PC Tonic

The previous Fortify Your Computer (FYC) posts covered all the major security apps required for your Windows computer (read them here: FYC 1 | FYC 2). Now we shall move to some lesser used security tools – password managers and antispam.

KeePass
If you own multiple online accounts, chances are you have set the same (or nearly similar) passwords for all of them. This is not a very good idea and can put all your accounts at risk. But then again, who can remember 20 different passwords? To tackle this, most of the newer browsers come with sufficiently packed password managers and auto-fill wizards. However a standalone tool is always more flexible and robust. KeePass is an open source password manager and probably the best one you can get. It puts all your passwords into one database, which is locked by a manually set master key. KeePass doesn’t integrate automatically to browsers like IE or Firefox, but there are third party plug-ins available for the same. This small tool is simultaneously released in two versions – 2.x and 1.x – the latter being a lite flavour with some missing features. Home | Download.com | Plug-ins

Combating Spam
Spam is probably the most irritating thing you can associate with the internet. Everyday you open the inbox and there’s the “Collect your $99999999… FreeLotto cheque!” (enough nine s?) or “I am Idi Amin the Nigerian prince” sitting like Grandpa Joe. Using a spam filter is the only way to stay clear of such spam, even if it is not fool-proof. Major email providers like Yahoo!, Gmail, Hotmail and even some web hosts have pretty good spam filters to cleanse your inbox. Not enough? Desktop mail clients like Outlook Express and Mozilla Thunderbird have stronger junk filters. Still not enough? There are some free antispam software for your rescue!

MailWasher Free
This free tool stands to it’s name – it washes your incoming mail of all spam, viruses and phishing attacks before downloading them onto your computer. It’s available for all Windows 95+ versions. Home | Download.com

Comodo Antispam
Comodo Antispam is another strong antispam tool for your security arsenal. Available for Windows 2000/XP only. Home | Download.com

If you have already been hit by the spam bug, the only way out is using antispam tools or spam filters. However if you have just opened a new email account, following a few small steps will significantly reduce your chances of getting bulk spam. All those tips and more will be covered in the last instalment of Fortify Your Computer. Stay tuned!

>>>Next on Fortify Your Computer : Tip-o-pedia, The Ultimate Security Tips