A guard dog is only as valuable as the alarms he sounds. The latest version of WinPatrol, a handy security utility that serves as a virtual guard dog for your PC, drives this point home. WinPatrol 2013 still alerts you when changes are made to your PC, but does so less frequently...so when it does bark, you sit up and take notice.
Liane Cassavoy | 07 Nov | Read more
Cloud storage and security are two concepts that many people think are exclusive. But that's not the case with IDriveSync, a cloud storage tool that puts the user in control of security.
Liane Cassavoy | 29 Aug | Read more
The world has fallen for Facebook hook, line, and sinker. It puts you in touch with old friends! It lets you share photos and videos! But plenty of people hate it, too--and for equally good reasons. All of that information you put out there could end up in the wrong hands, leading to anything from minor privacy violations to dangerous oversharing.
Liane Cassavoy | 26 Jun | Read more
As a password manager, Keeper has the basics covered. It captures login info and passwords for you as you browse the Web, securely stores them in a neatly organized vault that's easy to access, and generates passwords for you on the fly.
Liane Cassavoy | 18 Jun | Read more
I love password managers. When they work well, they make browsing the Web easier, faster, and more secure. And SafeWallet does, indeed, work well. It's not perfect, but SafeWallet has become my new favorite password manager.
Liane Cassavoy | 15 May | Read more
Identity theft is scary business, for sure. But it's a threat that seems a whole lot less likely once you sign up for ProtectMyID, an online identity theft protection service that comes from Experian, a trusted credit-reporting company. ProtectMyID is not cheap though, as it costs $16 per month for regular monitoring.
Liane Cassavoy | 21 Dec | Read more
The latest version of WinPatrol, a free security utility that serves as a virtual guard dog for your Windows PC, helps make the Web feel a whole lot safer than the scary place it can often seem. The 2012 version offers new ways to protect you from malware that's particularly tricky, but unfortunately, one of its key new features is only available in the $30 Plus version.
Liane Cassavoy | 01 Aug | Read more
As a writer and an editor, I have a love-hate relationship with Serenity Software's Editor (various pricing; ten-day free trial). This copyediting and proofreading application not only identifies common grammatical errors, but also thoroughly analyzes your writing for other weaknesses. I love that it focuses on good, solid writing. I just hate the fact that so many folks--myself included--actually need it.
Liane Cassavoy | 18 Jul | Read more
At first glance, Clipboard seems a whole lot like content sharing service Pinterest. And that's because it is a whole lot like Pinterest--it's a free, easy-to-use service that lets you collect little pieces of the Web.
Liane Cassavoy | 27 Jun | Read more
Remembering all of your passwords may not seem difficult...until you think about just how many passwords you have. One for each email account. One for each bank account. One for each shopping site. The list goes on, and on. If you want to make your life simple, you can choose the same password for every account. But if you want to keep things secure while making life simple, you need a password manager like LastPass. This free software comes in a <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,77152/description.html">32-bit</a> and a <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,169129/description.html">64-bit version</a>.
Liane Cassavoy | 31 Jul | Read more
A recently-discovered vulnerability in Skype's Android app could allow malicious apps access to your personal data. Here's what you need to know about this flaw and how to protect yourself.
Liane Cassavoy | 17 Apr | Read more
One of the biggest security threats out there doesn't come from malicious hackers or online identity thieves. It actually comes from you, the innocent PC user and your out-of-date software. But you can put an end to that threat with the free Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI), which identifies and helps patch the problematic programs you may be running.
Liane Cassavoy | 28 Jan | Read more