Anti-Spam Software: Anti-spam software is now becoming a common feature in many email software packages and ISP offerings. Anti-spam software helps to block unsolicited commercial email by using email profiles and real-time information from users around the globe to automatically determine new sources of spam. Anti-spam software blocks spam at the ISP, server, or email client level - stopping it before it arrives at your in box.

Anti-Spyware Software: Anti-Spyware software can identify, prevent, and safely eliminate potentially unwanted programs such as Spyware, Adware, pop-ups, dialers, key loggers, and remote-control programs.

Anti-Virus Software: An essential tool that every user should have installed on his or her computer. Anti-virus software scans for existing infections, removes them if they exist, and prevents future infections. Look for companies that offer periodic virus software updates, because updated virus software enables users to protect themselves against newly identified threats.

Biometrics: Biometric technologies are used to identify individuals using unique human traits such as fingerprints, retinal patterns, facial features, and voice patterns. Typically, electronic scanners record the trait and biometric software analyzes it. Biometric technologies verify that the person is who he says he is.

Content Filtering Tools: Content filtering tools are used by parents to block sites that are inappropriate for children. Most of the major Internet Service Providers offer filtering tools or child-safe services to customers. Check with your provider to see what they offer. When purchasing a filtering tool be aware that there are a number of different filtering strategies from key word and context sensitive software that analyzes language to services that limit access to specific categories and lists of Web sites. No single tool is 100 percent foolproof. It is important for parents to teach children safe Internet practices. There are a number of Web sites that are dedicated to this topic and parents should take the time to become familiar with sound safety practices.

Device Authentication: Device authenticators verify that only authorized PCs or other digital devices operate on a network. These devices can be used together with user authentication technologies to create cyber defense in depth and ensure that authorized users are operating computers they are cleared to use.

Embedded Document-Level Security: Embedded Document-Level Security enables a document's author to securely exchange information inside and outside a firewall. These technologies enable document authentication and maintain the integrity of its contents. Embedded Document-Level Security also enhances confidentiality.

Encryption: A mathematical means of protecting information. Encryption converts information into an indistinguishable format, which can then be reconstructed only with the proper algorithm and/or key. Encryption is used to protect data or to prevent unauthorized copying.

Firewall: A device or software that stands between the computer and the Internet and determines if a given IP packet should be passed through to the computer. A firewall helps to ensure that only suitable connections and traffic goes back and forth. Firewalls are used to prevent network-based attacks and probes through unused/unnecessary protocols, services, and ports. Every network or PC with an Internet connection should have a firewall.

Intrusion Detection Systems: These systems monitor failed login attempts, suspicious file activity, known attack patterns, and network probes to consolidate information across a network and automatically warn of a possible intrusion. Intrusion Detection Systems often use behavior monitoring to learn normal behavior patterns, and warn administrators when out-of-the-ordinary behavior is identified.

Intrusion Protection Systems: Intrusion Protection Systems can automatically detect attacks and stop them before they can do any damage. These tools watch for out-of-the-ordinary behavior such as buffer overflows or unusual port scans to automatically stop attacks.

Logical Access Control: A way of defining and limiting access to a system or site by user, role, or group affinity.

User Authentication Technologies: These technologies verify that the user is who he or she says they are using a password, electronic card, token, challenge-response grid card, or other unique identifier. Stronger authentication, often called two-factor or multi-factor authentication, uses a combination of identifiers to prevent unauthorized access to systems. Two-factor authentication, for example, involves using two separate pieces of information - usually a combination of something you know (a PIN or password) and something you have (a physical device).

Virtual Private Network (VPN): VPNs allow companies to use public networks for private data communication. VPNs use authentication methods to ensure secure data transfer across the Internet.

Vulnerability Scanners: Vulnerability Scanners are software tools that examine a computer or network configuration looking for poor security settings, configurations, or lack of up to date patches. These scanners often automatically carry out mock attacks against computers, firewalls, and servers to identify possible vulnerabilities.