Check your PC for potential security holes
Platform : Windows 2000, Windows XP
Type: freeware
Manufacturer: AOL
Size: 2.9MB
Rating: 4
Verdict:
Decent tool to check your system's vulnerability to external attack
System Requirements:
This is the software publisher's description.
Active Security Monitor is a software program that helps you determine how
vulnerable your PC is to computer viruses, spyware and other dangers and learn
what steps you can take to improve your protection.
And if you have more than one PC in your home network, you can use Active
Security Monitor to check the security status of your entire home network.
Your PC's level of protection is represented by a Safety Score, shown on
Active Security Monitor's dashboard.
Active Security Monitor calculates the Safety Score by evaluating what
software is installed on your computers to protect you and your home network
against intrusion, viruses, worms, and other forms of internet attacks.
Also evaluated are some of the security-related configuration settings on all
your computers. The higher the Safety Score, the more protected your system.
When your computer is connected to the internet, it's vulnerable to all
manner of intrusions and attack. The internet can be used to spread computer
viruses, worms, spyware, and other threats that can cripple your PC.
As long as your PC is connected to the internet, it is a target for these and
other types of attack.
This is where Active Security Monitor comes in. Active Security Monitor
automatically evaluates your computer's security configuration, looking for all
the programs and some of the settings that are necessary to protect your system
from attack.
If you don't have the right programs installed, Active Security Monitor tells
you. All you have to do is follow the onscreen advice to improve your system's
security.
The result is reflected in a higher Safety Score, as shown in Active Security
Monitor's dashboard.
Note that this does not need an AOL connection. Will not notice if you have
hardware based security installed, such as a hardware firewall.