Number 1, twice!

I've been well impressed with Microsoft's SmartScreen anti-spam functionality that's built-in to Outlook 2003. So I'm pleased to see that's it's just been awarded the #1 spot by ConsumerReports.org. From my experience, if you use Outlook 2003 against Exchange Server 2003 with the free Intelligent Message Filter (IMF) you're very well protected from spam. You don't really need anything else unless you have the very specific spam-filtering requirements provided by other add-on products.

Microsoft's free AntiSpyware utility also came out top in the anti-spyware category. It's certainly a great utility but I have to admit to still using a secondary product to make absolutely sure that any baddies are removed from my computers. Having been bitten a few times by spyware I have no desire to repeat the miserable experience of trying to get rid of the evil stuff. Thankfully I haven't had any problems since I started taking spyware and phishing attacks seriously. So, for what it's worth, here's my advice: get some anti-spyware, get some more anti-spyware and keep scanning your computers. And stop going to dodgy and dark places on the Internet!