$139.95 for a one-year license • www.steganos.com

Bottom Line: Steganos Secure Traveler provides multiple layers of data protection when browsing the Internet, as well as in the case of the loss or theft of your laptop.

When you travel, you need to be able to work with your data securely. Steganos Secure Traveler addresses virtually every security concern you can imagine as a traveler with a laptop. Steganos bundles a handful of features in one package, including a secure VPN (virtual private network) function; the ability to create safe drives; a password manager; a shredder to completely delete files; and an antitheft function to help authorities track down your laptop if it’s stolen.

The ability to use free Wi-Fi hotspots is a huge benefit to business travelers. One drawback is that hackers can intercept the data you transmit while connected to an unsecured network—including emails, usernames, and passwords. Steganos Secure VPN offers 128-bit SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption to keep your data and online activities shielded from prying eyes.

The Safe function lets you create a secure storage space on your hard drive, which appears as another drive letter. You can set up a safe easily with a wizard and customize parameters, such as a password, as well as what size you want the safe to be. Then you can drag and drop or save files to it just like any other drive. You also have the option of creating a Portable Safe on removable media such as a USB flash drive, CD, or DVD. No one can access data on your safe or portable safe without a password, which you can conveniently store in the included Password Manager.

Even when you delete files, they’re never really gone. The Shredder will take care of that by destroying sensitive files and folders on your hard drive. It will also clean your free space of any remnants of past deleted files. All you have to do is launch the Shredder, select the type of shredding you’re doing (destroying current data or deep cleaning your free space), and select the drive(s) you want to work with.

The AntiTheft feature can help you recover your computer if it is stolen. When you realize someone has stolen your laptop, notify the police and file a report about the incident on the Steganos Web site; when the thief attempts to use your computer to access the Internet, Steganos will be able to retrieve the IP address and therefore help local authorities pinpoint the physical location of your computer and recover it.

Steganos Secure Traveler is easy to install and simple to navigate. All of the functions have intuitive interfaces, so even inexperienced users can set up their preferences with little trouble. For convenience, you can also opt for desktop shortcuts for each function, so they’re easy to get to if you’re in a rush.

Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2008
$39.99 • www.symantec.com

Bottom Line: The 2008 version offers the same quality you’ve come to expect from Symantec’s Norton AntiVirus.

For years, Norton has been synonymous with antivirus. The latest iteration of the popular software, Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2008, has all the features people have to come to expect from Norton, including virus removal from email and instant messages, as well as spyware blocking while online.

Norton AntiVirus 2008 also defends your computer against all manner of malware. If spyware or viruses infect your computer, the program will detect and delete them. That is, if the spyware gets there in the first place; Norton AntiVirus automatically blocks spyware and worms before they get into your system. The software prevents infected emails from spreading, which helps keep everyone in your email contact list safe. The program also automatically detects rootkits—an especially heinous breed of malware—are also automatically detected, which is important, as the problems caused by rootkits usually fly under the radar of the average user.

The software is simple to install if you follow the instructions from the setup wizard. The wizard will ask you if you want to enable Norton Community Watch. This is a feature that sends data about malware and other security concerns from your computer to Norton in order to identify new threats in a timely manner. The software will also do a virus scan as part of the setup process.

When you launch Norton AntiVirus for the first time, it will automatically shut off Windows Defender, Windows Vista’s default antivirus program. (Windows Defender is also available for download for Windows XP systems.) This is important because having more than one antivirus program running at the same time can cause performance problems for your computer and potentially can leave your computer more vulnerable to attacks.

The interface is clean and simple. The Home screen has three categories (Computer, Internet, and Identity) and tells you if there is any security risk in any category.

If there is a problem, you can click the item in question and receive instructions for resolving the problem.

The only other tab on the Home screen is Norton AntiVirus, which displays Tasks & Scans, Settings, and Reports & Statistics. From there you can schedule and manage scans, set security preferences, and see your activity log. One handy feature we found is the online virus encyclopedia that lets you keep track of newly reported malware.

The Network Security Map displays information about your computer, as well as every other computer that is on the network. The security map also provides data about each unit, including information on remote monitoring, if your computer is connected to the Internet, and physical and IP addresses.

by Seth Colaner