The best free parental control software 2017

It's hard to imagine anything less child-friendly than an uncensored internet. A rabid wolf, maybe, or a playground floored with broken glass and razor wire. The more connected we become the more we need everybody online - and that means trying to ensure that our children aren't exposed to the very worst content, ideas and behaviour that exist online.

Software can't do everything, of course, but it can help to make parents' lives much easier. These are our picks of the best parental control tools for Windows, macOS and mobile devices.

Most parental control software is aimed at Windows, but Qustodio (think 'custodian') is also available for Mac, Android, iOS, Kindle and (weirdly) Nook.

The free version is one of the most comprehensive parental control apps around, enabling you to set rules and time schedules, block pornography and other unsuitable content. If you go for the paid-for version, you'll also get SMS monitoring, social media features and per-app controls.

Its raft of features and support for a wide range of platforms make Qustodio the best free parental control software, but there are some other excellent free programs available, some of which may be better suited to your individual needs as a parent. Read on for our top choices.

Download here: Qustodio

FamilyShield is a free service from OpenDNS. Its parental control tools automatically block domains that OpenDNS has flagged under the headings "tasteless, proxy/anonymizer, sexuality, or pornography".

One of the big pluses here is that while FamilyShield can run on PCs and mobile devices, you can also apply it to your network router and filter all the traffic that passes through it – it's just a matter of changing the DNS server numbers in your control panel.

This has the happy benefit of improving DNS lookup speeds on some ISPs. By filtering everything at the router level, every device on your network benefits from the filters.

Download here: OpenDNS Family Shield

Nothing gets past Kidlogger. This free parental control software not only tracks what your children type and which websites they visit – it also keeps a record of which programs they use and any screengrabs they take.

If you're concerned about who your kids might be talking to online, there's even a voice-activated sound recorder. If your children are a little older and more responsible, you can pick and choose which options to monitor and give them a little privacy.

The free software only covers one device and lacks some of the sneakier features of the premium editions (including silent monitoring of WhatsApp conversations and the ability to listen to Skype calls), but it's still a well-rounded tool if you're concerned about your kids' safety.

Download here: Kidlogger

Keyloggers have something of a bad reputation online, as they're often used by crooks hoping to capture passwords and bank details, but they can be a force for good too, and Spyrix Free Keylogger enables you to see what your children have been up to.

Although it's dubbed parental control software, the free version of Spyrix really a monitoring program; it doesn't stop the kids getting up to no good, but it does let you see exactly what they've done.  If you want content blocking too, premium subscriptions start at US$59 (about £45, AU$75).

The absence of filtering means Spyrix might not be the best choice for younger kids' computers, but it may be useful for older children if you suspect online bullying or other unpleasantness.

Download here: Spyrix Free Keylogger

The problem with many parental control apps is that they're most effective for older children: while filtering adult content and other unpleasantness is obviously a good thing, there's plenty of stuff that isn't adult that can still scare younger children silly.

Zoodles (nothing to do with zucchini noodles) addresses that by combining filtered browsing and a dedicated web browser to create a walled garden: everything in it is safe for kids and there's no risk of anything awful popping up.

In addition to Windows, Zoodles is also available for Mac, Android and iOS, and a brand new version is currently in development.

Download here: Zoodles

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Download of the day – ApowerEdit

ApowerEdit is a brilliant video editor. It's packed with powerful tools to make your projects look and sound amazing, and it's so easy to use, even beginners will pick it up in minutes.

A one-year subscription to ApowerEdit usually costs US$47.94 (AU$60.17 £35.33), but TechRadar readers can sign up free for a limited time using the special offer code A9AAF-4A273-RC2HL-754E0 (see instructions below).

This offer ends on Sunday 1 October, so download and register your copy now.

How to activate your free VIP subscription

To get your free VIP account, download and install ApowerEdit, then launch the program. Select an aspect ratio to start a new project and you’ll be prompted to log in. Select ‘Log in & sign up’, then click ‘Sign up’.

Enter your email address and a password, then click ‘Sign up’. Enter the six-digit verification code that’s sent to your email address (if you can’t find it, check your spam folder), then click 'OK'.

Now click the account icon (shaped like a person) in the upper right of the window, click your account name and click ‘Activate’. Enter the activation code A9AAF-4A273-RC2HL-754E0, then click ‘Confirm’.

Download of the Day is our pick of the best free software around, plus special deals exclusively for TechRadar readers. If you have any recommendations, please send them to downloads@techradar.com.

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BullGuard now offers enterprise-grade security features to home users

BullGuard has unleashed new 2018 versions of its security software which are powered by a fresh anti-malware engine, with a major introduction to the top-end product in the form of a real-time home network scanner.

BullGuard Antivirus (the base product), BullGuard Internet Security and BullGuard Premium Protection (the flagship offering) will all benefit from a next-gen anti-malware engine which is capable of blocking previously unseen malware thanks to behavioural detection (and is bolstered by cloud-based machine learning tech).

However, only Premium Protection benefits from the home network scanner, which runs automatically in real-time, proactively scanning the network (and indeed it’s capable of monitoring multiple networks simultaneously).

When a new device connects to the home network, the feature will perform a ‘deep scan’ to check the hardware out, and it can also assess whether a home network is vulnerable to hackers. This nifty scanner is an industry-first in terms of security products, BullGuard boasts.

Premium Protection also benefits from identity protection features to help keep your data safe online, and a new firewall.

Game booster

BullGuard Internet Security doesn’t have the home network scanner, but you do get that new firewall, along with an extensive suite of parental controls, plus a ‘game booster’ mode to ensure that any anti-malware activity doesn’t interfere with a gaming session (this is also present in the premium product).

BullGuard Antivirus is the entry-level offering which provides basic anti-malware protection, safe browsing alerts, and a vulnerability scanner that can warn you when software needs a security update (or when you connect to an unsecure Wi-Fi network).

All three products are available direct from the security company now, with BullGuard Antivirus priced at £24.95/$29.95 (1-year, 1-PC), Internet Security pitched at £49.95/$59.95 (1-year, 3-devices), while Premium Protection will run you to £69.95/$99.95 (1-year, 10-devices).

• We’ve picked out the best antivirus software of 2017

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The best free alternatives to CCleaner 2017

CCleaner has long been one of the web's most popular PC cleanup tools, but after it was acquired by Avast and suffered a serious malware attack, many people have begun seeking alternatives.

Running out of hard drive space is less of an issue these days thanks to the plummeting price of storage, but there are still many reasons to use a tool like CCleaner to purge unwanted files.

As well as simply being good practice, it helps to keep your drive in good health, and many of the files you have stored can reveal a great deal of personal information about you; you might want to consider getting rid of anything you don’t need.

We're not just talking about the documents you have manually created, but also those that are created for you in the background, such as cookies and registry entries.

With that in mind, we've put a host of PC cleanup tools to the test and curated our own list of the best alternatives to CCleaner.

1. BleachBit

A quick and convenient alternative to CCleaner, with hidden depths

BleachBit is open source – something that helps with transparency (the source code is publicly available) and also speed of development (users are free to make their own contributions and fix any bugs as they're identified).

BleachBit is a very simple CCleaner alternative, but that works to its advantage. There's a portable version available for those looking to build up a USB toolkit, and there are also different editions for various operating systems.

Although simple and lightweight, BleachBit certainly gets the job done. There's support for a massive range of programs meaning that BleachBit is able to take care of your privacy no matter what you use your computer for.

Everyday maintenance tasks are quick and simple, but there's also a more intensive Deep Scan option available that plunges deeper into your system files.

Outside of the main program interface you'll find a new Shred option in the Windows context menu. This deletes unwanted files securely by overwriting them several times so they're impossible to recover – a nice touch in an already excellent program.

Download here: BleachBit

2. Glary Utilities

A popular CCleaner substitute that promises to deliver faster performance

Glary Utilities is one of the best-known names on this list, and for good reason. This is a collection of tools which work together to help improve the health and performance of your computer, and part of this is the cleanup component. The Disk Cleanup tool can be used to free up space, while the Tracks Erase and Temporary Files Cleaner both help to maintain your privacy and security.

There's a startup management tool that can be used to take control of startup items to improve boot times, and a defragmenter that will improve the performance of your drive once you've deleted the clutter.

Browse through its options and you'll also find a file encrypter, file shredder memory optimization, disk checker, duplicate file finder, and many other tools you'll recognize from CCleaner.

You'll be offered an additional malware-removal tool while installing Glary Utilities, but it's deselected by default so it's easy to avoid if you'd rather skip it.

Download here: Glary Utilities

3. Wise Disk Cleaner

Convenient and well designed – a free CCleaner alternative for everyone

Whether you're an advanced user, or just someone who wants things to be as simple as possible, Wise Cleaner has something to keep you happy.

At its most simple, you can use the Common Cleaner mode to clean up after your web browser, Windows itself and the programs you have installed – this can also be run on an automated schedule.

Then there's the Advanced Cleaner, which weeds out additional unwanted files, and the Slimming System section, which strips out unnecessary components such as unused Windows installation file – a great way to claim back astonishing amounts of space.

Finally, when you've got rid of anything you can live without, there's a great defrag tool to speed up your drive (provided it's not an SSD).

You can create a desktop shortcut for easy access to the quick cleanup tool, and if you want a more tailored result, you can create a list of exclusions so you can ensure that certain cookies are never deleted.

Download here: Wise Disk Cleaner

4. KCleaner

Thorough drive cleaning with automatic scanning to protect your privacy

Despite the cheeky similarity in the names, KCleaner isn't just a CCleaner clone – in many ways it's a far simpler tool.

At its heart, this is a disk cleanup application which will scour your hard drive for files that are not needed and are simply wasting space. You can claw back megabytes or even gigabytes of space, and the program can clean up after a wide range of popular programs, including web browsers and messaging tools – notorious for leaving behind very revealing files.

KCLeaner can be used on a manual basis, but if you really want to keep on top of things you can have it start automatically with Windows and run a cleanup on a schedule. This is particularly useful for protection your privacy, and is supplemented by a secure deletion option which will overwrite deleted files with random data so there's no chance of recovery.

Download here: KCleaner

5. PrivaZer

Protect your privacy with deep scans and secure deletion of personal data

This CCleaner replacement is designed to protect your personal information from interception and abuse – hence the name.

PrivaZer offers both advanced and basic modes, and whichever you opt for, you'll be presented with a wizard-like interface to configure the software to your liking. After answering a few questions about the sort of cleaning up you want to perform, the one-click clean option will get things tidied up in record time.

For a more thorough purge of sensitive files, there's a Deep Scan option for local or network drives, removable media and connected devices. Confidential data can be overwritten up to 35 times to render it completely undetectable and unrecoverable.

PrivaZer gives you a great deal of control over your file cleanup, and we particularly like the option to run a scan whenever a browser window is closed.

Download here: Privazer

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Nasty Windows 8.1 bug stops users logging onto their PC with a Microsoft account

Some folks using Windows 8.1 have been hit by a nasty bug which apparently prevents them from logging on to their PC using a Microsoft account.

The bug was reportedly caused by a recent Microsoft OS update – KB4038792 to be precise, the monthly security rollup of patches for September – and the software giant has acknowledged the problem.

As Computerworld spotted, on Microsoft’s ‘answers’ support forum, the company’s advice is that affected users will need to login with a local account for the time being – but obviously not being synced with your Microsoft account is a big pain.

Meanwhile, the software giant advised that it is working on a patch right now, but didn’t give any estimated time of arrival for the fix.

The Microsoft employee dealing with user queries on the support forum stated: “Our engineers are still in the process of creating a bug fix for the ‘Can’t connect to Microsoft Services’ error that occurs in Windows 8.1 when users try to add or switch to a Microsoft account.

“We have not yet received any estimated time frame for the bug fix. We'll post an update here once the bug fix has been released.”

It’ll be ready when it’s ready

There’s been no further post as of the time of writing, but we get the feeling this is not a simple fix. It’s not clear how many Windows 8.1 users are affected, but fingers crossed that Microsoft won’t take too much time in solving the problem.

You could chalk this one down as ‘another good reason to upgrade to Windows 10’, and note that the free upgrade to Microsoft’s newest OS is still (unofficially) available.

Indeed, some of the users posting on that support thread have suggested this may be Microsoft’s way of further ‘encouraging’ folks to make the leap to Windows 10. Or rather that the lack of priority for Windows 8.1 might be a reason to upgrade, given that the older OS is obviously way down the pecking order compared to the new kid on the operating system block.

• Most of our best laptops of 2017 run Windows 10

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Best power user Linux distros in 2017: 5 reviewed and rated

Note: Our power user Linux distros round-up has been fully updated. This feature was first published in May 2013.

The Linux power user is a celebrated breed, and one that does not simply burst fully-formed from the earth. All newbies must toil long and hard with their Linux installations before they can describe themselves as one.

At the very least, the power user will have a great degree of skill concerning all things Linux, whether it's the kernel, Bash or package management systems – and they won’t be afraid to get their hands dirty in the name of configuring the system.

It seems, in many ways, that power users are a dying breed. Almost all modern Linux distributions require little effort to get up and running, or to install new software or configure basic functionality. By definition, no power user will want to run any of these distros. This is why, despite their popularity, the likes of Ubuntu and Mint are not featured here.

The Linux distributions in this feature are user-driven, not guided. This gives them much greater adaptability, as well as allowing them to perform a diverse range of tasks, from acting as a virtual jukebox at parties through to hosting complex websites. 

The development methodology and underlying package management system are still relevant concerns, but if you're driven by the desire to squeeze every ounce of power out of your Linux distro, you have the makings of a power user.

• These are the best Linux training providers and online courses in 2017

How we tested...

All of the distros in this article have been around for a long time, and we’ve revised our appraisals of them over the course of several years. Each one has earned a large amount of kudos by offering unique perks or advantages over their peers, either in terms of software management or ease of installation.

All these distros are extremely stable and so our roundup isn't so much about performance as adaptability. We're looking for things that make them ideal for experienced Linux users who are tired of newbie-oriented distros and want to do more with their Linux machines. This is possible only when you have great control over every aspect of a distro.

The ideal distro for power users is one that encourages tinkering extensively with all the different aspects of the OS, and makes you work towards your goal of a perfect system.

• 5 of the most popular Raspberry Pi distros
• 10 of the best Linux distros for privacy fiends and security buffs
• 5 of the most popular Linux gaming distros
• 10 of the most popular lightweight Linux distros

• Linux Format is the number one magazine to boost your knowledge on Linux, open source developments, distro releases and much more. Subscribe to the print or digital version of Linux Format here

Test 1: Installation

How easy is the first step?

These distros may be aimed at power users, but that doesn't mean you want to tear your hair out during the installation process, however much street cred you may stand to gain later on. It's not a question of how long it takes to install but rather how complicated the process is.

Slackware is one of our favourite distros, and its ncurses-based installer is very easy to navigate despite being very different. You may want to keep a copy of the Slackware book with you, naturally on a separate device.

Setup takes you through several installation steps including package selection. Pay special attention to the prompting mode and the software series. You can either install everything by selecting Full on the prompting mode, or select individual packages by choosing the Menu option.

You then have to select which software series to install. If you choose individual packages, the installer will not tell you how much space it will need – this is unlikely to be a problem on modern hard drives, but it’s still something to consider. Slackware gets a bad reputation because it doesn't offer a graphical installer, but it's still a very straightforward process. 

Fedora and Debian both provide a graphical installation method more akin to those of mainstream consumer distros. The process is very simple, and several tasks – such as the partitioning of disks – can be automated, but it's best if you at least review the partitioning scheme or do it yourself, especially if there are existing partitions on the disk that you would like to preserve. Neither distro lets you select the packages to install when installing from the Live CD.

Arch is one of the easiest distros to install, although it's far from the most straightforward to get running since it doesn't provide a usable system post-installation. The most difficult step is network card configuration. If you're unable to configure your wireless card, you can run an Ethernet cable to your machine until the installation is done, and then try to configure the card later.

Once the base Arch system is installed, you move on to weightier things, such as installing the X window system, video drivers, if necessary, and the desktop environment. Even after that’s done, you still have to install all the apps you may want to use, such as Firefox, VLC, LibreOffice. This is complex, but at least the installation makes no assumptions about the way you're going to want to use your system, allowing you to configure it exactly as you wish.

Installing Gentoo is far more tedious than the other distros, because it makes even fewer assumptions: Gentoo is all about building itself specifically to your hardware, and to your precise needs and wants. As such, it makes you do everything from defining USE flags to compiling the kernel, so be prepared for the installation to run to several days, depending on your configuration and needs. Be sure to keep the installation documentation to hand when you begin.

Verdict

Slackware: 4/5
Fedora: 5/5
Debian: 5/5
Arch: 5/5
Gentoo: 4/5

Test 2: Default packages

Not that a power user cares anyway…

An operating system is fundamentally an organised collection of a user's preferred applications. As such Gentoo or Arch aren't operating systems in the strictest sense because installing these distros leaves you with a barebones system which you must then populate with apps and a desktop environment.

There are no defaults when working with Gentoo or Arch. Their intention is to give the user complete control over what they wish to install on the machine. While the other three distros in this roundup also allow you to select which packages to install during setup, they still aim to provide you with a near complete system out of the box, offering a text editor, web browser, PDF reader and more.

For these three distros, despite the wide array of default packages, you still need to install codecs and other plugins before you can play media files, or enjoy videos on YouTube, or even get the most out of your proprietary graphics card.

Slackware offers the Calligra office suite, while Fedora and Debian both ship with LibreOffice. You can also choose which desktop environment to install with Fedora, depending on the installation media you use – just check out the Fedora Spins project.

With Slackware, you only get the choice of KDE and Xfce during installation. Gnome or Mate fans will have to install their favourite environment post-installation.

Verdict

Slackware: 4/5
Fedora: 5/5
Debian: 5/5
Arch: 1/5
Gentoo: 1/5

Test 3: Adaptability

How easy is it to configure these distros to your liking?

One of the best things about these distros is that they are highly configurable. You can change the desktop background, the icons theme, define keyboard shortcuts, configure power management, and make many other changes to the appearance and behaviour of all Linux distros though, so what's the big deal?

Well, aesthetic configuration is only a small part of the overall picture. While many other distros stop at providing all the functionality listed above, the distros we’re examining here go further, offering users the chance to make not just cosmetic changes but configure just about everything that can be configured. This gives you the chance to tweak everything to your specific needs, including the kernel. 

This is in marked contrast to distros where you go through installation, then you have to remove packages and settings you don't want, which will never deliver as good (or streamlined) a system as one built from scratch to your specifications.

Gentoo

Gentoo is an extremely configurable distro that you can optimise for just about any purpose. The advanced Portage package management system is at the heart of everything that's great about Gentoo. It delivers pinpoint control when installing packages, and the USE flags enable it to provide compile-time option support. This means you can define the precise features you want a package to support.

For instance, if you don't need the KDE desktop for installed packages, Gentoo compiles them without support for KDE. This trims them down and avoids unnecessary processing. Defining the USE flags is an integral part of installation.

As it doesn't burden you with unwanted apps or libraries, Gentoo is very fast. It insists you inspect the kernel during installation and remove features you don't need. No other distro lets you do this. 

Verdict: 5/5

Fedora

Fedora is the test-bed of tools and technologies that eventually end up in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It’s an ideal distro for those wanting to be on the bleeding-edge of development.

One of the worst things about Fedora is the default graphical frontend to its package manager, Yum. Try Yumex if you want a stable and feature-rich alternative. That said, while Slackware, Gentoo and Arch force you to the command line for many configuration tasks, Fedora offers excellent graphical tools for things like configuring the network, firewall, and so on. It's perfect for all kinds of users, and can easily be configured to be a game station, music streamer or even a web server.

Fedora is best suited for developers and admins because of the tools it has to offer, but it’s not nearly as flexible as Gentoo, Arch or Slackware.

Verdict: 3/5

Slackware

Whereas most distros make several changes to software packages, with Slackware you get packages nearly identical to upstream offerings. People complain of a steep learning curve, but anyone familiar with the command line and classic Unix tools will find it straightforward.

Slackware strives to produce the most Unix-like distro available and makes ease of use and stability the top priorities. This makes it ideal for servers. Slackware comes with KDE by default, but can use Xfce or any desktop environment supporting any window manager. It gives great control over shaping the system during installation, thanks to its advanced package selection.

Slackware is free and open source software. However, it doesn't follow an open development methodology, which means there's no official, public software repository nor a bug tracking facility.

Verdict: 4/5

Debian

Debian is extremely stable, and this makes it ideal for servers. Its stability rests on the fact that the OS ships older packages, which can make it unsuitable for desktop users. 

That said, you can easily use the unstable repository if you want to be on the bleeding-edge. In fact, each of the three official Debian repositories have inspired several other distros. With Debian, you can run the same distro across many different architectures, as it supports i386, SPARC, AMD64, PowerPC, MIPS, ARM and other platforms.

Almost all software packages provide binaries for Debian, so you're unlikely to have any installation woes.

Verdict: 4/5

Arch

Arch doesn't believe in hiding the internal workings of the system. Like Gentoo, it's great if you wish to learn what makes a Linux distro tick. But despite their similarities, Arch provides a somewhat simpler way of building your system. You don't have to spend precious hours maintaining and grooming the system, as you do with Gentoo.

With its minimalistic philosophy, Arch stands in contrast to most other distros that compete to be the most feature-rich and beautiful. Other than a core system, which enables you to install additional packages, Arch makes no assumption about the kind of system you want, and allows users to mould the distro.

Building the distro from the ground-up results in a much speedier system. Like Slackware, Arch provides software packages from upstream without any modifications.

Verdict: 5/5

Test 4: Release schedule

Not that a power user cares anyway, part two

There are three popular development methodologies to which Linux distributions typically adhere – fixed schedule, fixed feature and rolling release. The fixed schedule, as followed by Fedora, involves pushing out a new release every six months. Debian deploys a new major release roughly every two years.

These distros, more often than not, are drastically different from one another. Switching from one release to the next thus involves a fresh install, or at least a major upgrade. This is more time-consuming and painstaking than a rolling release.

Next, we have the feature release model, as followed by Slackware. Here, instead of announcing a date for the next release, the distro is released when it's good and ready. The project decides on a number of features it wishes to implement in the next release and works towards incorporating all of these into this version. The new distribution is only released when all of these features have been added. The current version – 14.2 – was released in mid-2016 after a three year hiatus.

Finally we have the rolling release cycle. This practice is followed by Arch and Gentoo. These distros, instead of a full-sized release, offer a small, minimal distro that you can use to install the base system. You then install the latest updates of everything else that you need over the internet. With the very involved installation procedures that these distros require, the rolling release offers an install-and-forget way of working. This is a feature that you can't possibly dislike.

Verdict

Slackware: 4/5
Fedora: 3/5
Debian: 3/5
Arch: 5/5
Gentoo: 5/5

Test 5: Documentation

Because even a power user may need to RTFM

From installation, to desktop environment, to package management, Linux distros can sometimes change the status quo without warning. When this happens, the project's documentation and a helpful community can make the difference between a fatal kernel panic and a smooth-running system.

Thankfully, all the distros in this roundup boast a large repository of helpful documentation. Some, like Debian and Fedora, have been the subject of detailed books which describe setting them up for home use or as servers. As both distros are so popular, you can also usually find the answers you need online using a search engine. 

Gentoo and Arch, as you might expect given their relative complexity, offer the most extensive documentation. This tends to detail even the most basic of technologies, such as configuring the Ethernet interface or the Xinitrc and fstab files. This is especially needed for such distros because of their different way of doing things. Familiarity with any Linux distro can prepare you for just about all others, but Gentoo and Arch are so different that without proper documentation, even a seasoned Linux user might lose his or her footing.

All the distros are blessed with active communities, which you can engage with via mailing lists, forum boards and IRC. Additionally, on their websites, Slackware and Debian provide a list of companies/individual consultants you can contact for technical support.

Verdict

Slackware: 4/5
Fedora: 4/5
Debian: 4/5
Arch: 5/5
Gentoo: 5/5

Test 6: Package management

Tools, repositories and happy customers

On Arch, you can use the Pacman package manager to install applications. Pacman uses compressed files, or tarballs, as a package format. It works by syncing the local packages with the server. Pacman supports dependency resolution and can download and install packages with a single command. The /etc/pacman.conf file contains a list of repositories.

In addition to the built-in repository, there's also the Arch User Repository (AUR), which is driven and maintained by Arch users. Users can vote on the packages in the AUR. If a package gets enough votes and has a compatible licence, its pushed into the official repositories.

Like Arch, Gentoo doesn't provide any default packages, but makes installing apps a breeze thanks to Portage, which is frequently identified as one of the best package management systems on Linux.

Emerge is a command line interface to the Portage system and, as with Pacman, you can use it to install, remove, upgrade and query packages. That said, you may have to do some fiddling, adjusting the USE flags or using package.mask before you can install packages. This is a tedious process, especially for beginners. The reliance on USE flags to define what packages you want or don't want on your machine gives Gentoo an edge over the others in terms of speed. The package management systems on other distros also seem to be slower than Portage.

Fedora is the home of the yum package manager. It offers several graphical frontends for you to manage packages, none of which are quite as good as the available third-party solutions. Yum relies on the rpm package format, which is fairly similar across Red Hat distros. This allows you to tap into many different third-party repositories. You will have to configure these repositories if you wish to install multimedia codecs and plugins, as a stock Fedora installation doesn't play many media file formats.

Debian's package management systems, APT and dpkg, need no introduction. Both of these are like Clint Eastwood – they continue to deliver outstanding performances year after year. Debian allows you to configure several other repositories, such as non-free and contrib, which contain packages that don't gel with the very strict Debian Free Software Guidelines. As with Pacman and yum, you can use APT to install local packages and use the repositories to resolve dependencies.

Unlike the other distros, Slackware doesn't offer a single full-featured tool for package management. Instead, you have a separate tool to install, update and remove packages. As Slackware uses source tarballs as packages, there's also a tool to convert rpm packages to tar.gz packages.

If you're willing to sacrifice a few features, you can use the pkgtool utility to manage packages. This tool allows you to install and remove packages only.

Verdict

Slackware: 2/5
Fedora: 4/5
Debian: 4/5
Arch: 5/5
Gentoo: 5/5

Test 7: Fun quotient

Let's put a smile on that face

Our whole reason for the selection of these distros is that they offer a chance for Linux users to go over and beyond what they are normally used to doing. There’s a lot of mucking about with files such as /etc/fstab, setting up hostnames and configuring network interfaces with Arch and Gentoo. This is all done using command lines tools, too!

These are generally processes that almost all Linux distros outgrew by the time we entered the 21st century. Their insistence on doing some things the old-fashioned way is not what makes them special, rather, it's the fact that this gives you the chance to learn the many things that modern distros take for granted.

Fedora has a lot to offer if you're interested in being at the bleeding-edge of Linux development. If you've never ventured beyond newbie-friendly distros, such as Ubuntu and Mint, it provides the perfect starting point on your way to achieving power user status. 

Slackware and Debian are for more seasoned Linux users, who are willing to move towards more difficult things but still want enough familiarity to continue their learning. These distros give you the choice of working with the command line, as opposed to the graphical interface, for any number of routine tasks.

Finally, we have Arch and Gentoo. These are for adventurous souls who are ready to learn a completely different way of working. Both operating systems will introduce you to the core of Linux in a way no other distro will. Forget graphical interfaces which obfuscate configuration files – with these two distros, you are forced to spend time with files you probably didn't know existed!

Verdict

Slackware: 4/5
Fedora: 3/5
Debian: 3/5
Arch: 5/5
Gentoo: 5/5

The verdict

The only area where Gentoo and Arch falter is with their default packages or lack thereof. We spent a lot of time debating whether we should award them five stars each. This is because by not providing any default packages they offer you much greater control and the ability to design a distro specifically for your particular needs. This degree of control is the hallmark of a distro suited to power users.

As we deducted points from both distros for this reason, we had to be equally harsh when scoring other distros in the documentation and package management sections.

This is why Debian and Fedora only managed four stars each in these two sections, despite offering detailed documentation and excellent package management tools. Even though we couldn't find any fault in APT or yum, Arch's Pacman and Gentoo's Portage system fare better because of their level of sophistication and elegance.

Debian and Slackware are an ideal starting point for would-be power users, and give you an idea of how configurable and flexible Linux systems can be.

Arch versus Gentoo

We were tempted to award first place to Arch because it's easier to install and doesn't require management of USE flags before installing packages. But the real test here is the level of control the distros offer to help you mould the system to your exact specifications.

Gentoo offers extremely fine control. It allows you to fine-tune the kernel during installation, so that you can remove the features you don't want. You don't get much more configurable than that. 

The USE flags which let you prepare the system for all the packages you wish to install (or not) are a really novel feature. They allow you to specify the options and features with which Portage installs packages. This helps you cut down dependencies, package size, and compile results in a faster and leaner system. This is why Gentoo is so much faster in comparison to the other distros.

Final ranking

1st: Gentoo: 5/5

2nd: Arch: 5/5

3rd: Slackware: 4/5

4th: Debian: 4/5

5th: Fedora: 3/5

Also consider...

KDE has long been a favourite with power users because of all the configuration options it offers. By extension, all distros using KDE can be modified in the same way, so are suitable for power users. You can try the likes of OpenSUSE or Chakra Linux to get a taste of KDE's flexibility. These are both built around KDE itself, as opposed to the KDE-based spins of other popular distros you might come across.

We've tried to limit our selection to distros that not only allow you greater control in configuring the system, but are also fun to use. The distros in our list are different from all other modern Linux distros in almost all respects, be it installation or package management. Also, they are great for familiarising yourself with the internal workings of Linux, and teaching you things that you wouldn't be aware of if you used other distros.

For this reason, it's difficult to recommend any other distro. If you've already mastered Gentoo and Arch, or are ready for even more of a challenge, you can try Linux From Scratch. LFS is the name of both a book and installation and as the name suggests, it shows you how to build your own Linux system entirely from source code. Unlike Gentoo and Arch, which at least provide a working base system, with LFS you have to do all the work by yourself.

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Download the super-speedy Firefox Quantum beta today

Mozilla has launched the beta and developer versions of Firefox Quantum – the latest edition of the web browser, which comes with a new engine that uses multi-core processing to optimize speed.

Quantum, also known as Firefox 57, is a serious step up from the previous version, and Mozilla claims you’ll notice the difference immediately when browsing your favorite sites.

Aware of its reputation for sluggishness, the company has released a benchmarking video showing the beta giving Chrome a run for its money opening many popular websites.

The new browser is the fruit of Mozilla's Project Quantum – an initiative launched in October 2016 to develop a new engine that would make the most of multiple cores modern desktop and mobile hardware.

Firefox Quantum also prioritizes the tab you’re currently using, so it downloads and runs before those in the background, cutting RAM usage by around 30%.

If you’re already using Firefox, you’ll be upgraded to Quantum automatically on November 14. If you’d rather give it a try now, you can download the beta for desktop, Android and iOS.

The developer edition of Quantum is also available today for web developers.

• Check out our guide to the best web browsers of 2017

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Microsoft Office 2019 will arrive next year

Over at Ignite, Microsoft has announced that Office 2019 will be released next year, the standalone non-subscription version of the productivity suite for those who don’t yet want to commit to the cloud (i.e. Office 365).

Office 2019 will include new (what Microsoft describes as ‘perpetual’) versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, along with Outlook, plus server versions of Exchange, SharePoint, and Skype for Business (although the latter is soon to be rolled into Microsoft Teams).

There’s not much detail on the new 2019 spins of these apps just yet, but Microsoft did say to expect better inking features – such as tilt effects and pressure sensitivity – along with new formulae and charts for Excel. PowerPoint will get nifty animation features such as Morph and Zoom.

You can also expect a raft of new features on the IT management front, as well as improvements in overall usability and security, and voice features.

Preview versions of these new Office apps are expected to become available in the middle of next year, with the full release of Office 2019 slated for the second half of 2018.

Outside the cloud

This is something of a surprise given Microsoft’s focus on the cloud (with the famous cloud-first mantra) and the fact that it’s pushing hard with Office 365, but it seems the company is still willing to take into account the needs of traditional Office customers who don’t want to move online.

In a blog post, Microsoft stated: “Office 2019 will be a valuable upgrade for customers who feel that they need to keep some or all of their apps and servers on-premises, and we look forward to sharing more details about the release in the coming months.”

• Try Microsoft Office on one of our best business laptops

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Microsoft kills Skype for Business, rolling the service into Microsoft Teams

Over at the firm’s big Ignite conference in Orlando, Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Teams will replace Skype for Business.

Yes, it would appear that Microsoft wants to make Teams a one-stop-shop in Office 365 for all your meeting and conferencing needs, and in the coming months the firm notes that Teams will be getting a raft of features including making inbound and outbound calls to PSTN numbers, call transfers and voicemail.

Teams meetings now have audio conferencing capabilities (at least in preview) so you can join a meeting simply by dialling a phone number, and Microsoft is promising interoperability between Teams and Skype for Business, “including universal presence, and messaging and calling interoperability”.

Ready or not?

For those who don’t wish to move to Teams, or who aren’t ready to migrate their systems yet, Microsoft will apparently make a new Skype for Business server available in the second half of next year.

The software giant noted: “Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business clients can be run side by side to evaluate and explore what’s best for your organization.”

Also at Ignite, Lenovo has been showing off its new ThinkSmart Hub 500, a Skype Room Systems device designed in conjunction with Microsoft to help conduct meetings with local and remote participants, all with a minimum of fuss.

• Maybe you’ll use Microsoft Teams on one of our best business laptops

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What’s the best Linux firewall distro?

This article was provided to TechRadar by Linux Format, the number one magazine to boost your knowledge on Linux, open source developments, distro releases and much more. Subscribe to the print or digital version of Linux Format here.

You don’t have to manage a large corporate network to use a dedicated firewall. While your Linux distro may already have an impressive firewall installed as well as an equally impressive arsenal of tools to manage it, the advantages don’t extend to the other devices on your network. 

A typical network has more devices connected to the internet than the total number of computers and laptops in your average small or home office. With the onslaught of IoT, it won’t be long before your router is doling out IP addresses to your washing machine and microwave as well.

The one thing you wouldn’t want in this Jetsonian future is having to rely on your router’s limited firewall capabilities to shield your house – and everyone in it – from the malicious bits and bytes floating about on the internet.

A dedicated firewall stands between the internet and internal network, sanitising the traffic flowing into the latter. Setting one up is an involved process both in terms of assembling the hardware and configuring the software. However, there are quite a few distros that help you set up a dedicated firewall with ease, and we’re going to look at the ones that have the best protective open source software and roll them into a convenient and easy to use package.

Specifically, in this roundup, we’re going to dissect and compare five different distros: IPFire, OPNsense, pfSense, Sophos UTM and Untangle NG Firewall.

How we tested

While you can test these firewall distros on a spare physical PC, it’s more convenient to take them for a spin inside a virtual machine. Create a virtual network by firing up VirtualBox and heading to File > Preferences > Network. Switch to the host-only network tab and add a new network using the screwdriver icon to assign it an IP address e.g. 192.168.56.1.

Next, create a VM for the firewall distro and make sure it had two network adaptors – the first one in bridged mode, the second one as a host-only network. After installing the distro, you can assign a different IP address such as 192.168.56.2 to the second adaptor and configure it as a DHCP server to assign an IP address range of 192.168.56.20 - 192.168.56.50. From here on out, any other VM connected to the host-only adaptor will be routed through the firewall VM, so you can experiment with it safely. 

See our guide to running Linux in a Virtual Machine here.

• 5 of the most popular Linux gaming distros
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• Also check out our look at the best free Linux firewalls

The IPFire kernel is hardened with the grsecurity patchset to thwart zero day exploits and comes with strict access controls. The distro can also compartmentalise networks based on their respective security levels using a simple colour-coded system. IPFire also allows you to create custom policies to manage individual networks. For more elaborate control, you can also manage outbound access to the internet from any segment.

IPFire uses a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall that’s built on top of the utility netfilter. It facilities Network Address Translation (NAT), packet filtering and packet mangling. You can set up the firewall for everything from forwarding ports to creating a safe DMZ between your network and internet. The project’s wiki also hosts a 'security hardening' guide to create firewall rules for common scenarios.

The pfSense distro uses the p0f OS fingerprinting utility to allow you to filter traffic based on the operating system initiating the connection. You can also choose to log traffic matching each rule. The OPNsense distro was forked from pfSense and offers pretty much the same features for the firewall and other aspects of the system.

Sophos UTM, unlike the other distros, cuts off all traffic and then enables you to allow specific types, such as web and email, during initial setup. The server also includes an innovative category-based web filter that blocks sites based on the type of content and includes categories such as Drugs, Spam URLs, Nudity, Weapons and so on. It also offers to scan emails sent over POP3 for viruses.

Untangle’s hosted firewall can be set up through an easy to use interface that makes it very straightforward and simple to define rules for firewalling traffic. You can also gain granular control over the traffic by defining complex rules that combine multiple parameters. This might seem like quite an involved process, but it’s made more accessible by abundant use of relevant pull-down menus.

Verdict

• IPFire: 4/5
• OPNsense: 4/5
• pfSense: 4/5
• Sophos UTM: 5/5
• Untangle NG Firewall: 4/5

All the distros in this roundup bundle a lot of other functionality besides a basic firewall. Some distros offer these features as free add-ons while others charge for them. While we’ll list all the functionality provided by each distribution, in order to be fair to the FOSS distros, we’ll rate all of them based on the modules that are available free of charge.

IPFire can be used as: a VPN gateway; an infrastructure server; a content filter; a proxy server; a caching name server; and an update accelerator etc. When used as an internet gateway the distro can connect to the internet through various technologies, encompassing all popular types of broadband access, as well as mobile access, including VDSL, ADSL, Ethernet and 3G/4G.

Both pfSense and OPNsense can operate as a traffic shaper, load balancer and VPN. They both offer three options for VPN connectivity including IPsec, OpenVPN and PPTP. Similarly, you can use the Sophos UTM server as a site-to-site VPN solution and configure it to handle VoIP connections and balance load.

Untangle doesn’t ship with any components pre-installed but its recommended package installs over a dozen applications and services including: a web filter; virus blocker; spam blocker; bandwidth control; application control; captive portal; WAN balancer, as well as a firewall. Some of the applications that Untangle doesn’t install are an ad blocker, intrusion prevention and web cache.

Unlike the other distros, some of the Untangle applications are paid options with a 14-day trial. 

Verdict

• IPFire: 5/5
• OPNsense: 5/5
• pfSense: 5/5
• Sophos UTM: 5/5
• Untangle NG Firewall: 3/5

While servers require more involvement and active maintenance, some aspects of the installation process are, in fact, streamlined i.e. a server distro is designed to take over an entire hard disk which eradicates the need to define partitions. The firewall distros in this roundup go to great lengths to help you mould the installation as per your network configuration. All of them employ browser-based interfaces that can be used to monitor and modify the various components of the firewall. 

Having a graphical interface is crucial – a technologically sound base isn’t enough by itself. A convoluted or illogically arranged management interface will have a direct bearing on a distro’s usability and prevent users from getting the most out of it.

We’ll break this slide down into mini-reviews of the deployment experience, starting with…

IPFire

IPFire is written from scratch and has a straightforward installation process. The installer will detect the number of NICs (Network Interface Controllers) attached to the computer and ask you to assign them to one of the four colour-coded zones. Each of these zones caters to a group of machines that share a common security level. Later on you’ll be asked to assign an IP address to the NIC that’s connected to your internal network. An IP address will be doled out via DHCP.

Once you’ve installed the distro, fire up its browser-based admin interface which is available on the IP address you assigned to the NIC connected to the local network. Head to the Firewall section in the admin interface to define the rules for the firewall. While the interface is simple to use, it requires some expertise for effective deployment. You should also read the documentation thoroughly. 

Score: 3/5

OPNsense

This distro was forked from pfSense and follows the same straightforward installation procedure. After installation, the distro boots to the command-line dashboard which also includes the address of the browser-based admin console. The admin interface is the one major visible difference between the distro and its progenitor. The interface takes you through a brief setup wizard prompting you for information about your network.

Once it’s rebooted with the right settings, head to the Rules section under Firewall. The rules definition interface is presented logically and includes a switch to display relevant help information to explain the various settings. Similarly, configuring the other components of the firewall distro is also a relatively intuitive process. Since the distro has a vast number of settings, you can enter keywords in the search box at the top of the interface to locate the relevant setting.

Score: 4/5

pfSense

The FreeBSD-based distros, pfSense and OPNsense, use the same fairly automated installers, though the original pfSense version offers more advanced options, including the ability to install a custom kernel. Again, just like OPNsense, pfSense boots to a console-based interface that gives you the option to configure the network interfaces on the installed machine.

Once they are all set up and configured, a browser-based console will take you through the setup wizard. The web interface for pfSense has recently been updated giving it a much smoother and more streamlined feel. 

The distro requires you to put some time into learning it, especially if you’re going to use the add-on packages, but the documentation is worth its weight in gold (if printed out).

Score: 3/5

Sophos UTM

To get started with Sophos UTM you have to download the ISO, register on the project’s website, get a user licence and upload it to the server for further configuration. During installation, Sophos asks you to select the NIC connected to the internal network and assign it an IP address, which you can use to access the distro’s browser-based admin interface. You'll also be asked to agree to installation of some proprietary components which are necessary in order to use the distro.

Once installed, you can bring up the browser-based management interface and run through the brief setup during which you can upload the licence. Sophos then locks down all traffic and enables you to 'poke' holes for the type of traffic you wish to allow.

Score: 5/5

Untangle NG Firewall

The Debian-based distro Untangle NG is very easy to set up and is the only distro in this roundup which restarts automatically after installation into the web-based setup wizard. Untangle NG asks you to set the password for the admin user, then to choose and configure the two network cards. One of these connects to the internet and the other to your local network.

Once setup is complete, Untangle prompts you to create a free account in order to configure the server. You’ll then have to install applications, such as the firewall, to enable specific functions. Almost all the applications are preconfigured and run automatically after install. You can also customise each application by clicking the Settings button under it. Untangle’s dashboard also enables you to analyse the traffic passing through the server, and each application will show statistics for its own traffic as well.

Score: 4/5

Virtually all the distros in this roundup offer a range of paid services. IPFire offers paid support through Lightning Wire Labs who provide custom solutions to businesses deploying the firewall. The company also offers customised hardware appliances  to integrate into your network infrastructure.

OPNsense has multiple commercial support options. The annual subscription to the business support package costs €299 (around £260, $360 or AU$450) and includes three hours of technical assistance. You can purchase additional hours if you wish. There are also gold, silver and bronze professional services designed for larger deployments, integrations and custom changes to the distro.

You can also purchase support packages for your pfSense deployment which include technical support, configuration assistance and a configuration review. Furthermore, the pfSense project offers pfSense Training, with the cheapest course starting at $899 (around £660, AU$1,120).

Besides selling a retail version of the Sophos UTM for larger organisations, Sophos offers support packages via its resellers. The firm also has over 40 online and offline training courses on different aspects of the distro. Fees for the courses vary but an introductory two-hour webinar costs $249 (around £185, AU$310).

Untangle sells several components to extend the functionality of the firewall. If you purchase NG Firewall Complete it costs $50 a month (around £40, AU$65) for up to 25 devices. There's a 10% discount for paying annually.

Untangle also sells several hardware appliances with its firewall server preinstalled ranging from the small u25 appliance for $399 (around £295, AU$500) to the firm’s m3000 for $7,599 (around £5,600, AU$9,500).

Verdict

• IPFire: 5/5
• OPNsense: 5/5
• pfSense: 5/5
• Sophos UTM: 5/5
• Untangle NG Firewall: 5/5

Just like paid services, all projects behind the firewall distros in this roundup offer a hefty amount of documentation and support in the form of guides, wikis and forums to help you through the deployment process.

The IPFire project hosts detailed documentation in wikis, as well as its English and German forum boards in addition to an IRC channel and dedicated mailing lists.

OPNsense also has forums, a wiki, IRC and very detailed documentation covering every aspect of deployment. Furthermore, the project has over a dozen how-tos on popular configurations/setups, such as configuring traffic shaping, web filtering and setting up a guest network.

The best source of documentation for the pfSense distro is its handbook which comes with a gold membership subscription. Besides this there’s a wiki, forums, mailing lists and IRC. The wiki hosts a large collection of how-tos, most of which are clear and to the point. The project developers are also very active on social networks, such as Reddit, where users can seek help.

The Sophos website hosts PDFs of the quick-start guide and a 600-page administrator’s guide, in addition to community-supported bulletin boards. There’s also the Sophos Knowledge Base which hosts articles on different aspects of the distro. 

Finally, the Untangle project hosts forums, a FAQ, and its wiki pages have screenshots where applicable, along with some short tutorials.

Verdict

• IPFire: 5/5
• OPNsense: 5/5
• pfSense: 5/5
• Sophos UTM: 5/5
• Untangle NG Firewall: 5/5

A firewall server – just like any other server – needs constant upkeep, whether it’s to install updates or new add-ons. IPFire ships with Pakfire, an extensive package management utility that makes it fairly simple to expand on the basic installation. The package manager also enables updates to address security issues.

Similarly, pfSense also includes a package manager which can be used to install and update packages. The packages are grouped under categories, such as Services and Utility, Security and so forth, and include a wide range of applications, such as Asterisk, Dansguardian, FreeRadius2, Snort, Squid and a lot more. The distro is configured to automatically install new versions of firmware and includes a host of diagnostic tools and utilities to troubleshoot the installation.

OPNsense also supports add-ons via the use of plugins, but doesn’t offer as many packages as you get with pfSense. Like pfSense, OPNSense can fetch and install updates for all the installed components.

There’s no package management option in Sophos UTM as all features are shipped in the distro and you can enable them as required. The distro includes the Up2Date utility for installing updates to the firewall’s firmware, as well as for fetching newer patterns for components, such as the antivirus and the Intrusion Prevention System.

Untangle requires you to use the interface to fetch any components you need. The Reports application monitors and prepares detailed and visually appealing reports about the server as well as its different components. The distro also includes the ability to update the installation and its components. You can configure it to install updates automatically during setup, as well as use the web interface to customise the schedule for the automatic updates.

Verdict

• IPFire: 5/5
• OPNsense: 4/5
• pfSense: 5/5
• Sophos UTM: 4/5
• Untangle NG Firewall: 5/5

While IPFire is based on Linux From Scratch, its browser-based interface is borrowed from the older firewall distro IPCop. The interface has a simple and easy to navigate layout with the different aspects of the firewall server grouped under tabs listed at the top of the page. The System tab houses options to configure the overall installation. This is where you’ll find the option to enable SSH access and create a backup ISO image of IPFire with or without log files. The Status tab shows you an overview of the various components, while the Services tab lets you enable and configure individual services besides the firewall.

The dashboard in pfSense is more verbose than IPFire’s but has pretty much the same layout. The Firewall drop-down menu houses options to define the filtering rules as well as configure the traffic shaper. Settings for other services, such as the load balancer and captive portal, are housed under the Services menu. VPN has its own menu and enables you to configure the various supported VPN protocols. The CLI console on the firewall server displays a dashboard of sorts, as well. In addition to the addresses assigned to the different NICs, it allows you to reset the configuration of the install to the default state and even upgrade the install.

OPNsense has a more refined interface than pfSense. Certain sections, such as when adding firewall rules, include a toggle labelled 'Full Help'. When enabled, this option appends relevant information to fields to help you make the right selection.

Sophos UTM also has a loaded dashboard interface. Among other things, it displays information about the threats that firewall components have blocked in the last 24 hours. You can also use the Search box to narrow down the list of options.

Untangle also has a polished interface. Once you’ve installed an application, it’s enabled automatically and listed in the app rack. Each app has a Settings button for tweaking parameters. The rack also supplies a snapshot of traffic it has processed.

Verdict

• IPFire: 3/5
• OPNsense: 4/5
• pfSense: 2/5
• Sophos UTM: 4/5
• Untangle NG Firewall: 4/5

Deploying a server is as much about personal preference as it is about a product’s technical dexterity. Despite objective testing, the results and our recommendation are influenced by our own preferences. Also, all firewall servers offer much the same functionality, but since this is delivered by different applications, one product might perform a certain task better than the others.

The one distro we definitely do not recommend is Untangle. This isn’t a reflection of its technical inferiority, but the fact that similar functions from its competitors are available cost-free. The majority of Untangle’s apps in the free version are 14-day trials. Even with the paid components, the distro doesn’t offer anything compelling over the others.

We’ve docked pfSense a few points for similar reasons. The distro is a tweaker’s paradise – you can flesh it out into any kind of server. However, unless you’re used to its tools and FreeBSD underpinnings, it’ll only end up confusing you with a myriad options. 

OPNsense, which is a fork of pfSense, has a much better user interface and rewritten components, such as the captive portal.

The runner-up prize goes to IPFire which has an impressive list of features. Its Pakfire package management system helps you to update and expand the initial installation. The distro’s UI also makes it easier to configure several components, such as OpenVPN, when compared with the other offerings here.

The top honour goes to Sophos UTM which is free for managing a network of up to 50 IP addresses, and bundles Sophos Endpoint Protection for up to 10 computers. The distro includes an impressive list of tools, many of which are identical to the paid enterprise edition. We also like that the distro enables the firewall as soon as it’s installed, and allows you to poke holes in the firewall to enable the flow of required traffic. Not only is this the proper way to deploy a firewall, the Sophos wizard makes it easier for inexperienced users to reap the benefits from the get-go.

So, our final rankings are as follows:

1st Place: Sophos UTM – bundles all the essential features with an intuitive UI.

Overall score: 4/5

Web: https://www.sophos.com

2nd Place: IPFire – a secure and expandable distro with a functional management interface.

Overall score: 4/5

Web: http://www.ipfire.org

3rd Place: OPNsense – all the benefits of pfSense with a reimagined UI.

Overall score: 4/5 

Web: https://opnsense.org

4th Place: pfSense – feature rich and fully functional distro, with a simple interface.

Overall score: 3/5

Web: https://www.pfsense.org

5th Place: Untangle NG Firewall – the free version is little more than a demo for the paid version.

Overall score: 2/5

Web: http://ift.tt/Xo6LKb

One popular firewall distro we didn’t include in this roundup is Smoothwall Express. It hasn't had a stable release since 2014, but is still one of the most well-known firewall distros out there. 

Then there’s also the feature-restricted community edition of the Endian Firewall as well as the Zeroshell firewall router distro for embedded devices. You can also add firewall functionality to your existing gateway server. ClearOS and Zentyal are two such systems which can be adapted into firewalls.

If you are the DIY type, it’s possible to build your own firewall appliance with little effort. One approach would be to use an ARM-based computer such as a Raspberry Pi. The website for the IPFire distro provides ARM images to download and install to your Pi’s SD card.

Alternatively you could install a minimal Linux distro, such as Arch Linux, and then use the built-in iptables firewall. To assist you with creating and managing rules, you could also use a graphical tool such as Shorewall. Another approach would be to install and use Ubuntu’s command line tool ufw or its graphical companion Gufw to manage iptables.

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Alexa has come to mobile Amazon Music streaming

Amazon has announced that its digital assistant Alexa is now available in the Amazon Music app on iOS and Android devices. At the moment the feature is only available in the UK, US, Germany and Austria. 

If you’re used to using Alexa on an Echo, or Echo Dot, it will be a slightly different experience, as you won’t have access to the full range of Skills (Amazon’s name for its apps) but will allow you to make more natural track selections.

For example, if you wanted to hear a song but can’t remember the title, you can say “Play the song that goes ‘And I walked off you, And I walked off an old me’’ and Alexa will play Maggie Rogers’ Alaska.

Or if you wanted to have a throwback hits party, you can say ‘Play Justin Timberlake songs from the 2000s’ and Alexa will line up a playlist full of tunes from his early solo work. 

Alexa, go hands-free

Rather than using the ‘Alexa’ command to fire it up as you would on your at-home Alexa device, there will be an Alexa push-to-talk button in your Amazon Music app. Just give it a tap and make your request.

Obviously, having a physical button takes away some of the draw of using a voice interface, but it’s interesting to see Amazon increasing mobile Alexa interfaces, considering the rumors that are doing the rounds about Echo Glasses that would tether to a mobile device.

For now though, you can experience Alexa on your Amazon Music app by simply updating to the latest version of the app in either the App Store or the Google Play Store. 

• For more about Alexa on the go, check out: Echo glasses could be Amazon's next big thing

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Major flaw in macOS High Sierra puts your passwords at risk

Apple has launched the latest version of macOS, High Sierra, with an unpatched zero-day vulnerability in place, a worrying state of affairs even though the flaw is one which theoretically won’t affect the majority of users (at least those who take heed of Gatekeeper’s warnings).

The exploit was discovered by Patrick Wardle, chief security researcher at ‎Synack, and also affects earlier versions of macOS (and OS X for that matter).

It can be delivered by an unsigned app, and is capable of hoovering up all the passwords stored in the macOS keychain (in plain-text, so fully readable), without needing the master password normally required to access the keychain. The user won’t realize anything bad has happened.

Of course, if you try to install an unsigned app under macOS, the operating system will warn you against proceeding. And that’s exactly what Apple pointed out in its defense.

As at ZDNet reports, the company stated: “MacOS is designed to be secure by default, and Gatekeeper warns users against installing unsigned apps, like the one shown in this proof of concept, and prevents them from launching the app without explicit approval.

“We encourage users to download software only from trusted sources like the Mac App Store, and to pay careful attention to security dialogs that macOS presents.”

Fix frustrations

However, Wardle reported the exploit earlier this month, and is disappointed that Apple hasn’t managed to fix the problem for the launch of High Sierra, given that this is a nasty bug that can whip away all your passwords.

And there’s always the prospect of some nefarious type managing to get the exploit into a digitally-signed app, which has happened in the past (using a falsified registration for Apple’s developer program, or indeed simply stolen developer credentials). That would make this threat far more dangerous, of course.

On the subject of revealing the vulnerability before it has been patched, Wardle told ZDNet: “As a passionate Mac user, I'm continually disappointed in the security of macOS … every time I look at macOS the wrong way something falls over. I felt that users should be aware of the risks that are out there – I'm sure sophisticated attackers have similar capabilities.”

Hopefully, now the malware cat is out of the bag in this case, Apple will move swiftly to issue a patch. In the meantime, be careful what you’re installing on your Mac (although that should be your default perspective on software downloads anyway).

• Naturally, a couple of Apple’s MacBooks make our list of best laptops
• Looking to upgrade? Check out the latest cheap Macbook deals
• Don't want a Mac? Then how about a cheap laptop deal?

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You’ll soon be able to buy a Surface Pro or Xbox directly within Windows 10

Following Microsoft’s rebranding of the Windows Store to be the Microsoft Store – at least in the preview version of Windows 10, for now – it seems that the company does indeed plan to sell its own hardware alongside third-party devices via the operating system’s built-in shop, as we previously speculated.

The renaming to Microsoft Store means that Windows 10’s integrated shop falls in line with the branding of the firm’s bricks-and-mortar outlets and web store.

And just like the latter, the Windows 10 store will soon sell hardware including Surface devices, as well as laptops and tablets from third-party manufacturers, Windows phones and the Xbox One (and not just apps and entertainment content, as is currently the case).

According to a report by MS Power User, other devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers (Fitbit is cited as an example) will also be available for purchase.

Hello to convenience

Pretty much everything you can buy from the existing web store, in other words, and having it conveniently accessible directly from within Windows 10 will obviously be a boon in terms of convenience – with purchases easily verified via Windows Hello security.

As mentioned, all this is happening just in the preview version of Windows 10 at the moment, but MS Power User actually managed to purchase a media remote for the Xbox One using the system.

So while this isn’t actually confirmed as yet, given that the system is apparently fully functional even under testing, it certainly seems like this will be happening – possibly when it comes to next month’s big Fall Creators Update for Windows 10.

Another point to note is that the system is also being trialed with Xbox One testers, which adds further weight to the report. But as ever, we can only be 100% certain when Microsoft makes an official announcement.

• One of Microsoft’s Surface devices is on our best laptops list

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Uber's not going down without a fight in London

It’s been an eventful few days for ride-hailing service Uber. On Friday, Transport for London (TfL) announced that it was not granting a renewal of its operating licence, meaning that when its current licence expires on September 30, it will no longer be able to legally operate in the UK capital.

The repercussions of this are far reaching; for the 40,000 drivers currently working for Uber, it will mean their revenue stream will cease, and for the London citizens that use Uber, alternative, often more expensive modes of transport will have to be used. 

It will also be another bump in the road for Uber which is already facing difficult times with allegations (and in some cases convictions) against drivers globally for sexual assault, and former CEO Travis Kalanick having recently been ousted following claims that he fostered a negative workplace culture.

But it looks like Uber is not taking the decision lying down. Almost immediately after the decision became public, Uber took to petition website Change.org to start corralling public support, and so far pretty successfully. At time of writing there are over 740,000 signatures calling for a reversal of the decision.

Adding to this, Uber has made statements to the popular broadsheet the Sunday Times that it was willing to make concessions, claiming that: “While we haven’t been asked to make any changes, we’d like to know what we can do. But that requires a dialogue we sadly haven’t been able to have recently.”

Multi-pronged approach

It does seem like the two organizations are talking at crossed purposes though, as TfL references the reporting process for serious crimes, background checks, and other safety concerns, while Uber is talking about “a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice”.

Taking to Twitter, Uber does directly address TfL’s concerns:

Which does seem to sit at odds to the statement made by Uber’s Head of Cities Fred Jones to BBC radio: “It’s just not clear for us what their concerns might be.”

The Uber Twitter account has been very active (as you might image) in the last few days, using emotive language to talk about keeping driver’s “livelihoods safe and secure”, reminding us that “3.5 million Londoners are able to track their driver’s arrival in-app and know their car is just around the corner,” as well as showing its intent to take to the courts to defend itself:

In response to Uber’s legal strategy, chairman of TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said to the BBC: "What you can't do, is have a situation where unfair pressure is brought on a quasi-judicial body where there are officials working incredibly hard.

"I appreciate Uber has an army of PR experts, I appreciate Uber has an army of lawyers - they've also made aggressive threats about taking us to court."

Bringing out the big guns

And the person that Uber is using to take on TfL is interesting too. According to The Telegraph, it is using barrister Thomas de la Mare, who has a history of beating TfL in court on Uber’s behalf.

Earlier in the year, three restrictions were put on Uber; that it needed all drivers to be insured for private hire even when not transporting people, that it needed a complaints line, and that its drivers were required to take an English test as part of the application process. 

De la Mar managed to get the first two restrictions removed by proving them unlawful. Whether he will manage to do the same again is yet to be seen, but as soon as we know more, we’ll let you know. 

• Looking for an alternative taxi service for if Uber fails to appeal? Check out: Uber alternatives: the best taxi apps for distraught Londoners

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Download of the day – Generative City Free Run

If you’ve played first-person parkour ‘em up Mirror’s Edge, Generative City Free Run’s stark urban style will look familiar. 

Your mission is to jog and hop around the monochrome tower blocks, hunting for a mysterious red shape. Picking this up will cause the city’s buildings to change around you, providing a new challenge.

Track down the red sigil, rinse and repeat. It’s a relaxing way to unwind at the end of the week, and it’s yours free.

To start exploring, download and extract the ZIP archive, then run the file City.exe.

Download here: Generative City Free Run

Download of the Day is our pick of the best free software around – whether it's useful, fun, or just plain silly. If you have any recommendations, please send them to downloads@techradar.com.

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Uber has lost its license to operate in London

Uber has lost its license to operate in London, dealing a massive blow to the hugely-popular-yet-beleaguered taxi-hailing app company.

The company's current license to operate in the British capital expires on September 30. Its drivers can continue to operate until that date, but Uber has just 21 days to appeal the ruling.

Transport for London (TfL), which regulates public transport in the city, said the company was not a "fit and proper" operator in its ruling, stating that "Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility", particularly with regard to policing its drivers.

Thousands of drivers in limbo

Uber has more than 40,000 drivers on its books in London, with 3.5 million Londoners using the app to hire cars. 

While it's been praised for its ease of use, GPS-based pick-ups and affordable fares, Uber has regularly faced criticism from London's traditional black cab services, who argue that Uber's financial practices and lack of regulation amount to unfair competition. 

TfL also found fault with Uber's "approach to explaining the use of Greyball in London – software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties".

Responding to the ruling, Tom Elvidge, General Manager of Uber in London said: "By wanting to ban our app from the capital, Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice."

"If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.

"To defend the livelihoods of all those drivers, and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners who use our app, we intend to immediately challenge this in the courts."

Cabs and controversy

Uber has frequently courted controversy around the globe prior to today's ruling. Uber's driver hiring practices circumvent some of the license requirements that other operators have to deal with, while there have been numerous allegations of rape and assault against its drivers.

At a board level, meanwhile, Uber's former CEO Travis Kalanick was ousted following claims that he fostered a negative workplace culture in which sexual harassment was commonplace.

Today's ruling, in one of the world's leading capital cities, will set a troubling precedent for Uber, with other cities and countries in which it faces opposition now likely buoyed to take firmer action against the company.

• Alliance of car manufacturers takes on Uber with its own driverless cab service 

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Download of the day – Planetarium

Planetarium, as its developer is keen to point out, isn’t a game – it’s a planet generator – but it’s great fun to tinker with. 

You can make your own planet using the small selection of controls, but the real fun is in discovering the 250-odd planets it already contains. These can be found by typing  words into the search box at the bottom right, then tapping Enter to see what appears. Move your mouse over the planet – if you’ve been lucky, you’ll see a description written by the planet’s creator.

The Planetarium Subreddit contains a list of planets discovered by players. If you find something interesting, you can take a screenshot by tapping 4 on your keyboard. Planetarium is only available for Windows at the time of writing.

Download here: Planetarium

Download of the Day is our pick of the best free software around – whether it's useful, fun, or just plain silly. If you have any recommendations, please send them to downloads@techradar.com.

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The best free Mac photo editor 2017

The best free Mac video editor 2017

The best free Instagram video downloader 2017

Since 2013, Instagrammers have been able to upload short video clips alongside their retro-filtered photos, but if you see one you love there’s no way to save it within the official app. That’s why you need a dedicated Instagram video downloader.

There are far fewer video downloaders for Instagram than there are for YouTube, and the quality varies enormously, so we’ve rounded up the very best. Some are desktop software, while others are web-based, but all will help you grab the clips you want quickly and easily.

Make sure you get permission from the account holder before downloading videos from Instagram. Here, we’ll be grabbing our own clips from the TechRadar Instagram feed.

1. 4K Stogram

Download whole Instagram channels with just a couple of clicks

4K Stogram is a brilliant free Instagram video downloader for Windows, macOS and Linux. Unlike most Instagram video downloaders, which rely on you manually copying and pasting an URL from your web browser, 4K Stogram can find videos and still images for you using a username, hashtag or location. Just type it in, tap [Enter], and a list of photos and videos will be displayed and downloaded without any further input from you. 4K Stogram will keep going until it’s grabbed everything matching your search term, or you click the ‘Stop update’ button on the top right.

You can link 4K Stogram directly to your own Instagram account so it automatically downloads all the images you post, and upgrading to the paid version lets you follow multiple accounts.

You can even subscribe to all the accounts you’re following on Instagram, but this would result in thousands of photos and videos pouring onto your hard drive, so it's probably best to give it a miss

4K Stogram is a truly remarkable tool – the best free Instagram video downloader by miles.

Download here: 4K Stogram 

2. WinX YouTube Downloader

Download videos from Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo and over 300 other sites

Most general-purpose video downloaders don’t cover Instagram, but WinX YouTube Downloader is the exception. It’s not optimized for Instagram like 4K Stogram, and won't download Instagram feeds automatically, but it works well and has the added advantage of working with over 300 other sites, including Vimeo and Facebook.

Copy an Instagram video’s URL from your web browser and click the ‘Add link’ button on the top left. Don’t worry about the YouTube logo splashed all over the interface – it’s just for show.

The video will be analyzed to determine the best way to encode it (this might take a few seconds) and some file information will appear. Don’t be alarmed that there’s no preview, and the video length is set to zero seconds – this is a bug and doesn’t actually affect anything. You can add multiple video links to the playlist before clicking the Download button on the bottom right, which will save your videos in MP4 format in the destination of your choice.

It's not quite perfect, but WinX YouTube Downloader’s flexibility makes it our second favorite tool for grabbing Instagram videos.

Download here: WinX YouTube Downloader

3. Free Instagram Download

A less elaborate desktop video downloader, but fast and simple to use

Media software developer DVDVideoSoft makes one of our favorite YouTube downloaders, so it’s no surprise that its Instagram video downloader is also one of the best. 

Free Instagram Download is very simple to use; just open an Instagram video in your web browser, copy the URL from the address bar, then click the green ‘Paste’ button followed by ‘Download’ to save it in MP4 format. So far so simple, but take a look under the Tools menu and you’ll find a wealth of settings to customize downloads, including the ability to download via a proxy, and shut down your PC once it’s finished. 

The premium version of Free Instagram Download offers additional features like the ability to download whole playlists and automatic updates, but the free version is still excellent and far superior to browser-based alternatives.

Download here: Free Instagram Download

4. DownloadGram

A great looking online Instagram downloader, with a few unusual quirks

DownloadGram is a web-based Instagram video and photo downloader, which means you can use it on any device with a browser. It looks great too, with very minimal ads, but the interface is a little strange; you paste in the video URL, then click Download. After a moment, a second button will appear, labeled ‘Download again’. Very strange, since its meta description makes a virtue of "one-click downloads".

The site also has scrollbars disabled, so you might need to adjust the size of your browser window to see the second button, though it scales nicely for mobile devices.

Your chosen video will be saved in MP4 format, with a string of numbers as a filename; as with other online Instagram video downloaders, there’s no way to choose what it’s called, pick a quality setting, or select a destination.

If that doesn’t bother you, and you only want to grab one or two videos in a hurry, DownloadGram is a slick, smart way to do it.

Try it online: DownloadGram

5. Instagram Video Downloader

A downloader with a handy video player to preview clips before saving them

Instagram Video Downloader is another web-based tool, and although it lacks the slick style of DownloadGram, it gets the job done quickly and efficiently.

Once you've pasted in the URL of a video, Instagram Video Downloader provides a preview in a mini media player so you can double-check before you commit to saving it. Once you’re happy, click the icon on the right-hand side of the player and it will be saved to your Downloads folder in MP4 format.

That’s all there is to it. There are no download quality or format options, but it has the essentials covered. The site doesn’t scale nicely for mobile devices though, and it's rather heavy on the ads, which pushes it down into fifth place.

Try it online: Instagram Video Downloader

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