Shadow Professional for Windows

This feature-filled application claims to prevent recording of your online and offline activities, but it failed to prevent some Web-surfing traces in our tests.

Shadow Professional's slick interface has two prominent buttons to start and stop the Privacy mode. Configuring the program's settings is made easier with the clean, well-designed windows for the various functions. In addition to blocking traces in several Windows system areas, the program can erase tracks from popular browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox. Support for other applications is overwhelming, and surpasses what's found in most tools of this type. In addition to a secure file shredder, Shadow Professional throws in a Disk Wiper to shred unused space in your hard drive.

We were impressed with the program's ability to clear the tracks of offline activities, but found that cookies and Web sites were still recorded when in Privacy mode. Shadow Professional's design and feature set are top-notch, but users needing online protection may need to look elsewhere.