Identity Finder's new free privacy application

(Credit: CNET)

Identity Finder released a free version of its Windows privacy application that's aimed at in-betweeners who worry enough about identity fraud to seek a privacy application, but not enough to trade vigilance for cash.

Of course, that's only one way to look at Identity Finder Free, introduced Thursday. Another is its role to attract spenders to a product family they may not otherwise be aware of or interested in. And why not? All's fair in business promotions during acute economic decline.

Identity Finder Free, a light version of Identity Finder Home Edition, retains the application's core purposes of searching your PC, and Firefox, or Internet Explorer browser, for passwords, credit card details, and other sensitive information a data thief could easily use to hijack your identity--and then destroying them at your say-so.

The application installs a shared start-up window for both Free and Home editions. From there you'll check a box to use the limited free version a single time, or every time thereafter.

The free version won't scour your e-mail messages and attachments, generate reports, or search in the background--for those features you'll need to upgrade to the $24.95 version. (Compare versions here.)