We’ve researched websites such as V3.co.uk, PC World, Recovery-Review.com, Computeractive, Download.com, About.com, CNET, and PC Magazine. Here is the top rated data recovery software for USB drives:

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition (Free)

Pros:

• Effective USB drive data recovery
• Ability to perform Windows hard drive data recovery

Cons:

• 1GB limit on recovered data

Top Review Sources:

• V3.co.uk: 4.0/5.0 “An ideal solution for those seeking to recover lost data on all forms of removable media”
• PC World: “EaseUs Data Recovery Wizard Free actually works and it’s not a glorified undelete program like some you’ll encounter”
• Recovery-Review.com: “The program has proven to be a reliable, stable and fast tool”

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition is a full-featured undelete program with options for USB flash drive data restoration. No matter how you lost the files—accidental deletion, software crash, damage from malware, or even reformatting—Data Recovery Wizard will almost certainly be able to help. This program has advanced capabilities such as sector scanning and file name restoration. The only catch is that the Free Edition only allows you to recover 1GB of data. You’ll be able to scan for and see all the data that EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard finds and can restore, but without spending $70 for the paid edition, you can’t recover more than a gigabyte. With USB flash drive capacities commonly well above 1GB, it is likely you will need the paid edition. However, you may not, and even if you do, there isn’t any investment required to try out this solid performer.

Visit the publisher’s site to download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition, as well as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard ($70).

BadCopy Pro ($40)

Pros:

• Dedicated removable media recovery
• Fast

Cons:

• Only recognizes FAT file systems

Top Review Sources:

• PC World: “If you’ve ever inserted a CD, floppy, Zip disk, or thumb drive only to have Windows cough up an error message telling you it isn’t there, isn’t formatted, or some such, you’ll appreciate BadCopy Pro”
• Computeractive: “If you need to recover a file, it’s definitely worth giving BadCopy a try”
• Dowload.com User Reviews: 3.0/5.0 (35+ reviews)

BadCopy Pro is a dedicated removable media recovery program. USB flash drives commonly use the FAT32 file system. FAT32 allows data to be written and read between Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems, so it is useful to have removable media formatted with FAT32. However, it is possible to format a USB drive with another popular file system, such as NTFS (used by modern Windows operating systems). If you don’t work with FAT32, look elsewhere for your USB flash drive data recovery software. However, if you are using FAT32, BadCopy Pro is worth a close look. BadCopy Pro is built to restore data on USB drives and other removable media. It works in a few simple steps to scan for deleted or corrupted files, and its interface is clean and simple. If you download the free trial version of BadCopy Pro, you’ll be able to preview the files it finds but not save them. If you are happy with the results, you can purchase the paid version in order to restore your data.

Jufsoft’s Bad Copy Pro is available for download as a free evaluation version, or as the paid, full-featured edition.

Recuva (Free)

Pros:

• Great performance
• Helpful interface
• Free

Cons:

• Some paid programs offer more features

Top Review Sources:

• About.com: 5.0/5.0 “Contains a simple wizard and advanced options – perfect for everyone”
• CNET: 4.5/5.0 “An excellent choice for anyone in need of reliable file recovery”
• PC Magazine: 4.0/5.0 “An attractive interface that you can navigate easily even when you’re distracted by the fear that you’ve lost precious data for ever”

Piriform’s Recuva is a well-known and respected name in the data recovery game. Its main draw is its ability to save data from hard drives, but it also has the capability to rescue USB drive data. Recuva’s friendly wizard guides you through the process in a step-by-step fashion. You will be able to preview your results before saving. In tests, Recuva performs very well in finding and saving lost data. Advanced options included a deep scanning mode, sector-based recovery, and secure file deletion.

Download Recuva for free on Piriform’s website.

The post The Top Rated Data Recovery Software For USB Drives appeared first on Reactual.

• Intego VirusBarrier X6 ($48)
• Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac ($42)
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac ($33)
• PC Tools iAntiVirus (Free)
• Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition (Free)

While the amount of spyware targeting Mac operating systems is dramatically less than the volume of malicious software targeting Windows, an increasing number of threats today take aim at applications—like browsers and multimedia platforms—that are not platform-specific. In other words, Mac users are often as vulnerable to modern malware as Windows users. For Apple users who dual boot with Windows or share files between PCs and Macs, anti-malware protection is even more important. Two companies, Symantec and Intego, offer dual-protection products for users who run both Windows and OS X on their Macs (see reviews below).

If you are interested in securing a Mac computer, I highly recommend The Mac Security Superguide by The Editors at Macworld. It’s a easy-to-read guide that cover all aspects of security on your Mac.

After a review of sites such as About.com, Amazon, Macworld, PC-Site.co.uk, CNET’s Download.com, TechRadar, and SecureMac.com, we have pinpointed the five highest rated anti-spyware utilities for Mac. (Remember: Don’t run more than one anti-malware utility at the same time; it will cause many more problems than it will solve.)

Intego VirusBarrier X6 ($48)

Pros:

• Detects both Mac and Windows malware
• Firewall included
• iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch scanning
• Free email support

Cons:

• Cost
• No phone or chat support

Source Details:

• About.com: 5.0/5.0 “the most full featured Mac-focused security solution available on the market today”
• About.com’s Best Mac Antivirus – Readers’ Choice Awards: 1^st Place (59% of votes)
• Amazon.com: 3.5/5.0 (8 reviews)
• CNET: “A robust solution”

Intego VirusBarrier X6 includes a firewall plus anti-phishing and anti-spyware features, making it a robust solution for those willing to pay its relatively high price. Also included is access to Intego’s customer service team, something that free anti-malware suites don’t offer. VirusBarrier X6 scans for Windows and Mac threats, and you have the option of disabling Windows threat monitoring if need be. Reviewers generally find VirusBarrier X6 to be light on its feet—it doesn’t drag down system performance. And because Intego is a Mac-focused company, updates for new Mac threats are quickly issued. An added bonus: VirusBarrier X6 includes scan options for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Intego VirusBarrier X6 (2-User) is available on Amazon.

Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac ($42)

Pros:

• Leader in Internet security for Windows
• Doesn’t slow down computer
• Free email and chat support

Cons:

• Cost (Additional cost to detect Windows malware)
• No firewall
• No free phone support

Source Details:

• Macworld: 4.5/5.0 “a great option for anyone who is looking for a ‘set it and forget it’ antivirus program”
• PC Magazine: 4.5/5.0 “A top-notch antivirus with impressive bonuses”
• About.com’s Best Mac Antivirus – Readers’ Choice Awards: 3^rd Place (12% of votes)
• PC-Site.co.uk : 3.5/5.0 “one of the best options out there”

Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac is produced by the same company that offers the best-selling PC anti-malware utilities. Given the company’s focus on Windows, some reviewers think Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac comes off as an afterthought, but most find the product’s protection to be effective. In the past, Norton Antivirus has been criticized for dragging down system performance—a problem it seems to have largely overcome in this latest edition. For an additional cost, you can purchase Norton AntiVirus Dual Protection for Mac ($70), which includes Windows-compatible anti-malware features. Antivirus 11.1 for Mac does not include a firewall, but because OS X already has a basic firewall, this is not necessarily a demerit.

Amazon sells both Norton Antivirus 11.1 for Mac and Norton AntiVirus Dual Protection for Mac.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac ($33)

Pros:

• Free phone, email, and chat support
• Detects both Mac and Windows malware
• Flexible scanning options

Cons:

• Not full-featured

Source Details:

• PC Magazine: 3.5/5.0 “independent labs consistently put it at or near the top”
• Amazon.com: 4.0/5.0 (4 reviews)
• Macworld UK: 3.0/5.0
• About.com’s Best Mac Antivirus – Readers’ Choice Awards: 4^th Place (4% of votes)

Kaspersky has a solid track record making Windows anti-malware utilities. The company’s Anti-Virus for Mac will detect and eliminate both Mac and Windows threats. The product consumes few resources while operating in the background; part of the reason could be that it lacks the full set of features—firewall, link screening, resource monitoring—found in its Windows counterparts. Its ability to detect and repair malware is, however, highly regarded. Of the three paid anti-malware utilities here, Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac is the least expensive.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac is for sale on Amazon.

PC Tools iAntiVirus (Free)

Pros:

• Free for personal use
• Flexible scanning options
• Simple, low-profile interface

Cons:

• Does not detect Windows malware
• No phone, email, or chat support

Source Details:

• PC Magazine: 4.0/5.0 “Very Good”
• About.com: 4.5/5.0 “[provides] exactly the features you’d expect…as unobtrusively as possible”
• CNET: 4.0/5.0 “iAntiVirus is able to maintain a lower profile on your system by focusing on Mac threats only”
• TechRadar: 3.5/5.0 “Easy to install and use”

PC Tools iAntiVirus wins praise for its simplicity and low system impact. This free software does a good job of finding and removing malware aimed at Macs, but it will not pick up malware in files that can be shared with PCs. While this may be a deal-breaker for those looking for cross-platform protection, the upside is that iAntiVirus consumes few system resources and is easy to use. As with the other anti-malware utilities reviewed here, iAntiVirus keeps itself automatically updated and monitors your computer in real time.

PC Tools iAntiVirus is available through the manufacturer’s website.

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition (Free)

Pros:

• Free for personal use
• Detects both Mac and Windows malware
• Email alerts if malware is found
• No advertising

Cons:

• No phone, email, or chat support
• No firewall

Source Details:

• About.com: 5.0/5.0 “offers more complete scanning than most of its competitors”
• Download.com user reviews: 3.5/5.0 (18 reviews)
• SecureMac.com: 5.0/5.0 “more than what is expected from free applications”

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition is the free edition of SophosLabs’ paid, corporate anti-malware program. Unlike many free editions of software, Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition doesn’t interrupt you with constant solicitations to upgrade to a paid version. If you run both Mac and Windows operating systems on your computer, or if you share files with Windows users, you’ll appreciate Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition’s ability to detect and repair threats to both platforms. Sophos Anti-Virus also provides you with a great deal of scanning flexibility, offering real-time and on-demand scans with options for exclusion. The program lacks some of the bells and whistles of some paid programs, and Sophos does not provide any official customer support.

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition is available through the manufacturer’s website.

The post The Top Rated Anti-Spyware Utilities For Macs appeared first on Reactual.

Install a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

Using a VPN or “virtual private network” is the best way to make your internet activities private. Until recently, VPNs were mostly used by companies to secure their employee’s network connections. There are now VPN services designed for personal use.

When you are connected to a VPN, all the data leaving your computer is encrypted. This makes it very difficult for hackers and eavesdroppers to monitor your internet connections.

This is particularly important if you use WiFi hotspots (in the local coffee shop or at a university for example). When you use a public WiFi you are broadcasting all of your data “in the clear” with typically no security whatsoever. This can include your emails, IM messages, web searches, and any other data sent or received over the wireless network.

Note that a VPN is different from a web proxy, which only redirects your browser connections. A VPN encrypts and redirects all your internet connections.

VPNs are also useful for keeping your online identity private. The web sites you visit and your online activities become reasonably anonymous, because your online connections are being routed through an anonymous computer. In fact, many people use VPNs to help them bypass censorship and limits imposed on them by their government.

If your work or school may also impose restrictions of your internet usage, a VPN can provide a secure tunnel to an unrestricted internet. Similarly, VPNs allow you to internationalize your online presence. Many websites (like Hulu) restrict content to specific countries, which can be frustrating if you are traveling away from your home country. Many people also use VPNs to help them bypass censorship and limits imposed on them by their government.

Which VPNs To Use?

There are many VPN services out there, here the VPN some recommendations:

• VPNs that focus privacy, and do not log your IP address and connections: Private Internet Access and IPVanish
• VPNs with servers in many countries: HMA and Astrill

Encrypt Your Email and Instant Messages

Encrypt emails you’d like to remain private. You can use Thunderbird + Enigmail to send encrypted email (using PGP). Use a secure Instant Message client or a plugin that supports OTR (Off-The-Record messaging). You can use Ekiga, a free video, phone and instant message application, or you can use the free instant message client Audium that supports OTR (Off-The-Record messaging).

Secure Your Computers

Set up your computer’s firewall. Only login in as an admin user when necessary. Use a strong passwords for your user accounts. Set your computer to log you out after 15 minutes. Encrypt your hard drives where possible. Some Mac and Linux installations have drive encryption built  into the operating system — you can turn on this encryption quite easily. You can also use Truecrypt, a piece of free software that can create encrypted drive disks that appear on your system as a regular files.

Secure Your Home Network

When setting up a wireless network use WPA2 encryption, use MAC address identification, set you network to not announce itself.

Set up you your router’s firewall — only open necessary ports.

Secure Your Mobile Devices

Secure your mobile devices with passwords, set them to log out after 5-15 minutes of inactivity. You can use a VPN on these phones and tablets. The process is a bit more tedious (mobile devices tend to disconnect VPNs quite often) but it does work.

Other Security Tools and Tips

Install a virus detector and malware (trojan horses, spyware, adware) detector. See our previous articles for recommended products: “The Top Rated Anti-Spyware Utilities For Macs” or “The Top Rated Anti-Virus Software For PCs“.

If you are interested in monitoring the internet connections by made by your computer, you can install a network monitor. This is another good way to discover malware on your system, but it requires you to do manual monitoring and researching. You can use the free Net Monitor for Windows or the Little Snitch ($30) for Macs.

Internet browsers and the plugins like Flash leave traces of your online activities on your computer. This files are not cleared away, even if you tell you browser to reset or if you clear your browser cookies and caches. You can install a computer “cleanser” to delete these additional logs and caches. A good example of a cleanser for Mac is Onyx (free).

Considering setting your computers to use OpenDNS for your DNS (domain name service). OpenDNS features phishing protection and misspelling correction, and optional content filtering.

You can back-up or store files securely in the “Cloud” using a paid service like Crashplan. This service can encrypt you files with 448 bit Blowfish encryption (very strong), and store them encrypted on Crashplan’s servers. You keep the encryption key — Crashplan never sees or stores the key.

Don’t open emails from questionable sources, and don’t install applications from questionable sources, especially those found on file sharing services (they tend to have malware, viruses or trojans). If you use a torrent client, set the client to use secure connections where possible, and set it to change to random ports if possible.

Tor is free software that routes Internet traffic through a worldwide volunteer network of servers. Like a VPN it can create private internet connections. Tor isn’t as comprehensive as a VPN because it only works with the applications set to use Tor as a proxy. Tor tend to create slower internet connections than a VPN, but it is a free service, and it is can be run in tandem with a VPN for an extra layer of privacy.

The post An Introduction To Online Privacy Tools: Part 2 appeared first on Reactual.