St. Petersburg, Russia - February 9, 2006 - While it might seem that everyone's into social networking these days, Agnitum is introducing security networking. The latest version of Outpost Firewall Pro empowers users to share advice and configuration skills - automatically - with the ImproveNet security community network. Firewall configurations can now be created and updated automatically, with user consent, while the actual configuration of the firewall is handled remotely in the background by Agnitum security professionals.
Other improvements in the new version include an upgraded anti-spyware plug-in that ensures sensitive areas of users' PC are constantly monitored for possible spyware activity, and a more intuitive, customizable logging system.
"These improvements, like those that have gone before, have been implemented in furtherance of Agnitum's mission," states Global Vice President of Sales & Marketing Mikhail Penkovsky. "All of our efforts are dedicated to ensuring that the Internet is a safe place for everyone, and that unnecessary or cumbersome restrictions should not prevent the user from enjoying the benefits of the Internet community. And we're delighted to add to the productiveness of that community with the introduction of ImproveNet."
ImproveNet Creating the rules for applications in Outpost is now significantly easier. ImproveNet relieves users of the need to set all their firewall security rules themselves by giving them the option to network with other Outpost users and Agnitum engineers to share configurations and gain access to universally-applicable Internet access security rules. Users simply check a box in the Outpost interface to give their permission for rules they create to be automatically reported to Agnitum engineers. The engineers check the rules for validity and then automatically distribute them to all other users through the Agnitum Update tool.
Users benefit by seeing far fewer action prompt windows, ensuring a less-interrupt-driven computing experience, because Outpost will apply automatic presets based on the rules, adjusted by other users. And because they do not need to manually create their own rules, the primary cause of firewall failure - configuration errors - is removed, increasing security while reducing user input. Updates are delivered daily, so the need to manually configure rules is minimized.
Smart spyware sensor Because spyware continues to be a serious threat, smart but not overly restrictive protection should always be in place; so Agnitum has incorporated a spyware sensor into Outpost's active connections monitor. When a new application requests network access for the first time, it is automatically checked for spyware by the sensor, so that malware cannot hitch a ride on the application and infect the host. It also ensures that resource usage is kept at optimal level in those instances when continuous spyware protection might cause an unacceptable performance hit - for example, if the computer is being used to play a demanding PC game.
Flexible logging system The improved logging system in Outpost 3.5 uses fewer system resources and provides easier-to-read logs. The program can now log specific application activities by defining log exclusions for a particular Internet or network activity. The logging system includes optimized default settings, with disabled logging for specific rules to allow or deny a connection. Advanced users will appreciate the flexibility of being able to create custom logging exclusions for peer-to-peer or NetBIOS communications, which can generate significant number of log records.
About Outpost Firewall Pro Outpost Firewall Pro (http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost ) provides a superior arsenal of defense against PC infiltration by denying unauthorized access to remote hackers and protecting against data theft, denial-of-service attacks, privacy violation, Trojan horses, spyware and other malicious code. Uniquely among personal firewalls, Outpost supports an ecosystem of third-party developers whose complementary offerings can be integrated directly into the firewall through the built-in plug-in system. Outpost Firewall Pro is one of the most reliable firewalls for Windows, a fact proven by many independent reviews and millions of happy users around the world.
About Agnitum Ltd. Agnitum Ltd. (www.agnitum.com ) is a software development company committed to delivering and supporting high quality security software products. Agnitum offers two headline products - Outpost Firewall PRO, securing personal and family desktops, and Outpost Office Firewall, ensuring reliable endpoint protection and performance for corporate networks. Agnitum delivers computer security solutions to large organizations, small and medium businesses, as well as home PC users.
Editor's Note: Review copies of Outpost Firewall Pro 3.5 are available on request.
Agnitum USA Pat Bitton pbitton@agnitum.com Phone: 707 268 8968
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