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ZoneAlarm is making an aggressive move to attract new people to its line of security programs with what may be a first: a free antivirus program pre-packaged with a free firewall.

Available exclusively from Download.com today, ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus+Firewall 2013 (download) could very well make big waves in the free security-suite space. It's the same free firewall that ZoneAlarm has produced for years, but with basic antivirus and anti-malware tools included. It's basically ZoneAlarm Pro Antivirus+Firewall from last year, with an updated engine. And did I mention that it's free?

The free security suite … Read more

Avast will introduce the latest version of its Mac security suite as early as tomorrow, just a few weeks after Flashback, the third major OS X security scare in a year.

The company touts an unblemished record of blocking the virulent malware as evidence that its suite is a must-have.

Currently available from Download.com in beta, Avast Free Antivirus 7 for Mac (download) brings to the Mac several features that have made the Windows version one of the best free security suites. Along with an up-to-date version of the Avast antivirus and anti-malware engine and a redone interface, it … Read more

Virtual World Computing's Cocoon is a free online security solution with customized extensions for several popular browsers, such as Internet Explorer. With Cocoon for Internet Explorer, you can browse and communicate safely, securely, and anonymously inside IE, at home or on the go. You can log on from public Wireless Access Points and unfamiliar networks, and Cocoon will keep you safe from sites that monitor your online activity. In addition to protecting your privacy, Cocoon also protects you from viruses, malware, and other online threats. It stores your browsing history, cookies, and other data securely in your online account, … Read more

Sick of spam? For many users it's the bane of the e-mail experience, a time-sucking hassle that's also a major security risk: spam leaves the door wide open for viruses, phishing, and other threats.

My preferred solution is to route my domain's mail through Gmail, which offers excellent spam filtering. But that won't work for everyone. If you feel like you're losing the war on spam, consider another solution.

Today only, BitsDuJour is offering Firetrust MailWasher Pro 2012 (Windows) anti-spam software for free. That's for a three-PC license, which regularly costs $29.95.

When … Read more

The next evolution of home console gaming is shaping up like a dystopian Philip K. Dick short story. Refueled by the latest PlayStation 4 rumor, signs continue to point to a future in which games are no longer really yours to own, instead being just something you have a right to play -- as long as you're connected to the Internet, have a unique ownership ID, and aren't playing a used copy.

This isn't the first we've heard of this either; a January report says Microsoft's next machine will attempt to thwart used games too.

Of course, Sony hasn't confirmed any of these supposedly leaked details, but is it really out of the realm of possibility? The Vita is a prime example of the company's piracy paranoia. It's locked down and vacuum-sealed, made painfully apparent by how tedious it is doing trivial things like transferring files between device and computer. The reason for all the red tape? To combat piracy. … Read more

Two new features designed to protect your privacy while you browse the Web and guard you against misleading SSIDs come to all three AVG suites in a service pack update.

The Service Pack 1 update for AVG Anti-Virus Free 2012, AVG Anti-Virus 2012, and AVG Internet Security 2012 are available exclusively today from Download.com.

Both of the new features are available to free and paid users, but the tracking ad blocker called AVG Do-Not-Track is the big one. It works similarly to Do Not Track Plus. While the toolbar is an optional browser add-on, AVG Do-Not-Track appears to be … Read more

Google's bid to buy Motorola Mobility is still on hold as Chinese regulators expand their scrutiny of the deal.

A regulatory filing from Motorola confirmed the news earlier this week, explaining that China's Anti-Monopoly Bureau has extended the second phase of its investigation.

No reason was given why China is dragging its heels.

Motorola said that it and Google continue to work closely with the Anti-Monopoly Bureau to complete the investigation. The two companies still expect the deal to be finalized during the first half of 2012. But Motorola added that neither it nor Google can provide any … Read more

A redo of an AV-Test.org report that originally found fewer than 50 percent of Android antivirus apps effective at stopping mobile threats now grades six apps higher than before. Unfortunately, that's not much of an improvement.

In an update published earlier this week, AV-Test.org CEO Andreas Marx explained that "certain parts in our initial report and the testing methodology [were] considered imprecise and/or flawed by third parties." The revised rankings now list 23 effective apps in 41 tested, or 56 percent. That's up from 17 of 41 in the previous rankings.

Because of … Read more

After long deliberation, CNET has awarded the top two 2012 security suites Editors' Choice awards.

In the paid suite category, we decided on Bitdefender Total Security 2012 (download) for its top-rated security, its low impact on your computer's performance, and its excellent range of features. Bitdefender started strong out of the gate, and although some came close, notably Norton and F-Secure, Bitdefender posted an impressive set of benchmarks that kept it ahead.

Choosing a top free suite for the 2012 release cycle was even more challenging. After a few years of lackluster updates, popular Avira returned to the fold, … Read more