How to: Create your Own Internet Security Suite for Free

A lot of people like to purchase full Internet security suites, because of the protection they offer. However, there is a major downside to this suite. Unfortunately, the cost of a security suit is pretty annoying, due to its subscription fees. For this reason, let us show you how you can build your own free Internet security suite.

For the purposes of this operation, you will have to use various programs, in order to create a quite efficient security pack. We have to warn you though that you will have to get used to the interfaces of each program.

Now let’s go through every program that is a necessary part of your Internet security suit.

Antivirus

This is the most important part of your security suit. Luckily, there is a wide variety of free antivirus programs you can select. These programs can fuction as well as antivirus software that require your subscription fee. Here’s a few of the best antivirus solution that you can use for free:

1. Microsoft Security Essentials: This program is widely known as Windows Defender. It is preinstalled in Windows 8 and you can download from Microsoft’s website. This is a quite simple and yet efficient antivirus that does not trying to force to purchase its upgraded version.
2. AVG Free: You can download the free edition of AVG’s antivirus software. Unlikely to Windows Defender, the AVG antivirus will tend to make you purchase its paid version. However, you do not have to do it, because the free version provides you with the features that you will need for your Internet security suite.
3. avast!Free: One of the best antivirus choices is the free version of the avast! antivirus program. It offers you all features, which are necessary, in order to build your security suite. Therefore, you could ignore the requests of the avast! to purchase the premium edition of the antivirus.

Firewall

In case you prefer to block your outgoing connections, so that your apps do not connect to the Internet, you should install a third-party firewall. Below you will see a few trustworthy firewall programs:

1. Comodo Firewall: This free application can block your outgoing connections automatically, in case an unsafe program requests your input.
2. ZoneAlarm Free Firewall: The company offers you its great free firewall that allows you to determine which programs can connect to the Internet.
3. Windows Firewall: Windows Firewall is well-known of its ability to block incoming connections by default. However, you can configure its settings, so that it can also block outgoing connections.

Web Safety

All popular browsers provide you with phising and malware protection. Specifically, every time you visit a website that is recognized as dangerous, your browser will warn you. If you are not satisfied from this feature, you can use the browser plugins that many Internet security suits offer. Those plugins can warn you of a website’s safety by displaying icons right next to its search link. Here are some applications that you can use.

1. AVG LinkScanner: This free tool displays warning icons near the search link of the website.
2. McAfee SiteAdvisor: McAfee offers you an application that warns you of a dangerous website, before you even enter it.
3. Web of Trust ( WOT ): This applications does not work the same as the previous programs. WOT displays an icon that represents a website’s popularity, when you visit it. You can also notice that icon next to the website’s search link. The popularity of a website is affected of the problems that its visitors have encountered. You will notice that the most trustworthy websites have good ratings, while the untrustworthy have poor ones. You can rate a website too.

Optimization and PC Cleaning

A lot of Internet security suites help you to clean and optimize your computer. Although you will not speed up your PC, you will free up some space that was occupied by useless files and delete your programs’ private data.

1. CCleaner: This is probably the most famous tool of this category. It is very helpful, when you want to remove private data, such as cookies and browser history, and delete useless components.
2. Disk Cleanup: If you want to perform a quick cleanup and delete temporary components, you can use the Disk Cleanup, which Windows offers you by default.
3. Clear Cookies Automatically: You will realize that many security suites consider cookies as possible threats. Therefore, they continue to remove them, every time you visit new websites. If you also prefer to erase cookies frequently, you should configure your browser to remove them automatically.

Other Useful Features 

In addition to the necessary features of an Internet security suite, you could also include a few more features that can cover your needs. For instance:

1. Parental Control: You can use this feature to filter the web content that your child views. You could even prevent your children from viewing inappropriate content. You can either use the tools that Windows offer you, or a third-party app to configure parental controls.
2. Track your Laptop: In case you lose your laptop, you can track it for free, only if you have set up such a setting for this kind of situation.
3. Spam Filter: Spam filters can be found into popular email providers, such as Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook.com. On top of that, many security suites provide you with their own spam filter.

You have probably realized that paid Internet security suites may offer you less useful features than a security suite, which is built from you. Therefore, you should devote some of your time to built your own Internet security suite, instead of purchasing one that could be proven as a poor investment.