Cloak If you want to effectively hide information, this technology, known as Stenography, involves the process of encrypting data within bitmapped pictures. Cloak performs this process using Blowfish, Mercury, or 128-bit encryption algorithms, on top of which you can also add a password. Cloak is happy to encrypt any type of file, be it a document, spreadsheet, presentation, or an executable. The free download version of Cloak only gives you ten goes before it asks for a payment of £20.

Ad Aware 5.83 PCs are reporting our movements and preferences or serving targeted advertising without us even being aware of it. The software driving this is known as spyware. Web programmers may assure us that a well-meaning cookie can actually enhance the browsing experience, but if you're unhappy about any of this going on in your system you should install a copy of Ad Aware. This neat utility scans your memory, registry and hard disks for known spyware and advertising systems, and allows you to remove them safely.

A-Lock 6.0 Whether it's sensitive business or sensitive gossip, there are plenty of times when we'd prefer more security in our email. The solution is to encrypt the messages and only allow their intended recipient to decrypt them at the other end. This is where A-Lock comes in. Simply type your message as normal in your email program, then click the A-Lock icon in the task tray in order to encrypt it. If you receive encrypted messages, follow the same process.

Kremlin At its simplest, Kremlin will take a file and encrypt it using one of six algorithms, including RC4, DES, IDEA or Blowfish, with keys up to 160-bits long. This is so secure, the US Government considers it a munition! Encrypting is as easy as right-clicking the file in question and selecting Kremlin Encrypt. The resulting encrypted file has an apt .KGB file extension. Kremlin also offers a secure recycling bin on your desktop, the contents of which are permanently deleted straightaway.

Web Window Killer Pop-ups are the bane of the modern web surfer and, unsurprisingly, there are numerous utilities that claim to eliminate them. The only problem is that you must pay for the vast majority. However, this small unassuming utility that can eliminate annoying pop-ups. The key behind it is a list of so-called hostile entries, that Web Window Killer will subsequently look for and close the instant they try to raise their heads.