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Who doesn't like free stuff? There's a long tradition of free or open-source security tools, and one of the best sites to learn more about them is Security Tools, a running list of what it claims are the 125 best free security tools around.

The Security Tools list, which is maintained by the Nmap Project, is a great spot to search for the best of the free network analysis tools that unfortunately, are used for evil as well as good. It includes the old reliables, such as the multi-platform network protocol analyzer Wireshark, the latest version of which is said to be v.1.10.5 released Dec. 19, 2013, and Aircrack, the 802.11 a/b/g WEP and WPA cracking tool and packet capture offering. But there are also several newer tools, such as Fiddler (the latest version being v.4.4.6.1, released Feb. 20, 2014), which is a web-debugging proxy that can log all HTTP(S) traffic.

+Also on Network World: 15 Free Network Security Tools Worth a Look | 7 games that will eat up your free time +

Sometimes vendors shepherd open source projects, such as the Snort intrusion detection and protection system, which Cisco gained in its acquisition of Sourcefire. Sourcefire founder Marty Roesch, now with Cisco, started Snort. In a much newer project, Cisco says it's open-sourcing next-generation firewalls through its OpenAppID project.

Another long-time favorite, the Metasploit Framework for developing and testing exploit code, remains open source. But it has also been commercialized by Rapid7, which now owns it.

In all, the sectools.org list contains 22 categories of free security tools, including rootkit detectors from Sysinternals as well as vulnerability scanners (though the better commercial versions come with a price tag). Web scanners can be had for free, too.

There are several free anti-virus desktop products, with the most well-known being from AVAST, AVIRA and AVG.

Then there's also Microsoft Security Essentials, anti-virus software available for Windows 7 in 33 languages, for small businesses up to 10 PCs. Several anti-malware vendors, such as Malwarebytes, also offer free but limited versions, mainly as an enticement to win new customers of its paid products.

So how well do the "free" versions typically do?

Dennis Technology Labs (DTL), based in Great Britain, over the years has regularly run a series of anti-virus software tests of both paid and free versions like AVAST and AVIRA. Its latest round of anti-virus tests published in December show that commercial products from Kaspersky, ESET and Symantec's Norton were somewhat more accurate than AVAST and AVIRA's free versions that were available last autumn.

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(Free!) Security Tools you should try

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) March 25, 2014

Today, Salience launched a $150,000 crowdfunding campaign on indiegogo. The 30-day campaign will fund a free federal income tax preparation cloud-based software called Tax Compactor.

Salience is a mission-driven company. Their mission is to make income tax preparation and filing free for every taxpayer in America.

As the nation marches towards the IRS filing deadline, Salience believes every filer, their family members and tax professionals deserve access to quality, free e-file software and services.

We're trying to create a fairer tax system in America, said Eli Colner, chief executive officer of Salience. We have to solve this problem ourselves. In my opinion, the public-private partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a consortium of tax preparation software companies that provides free filing to families earning $58,000 or less, is not enough.

Of the projected 200 million filers in 2014, more than 50 million are expected to pay for online tax preparation services. That amounts to more than $5 billion in lost economic opportunity. This ripples through the economies of the 43 states that collect income taxes and require filing.

This indiegogo campaign would allow Salience to fund the development and testing of Tax Compactor 2014 and to begin filing returns in January 2015. Future versions of Tax Compactor will have no cost to the user. They will be supported either by direct donations at the Tax Compactor website or through sponsorships and partnering.

If the campaign surpasses the $150,000 goal, the stretch goals would allow users to file state income taxes in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Massachusetts and Indiana.

Salience expects to announce professional services and related tax products at a future date.

About Salience

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Salience Launches Tax Compactor indiegogo Campaign

The LightWave 3D Group announced a free 30-day full feature trial version of ChronoSculpt software is now available for download at http://www.chronosculpt.com. Chronosculpt offers an intuitive way for artists using any professional 3D modeling and animation software on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux operating systems to create content with custom morph targets or fluidly sculpt animation performances over time.

ChronoSculpt can also be used to review and correct cache animation and dynamic simulation errors using timeline-based sculpting tools. The softwares flexible interface supports leading file formats for all professional 3D software programs, including LightWave 3D, Autodesk 3ds Max, Maya and Softimage, The Foundrys Modo, Maxon Cinema 4D, and more.

The software supports soft- and rigid-body dynamics and has the ability to correct and remove errors in real time by sculpting and deforming massive polygonal models on the ChronoSculpt timeline without having to return to the original software.

Some of the many features in ChronoSculpt include the ability to:

Source: LightWave 3D Group

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LightWave Offers Free 30-Day Trial of ChronoSculpt

Sheriff Scott Israel -- Broward County, FL
Sheriff who wants to get rid of the stand your ground law.

By: NewsmaxTV

Continued here:

Sheriff Scott Israel -- Broward County, FL - Video

The parents of Jordan Davis and Trayvon Martin called for the repeal of Stand Your Ground during a hearing Tuesday in Washington before a human rights commission.

Davis and Martin were both teenagers killed in Florida. Their parents blamed the law for creating a culture of lawlessness even though Stand Your Ground wasnt specifically cited in the trials of the men who shot their children.

Sybrina Fulton, mother of Martin, said the law has created fear that black teenagers will be shot when theyre doing nothing wrong.

Our teenagers have no clue what to do, Fulton said. Theyre afraid of being perceived as criminals when theyre not.

Her son was simply walking home from a convenience store, and he was shot, Fulton said.

An unarmed Martin, 17, was shot to death in Sanford by George Zimmerman after the Neighborhood Watch member became suspicious and started following him. Zimmerman was acquitted on the basis of self-defense.

Ron Davis, father of 17-year-old Jordan Davis, said Stand Your Ground had led people like his sons shooter, Michael Dunn, to believe they were justified in shooting anyone.

Michael Dunn never called 911, Ron Davis said. And when he was arrested, he didnt think it was right. He claimed he was standing his ground.

Dunn testified Davis had a gun and threatened to kill him at a Jacksonville gas station, so he fired in self-defense. The other teenagers in the vehicle with Davis and witnesses at the gas station said Davis never had a gun, and Dunn became enraged when Davis cursed him after he asked the teenagers to turn down their music.

Dunn returned to his hotel that night and then went back to his home in Brevard County the next day, where he was arrested.

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Parents of Jordan Davis and Trayvon Martin testify against Stand Your Ground law