Sometimes it seems that the battle to protect our personal computers from hackers, viruses, Trojan horses and other unwelcome visitors is never-ending. Just as quickly as one set of security "holes" is plugged, others emerge to be exploited by the mischievous and the malevolent. Fortunately, the arsenal of software tools that can defend against the barrage of attacks also continues to evolve.

This week I decided to take a look at some of the latest and most innovative PC security software offerings. The first, DriveShield Plus from Centurion Technology (www.centuriontech.com), adopts a radical approach to security issues that, while not appropriate for everyone, provides an interesting option.