Zero-Day Protection Guide

This page includes articles, reviews and product links for "zero-day protection", "non-signature anti-malware products" and "host [based] intrusion prevention systems" or HIPS for short.

Anti-malware (virus, trojan, worm, spyware, spam, phishing...) software is only as effective as its most recent update because it is inherently reactive treating "known" threats. So when you install anti-malware software, go to the vendor's web site and update the program and its definitions immediately and then turn on the auto update feature (if it has one). If you want to be ready for the next big bad thing before your signatures can be updated, consider adding a product like one of those listed below.

Articles

• HIPS vs Behavior Blocking: Which One is Right for You? Mary Landesman, antivirus.about.com, May 14, 2008
• Zero-Day Attacks Trend Down? I Don't Give A Flying Hoot, George Hulme, Information Week, February 13, 2008
• Destroying sandboxes, Sunnet Beskerming, The Register UK, July 16, 2007
• Windows Zero-Day Flaw 'Very Dangerous' Experts Say, Gregg Keizer, Computerworld, PC World, March 30, 2007
• Zero-Day Malware Attacks You Can't Block, Ryan Singel, PC World, February 21, 2007
• Harnessing the Web to Sell Online Security, Bob Tedeschi, NY Times, January 29, 2007
• HIPS FAQ, Castle Cops, November 30, 2006

Comparative Reviews

• Buying Guide: Alternative Antispyware, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, January 10, 2007 -- LinkScanner Pro, Anti-Executable, GreenBorder Pro, Dynamic Security Agent, GuardedID & Primary Response SafeConnect
• The Home Computer Security Mess, Ian "Gizmo" Richards, Tech Support Alert, August 2006
  • Product (s) of the Year SandBoxie and DefenseWall, December 14, 2006
  • Six HIPS Programs Reviewed and Rated, November 2006 -- Blink, CyberHawk, DefenseWall, Online Armor, Prevs1 & ProcessGuard
  • Eight Security Sandboxes Reviewed and Rated, September 2006 -- SandBoxie, GreenBorder, BufferZone Home, Altiris, GeSWall, VELite, Virtual Sandbox & ShadowSurfer
  • 16 Security Scanners Unplugged, August 2006
• Comparative of various technologies to protect systems against malware [PDF], Andreas Clementi, AV-Comparatives, October 31, 2006 -- BufferZone Home Pro, CyberHawk 1.2, DefenseWall HIPS 1.7.1, GeSWall PE 2.5, Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0, PrevX1 2.0, Safe'n'Sec Personal 2.5, Sandboxie 2.62 and ViGuard Platinium 12.
• Nonsignature Antimalware, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, October 30, 2006 -- Anti-Executable Standard, Dynamic Security Agent, GreenBorder Pro & Primary Response SafeConnect (beta)
• Disarm Net Threats, Erik Larkin, PC World, August 25, 2006 -- Amust 1-Defender, DropMyRights, Fortres GrandVirtual Sandbox, GreenBorder Pro & VMWare Player and Browser Appliance.

Freeware (or free for personal use)

• BufferZone, Pro version $30
• eEye Blink, Pro version starts at $59
• GentleSecurity GeSWall, Pro version $30 EUR
• PC Tools ThreatFire [formerly Novatix CyberHawk]
  • PC Tools ThreatFire 3.5, Erik Larkin, PC World, May 12, 2008
  • ThreatFire 3.5, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, May 8, 2008 -- editor's choice
• PrivacyWare Dynamic Security Agent
• ProcessGuard, free version limited, Pro version $30
• Sandboxie, free, $25 for extra features
  • Transient storage offers extra protection [Sandboxie}, Craig Crossman, McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Seattle Times, June 11, 2007

Payware

• DefenseWall HIPS, SoftSphere Technologies, $29
• Virtual Sandbox version 2.0, FGC, $50
• Kaspersky Internet Security Suite, $70, see reviews on our Internet security suites page
• Norton AntiBot, $30 for 3 PCs for one year. Note: Based on SanaSecurity's Primary Response SafeConnect, see below.
  • Norton AntiBot, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, August 9, 2007
  • Bots, Botnets, and Norton AntiBot, Mary Landesman, antivirus.about.com, July 22, 2007
• Online Armor, $40 US, free 30 day trial
• PC Tools ThreatFire Pro [formerly Cyberhawk, Novatix]
• PrevX, ongoing detection and 1st cleaning free, continued cleaning feature is $25 individual per year or $64 family up to four computers for one year
  • Prevx1 Individual, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, January 16, 2007
  • Webuser Prevx1 version 2  review, Andy Shaw, October 26, 2006
• Primary Response SafeConnect, SanaSecurity, $25, free 15 day trial, special version is compatible with Norton Antivirus
  • Primary Response SafeConnect 2.1, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, 12-12-06
• ProSecurity
  • Rated excellent at Matousec.com April 2008
• Safe'n'Sec Personal, Safensoft, $21, free 30 day trial
• ShadowSurfer, $30, free 30 day trial
• System Safety Monitor
  • System Safety Monitor, Mary Landesman, antivirus.about.com, February 2, 2008
• ZoneAlarm ForceField
  • Check Point Releases ZoneAlarm ForceField, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, May 12, 2008
  • ZoneAlarm ForceField Adds Web Protection, Jim Rapoza, eWeek, October 30, 2007
  • ZoneAlarm ForceField beta [preview], Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, September 21, 2007