![Quintet – boldly fly your starship through the galaxy with your friends [Freeware]](http://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/quintet3-270x190.jpg)
Secunia PSI. Excellent freeware package scans your computer and locates old and vulnerable programs which should be updated and if necessary patches them for you automatically. The program will also flag end-of-life products which may contain security vulnerabilities so you can decide whether to keep or delete them from your hard drive. This is a superb tool for tracking potential security problems on your machine if, like me, you install a lot of different software programs, so this immediately goes into my full-time toolbox.
A software vulnerability is basically a programming error/flaw in a software application, that can be used by a hacker to perform actions, which have a security impact on your computer…All [of these] browsers have been affected by software vulnerabilities that have allowed hackers to do practically anything on your computer – all you had to do was to visit a website and the website could take control of your computer. The same goes for each and every other application on your computer – unless you keep them updated and patched. Programs such as anti-virus, personal firewall, and anti-spyware are good measures of protection, but they will NOT protect you from the threat of software vulnerabilities – despite what many of them promise!
About the Author:
Nigel is the managing editor of the Red Ferret, as well as a freelance columnist for the Sunday Times newspaper in London. Loves tech and fancies himself as a bit of a futurist, but then don't we all?
Nigel – who has written 5153 posts on The Red Ferret Journal.
![buycott3 150x150 Buycott finally theres a guilt free way to shop [Freeware]](http://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/buycott3-150x150.jpg "Buycott - finally there's a guilt free way to shop [Freeware]")
