Security of PC is more critical than ever

Reuters FileWindows Vista has some protection built-in, in the form of its Security Centre, which tells you whether anti-virus software is installed and updated.

You're travelling on business, and you find yourself with an hour to spare and some work to do. Luckily, the cafe nearby has a wireless hotspot, so you settle down with your laptop and begin checking your e-mail. But someone else is interested in your e-mail too.

The person sitting in the corner isn't just looking at Google News. He is sniffing your network traffic and finding out about your key contacts and what you're telling them. WiFi security -- and the security of your laptop PC in general -- is more critical than ever. How can you protect it?

Windows Vista has some protection built-in, in the form of its Security Centre, which tells you whether anti-virus software is installed and updated. That operating system, like Windows XP before it, includes a built-in firewall, but does not include anti-virus protection out of the box (for that, purchase a Windows Live OneCare subscription).

Security firm Check Point Software Technologies has released what it says is a single program to handle all of your security needs. It includes four key features: a firewall, antivirus and anti-spyware protection, file encryption to protect your data from thieves and a virtual private network that encrypts data travelling over a public network.

Several features in this product are available elsewhere. For example, the BitLocker encryption in some editions of Vista allows you to encrypt your primary hard drive volume (a subsection of your physical hard drive). Hard drives are often partitioned into other volumes, and user data can be stored there, too. A full disc encryption product such as the one embedded in Endpoint Security can solve that problem (and can also encrypt removable media such as USB keys).

Data encryption over public networks is also available for specific applications, such as Microsoft's Exchange e-mail server. But it generally won't protect you when using, say, Web mail, whereas a virtual private network that connects your users' laptops back to the office will encrypt everything.

The advantage of a product like this is that everything comes in one box and is manageable from a central interface.

Endpoint Security costs $165 per PC, with all functions.