Privacy Freeware
This page contains external links to free programs that will help you protect your privacy, some of the listed tools might show you advertisements or a nagging screen inviting the user to upgrade to a paid for version, they might also make it difficult for you to find the free version on their website.
Encryption
- See also: Encryption
To quickly send encrypted email files or messages you can use Winrar or Winzip, the protection they offer is strong enough to stop even corrupt law enforcement agents, but to be sure that if your computer is ever lost or stolen you will need to use full disk encryption, file encryption can not protect you against temporary files and Internet browsing history found in your computer.
- Veracrypt - Open source re-branding of the defunct Truecrypt, currently in development
Data Wiping
- BleachBit - Internet browsing and temporary files data wiping software
- Eraser - File and hard drive empty sectors wiper
- Privazer - It securely wipes temporary files and hard drive free space
- DBAN - Linux live CD to wipe the whole hard drive, including the operating system, useful before selling or throwing away the computer
- File Shredder - In File Shredder you can choose between 5 different shredding algorithms, each one gradually stronger than the previous one. It also has integrated Disk Wiper which uses shredding algorithm to wipe unused disk space.
Proxy VPN
- ProtonVPN - Company in Switzerland, no bandwidth limit, company claims they do not keep logs, not even for free users.
- Hide.me - Company is based in Malaysia, free version only allows 2GB/month.
There is a lack of privacy free email services, nearly all of them are paid for services, for a free secure email account your best bet is to use tor proxy and open an email with any free provider hiding your computer IP but some free webmail providers ban tor proxy IPs. Note: If you use Tor Browser Bundle (which includes a special version of the Firefox browser) any website which requires that javascript be enabled in your browser presents a serious security risk. Javascript code has been used by law enforcement agencies (or LEO="law enforcement officers") to defeat the security of Tor -- LEO may even have the capability to "inject" javascript into websites without the knowledge of the website admin.
- Tutanota - Free German based encrypted email service that reportedly keeps no logs.
- ProtonMail - Encrypted email service in Switzerland that does not keep logs
- TorBirdy - Addon for the free Thunderbird email client, Torbirdy uses the tor proxy to access email
Note: Hushmail is not recommended; among other things, Hushmail privacy policy states that the company keeps emails for one year.
Antivirus
- Avast - It might install a website rating toolbar that can be easily uninstalled
- Avira - Free version will show an occasional popup advert once a week or so
Firewall
Although Windows comes with a free firewall, it is very basic that allows for little configuration and does not warn you when a program installed in your computer wants to access the Internet, Windows firewall only warns you when an outside IP wants to get inside, if you were to have a trojan installed in your PC you would not be warned when it connects to the Internet sending out personal data.
- Comodo Free Firewall - Light on resources
Remailers and Usenet
Anonymous email messages sent using this software will be encrypted and routed across a few Mixmaster mail servers run by volunteers, the messages will be deliberately delayed to avoid timing attacks where a rogue server operator could guess who sent a message matching connection and posting times. The main problem with messages hidding the sender IP is that spam filters often flag them as spam and they could end up in the recipient spam folder.
Anonymous newsgroups messages can be posted with the same software specifying the newsgroup name and using a mail2news gateway run by one of the Mixmaster operators, it could take a couple of days for the message to show up and no binaries (pictures) can be posted using them, only text messages, because the network uses various nodes in different countries, just like tor servers do, it is not possible to trace back the sender.
- QuickSilver - Windows client to anonymously post in Usenet groups and send anonymous email messages using Mixmaster remailer network
- NoName Email - Web based remailer from Novo Ordo to send anonymous email messages
- Mixmaster - Command line remailer for Linux/BSD users
Other
- Tails - Linux distribution for anonymous communications and Internet browsing with tor proxy, it can be used as a live DVD
- Whonix - Very similar to Tails but it runs inside a virtual box. Whonix is for people that know what a virtual box is.
- Tor Project - Browser to access the Internet anonymously
- GetI2P - Anonymous network similar to Tor that can be used for email and Internet browsing
- KeePass - Open source offline password manager
- Password Safe - Open source offline password manager
