Comodo Firewall Pro

CNET editors' rating: 5.0 stars

Comodo Firewall Pro has eradicated most of its resource-hogging ways and gives users what they want: a flexible yet simple firewall that's great for beginners but also provides a smorgasbord of information and plenty of options for advanced users.

From the category tabs of Summary, Firewall, Defense +, and Miscellaneous to more specific headings, most security terms come linked to relevant security issues so users can drill down to learn more about how the firewall is performing. Although the app rears its head often when you first fire it up, once it learns your behavior, it becomes virtually unnoticeable.