Outpost FAQ version 0.2

[Mikhail]

This is Outpost FAQ version 0.2. Please ignore spelling and grammer error, we will proofread it later. Please post what questions should we include in it.

What is Outpost?
Outpost Firewall is the most feature-packed Personal Firewall for Windows in the world. It gives peace of mind from any threats by Cookies, Ads, E-mail viruses, Backdoors, Spyware, Crackers, Adware and virtually every other Internet danger.

What is the main difference between Outpost and other personal Firewalls?
This is the first firewall that supports plug-ins so its capabilities can easily be extended by other developers. It is also most feature-packed Personal Firewall for Windows. Plus Agnitum Outpost looks like typical Office application.

What makes Outpost unique?
Agnitum Outpost is the first personal firewall for Windows developed with Open Architecture. The Open Development Process proved its efficiency with the development of the Internet and with Linux. No company can be as fast, flexible and innovative at enhancing a closed product as thousands of developers from different countries all working on an open one.

It is open source?
Partially. We published open source for Attack Detection and Content plug-in.

What does BETA version mean?
BETA version has some bugs and design flaws. Most likely you will NOT experience any bug with Outpost BETA version. Based on our alpha testing experience it runs fine and stable on most PC. It should not be installed in critical environment.

Where I can download Outpost development documentation?
Translation of development documentation is in progress.

What is system requirements for Outpost?
Software
· Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP (in progress)
· Can work with any browser (Opera, Netscape, Internet Explorer and others)
Hardware
· Any network connection (dial-up, DSL, ISDN, Cable, T1, Satellite or other)
· Pentium 100 or higher
· 32MB of RAM or more
· 6 MB Harddisk space

Is Outpost do application level filtering or network level filtering?
Outpost filters both intercepting TDI and NDIS requests.

Does Outpost loads very first?
Outpost loads very first and resides in the lowest possible level of operation system.

Can Outpost fileter RAW_SOCKET?
Yes.

Can Outpost block Trojan if it resides in driver or sends information directly to Network card?
Yes

Does Outpost pass Leak Test (supports MD5 application authentication)?
Yes, Outpost supports all the latest security techniques and features

Does Outpost make my system stealth?
Yes, Outpost supports all the latest security techniques and features.

Why do you recommend uninstalling any other personal firewall before installing Outpost?
Because if you have more then one firewall installed you may and most likely will have following problems if you decide to run more then one firewall on your PC:
1. Blue Screens, system freezing or sudden system reboots
2. Everything will be allowed for all application. Nothing will be blocked
3. All your application and system activity will be blocked and you will not be able to connect to any site
4. System will be unable to boot
5. Plus every possible error that you can imagine.
Note that it relates not only to Outpost but to any personal firewalls available.

You are wrong, I have Outpost and another firewall running on one PC without a single problem.
Two or more firewalls can run on one PC. We just want to tell you that if something will go wrong, please do not say we do not warn you.

I disabled my firewall run at start up before installing Outpost. Is it safe to install Outpost now?
Please also note that if you disable your firewall to start at boot-up or simply shutdown firewall it does not help much because most personal firewalls will leave its drivers and services in memory anyway.

I select to install Outpost to driver D why Agnitum Outpost Update was installed on C?
Agnitum Outpost Update is shared component of all Agnitum Products. It should install itself in C: no matter what folder you had selected during installation.

Can I install Outpost on the server?
Outpost was designed to run at workstation connected to local network or Internet. You can install Outpost on the server but we do not recommend you to do it. Outpost does not have some important features that server version must have – for example creating rules based on network adapters. Plus some plug-ins would not work in server version.

What features Outpost for Servers will have?
NAT, different rules for different interface just to name a few. We also wish to include simple FTP, POP, SMTP, WWW, PROXY servers in this version.

How can I get new version of Outpost?
Just run Agnitum Update. Everything else including downloading components, updating files making changes in registry is done 100% automatically. It is no-brainer.

How can I configure Outpost on my PC?
It needs no configuration before using-it starts protecting your system as soon as it's installed. When application tries to access Internet for first time just select to you want to trust it or not. Certainly if you want to make more advanced rules and fine tune Outpost it is no problem.

Why some banners was not blocked by Advertisement Blocking plug-in?
Outpost will block about 90% of all banners just after start up. Outpost will filter banners if the link of the banner contain one of the stop words from adblocking list. You can use trashcan or add your block words manually (for more information read User Guide).

Shame on you. You do let webmasters earn money showing ads to good information resources!
No, we just give user an option to block it. The decision is up to user.

Comparison chart looks like regular marketing hype.
We are trying to make it objective and impartial. If you have a suggestion how can we improve it or found a error please do contact us.

I see many “connection request” in Attack detection log. What is it? Is it port scanning?
Connection request is single access to any closed port on the local PC. It should be considered as non-legitimate action. Outpost will display “Port Scan” message if several suspicious packets are received from one remote host within a specified time interval. For more information please read presets.lst file.

I discovered a bug. What should I do?
Report it to Agnitum via online forum.

Will final version be free for me?
We plan to leave Outpost free for home, business and educational use. Outpost PRO will be trial.

Where I can find documentation for Outpost?
There is only Getting Started available. User Guide and HTML help coming soon.

How can I receive support for Outpost.
Outpost's FREE license includes minimal support. You can post your question on Agnitum Support Forum and most likely forum members or Agnitum employees will help you. But, to receive more comprehensive or personal support, please contact sales@agnitum.com

What do you think about Outpost yourself?
To be modest - It is best personal firewall ever created in the Earth.

Frequently unanswered questions
· When it will be released as non-BETA?
· Are there any Trojans in Outpost?
· Is Outpost spyware?
· Why do not you keep all versions of Outpost FREE?
· Can you please send me all source codes of Outpost?
· When you will fix the bug I have?
· How much will PRO version will cost?
· What features will you add in PRO version?
· Why you do not answer frequently unanswered question?

[Mark]

Mikhail,

Can I help you improve the English of these FAQ's?

Regards,
Mark

[AlexE]

I select to install Outpost to driver D why Agnitum Outpost Update was installed on C?
Agnitum Outpost Update is shared component of all Agnitum Products. It should install itself in C: no matter what folder you had selected during installation.

"It's not a bug, it's a feature"
B.G.
I hope you've caught my thought .

[Mikhail]

Mark, I appriciate your offer. But we have already an aggrement with other man who amend and proofread docs for us. Thank you very much.

I hope you've caught my thought

Sure

[Dash]

Does Outpost block referers? I don't see any mention of them. If it does, does it do it automatically or do I have to adjust settings?

[Mikhail]

Yes, it blocks referers. This feature is disabled by default. You can change it in active content plug-in options.

[Petersen]

Hi!

Thanks for the FAQ.

But I still have to comment the last paragraph!

You mention several frequently unanswered questions, and I can understand
that you do not answer all of them...

BUT:
Why can't you simply answer a question like
"is outpost spyware"?
This is beyond me!

Don't misunderstand me, I do not want to claim that there may be spyware
or something else which is bad inside, nevertheless:

I don't think that it is good for people's confidence and trust to explicitly
state not to answer such a question.

Just my opinion, apart from that I really this product.


Petersen

[Mikhail]

Asking "is outpost spyware" is like asking "are you a fool?"

Can you imagine that any developer if his brains is okay answers "Yes, we produce spyware".

[Petersen]

Hi!

You said:
*
Asking "is outpost spyware" is like asking "are you a fool?"

Can you imagine that any developer if his brains is okay answers "Yes, we produce spyware".
*


Of course not, please, be serious.
Any company would say: No, we don't produce it.

But it would still be quite interesting for the public to get a statement like:
"We assure you, we don't produce any spyware."

This, for sure, would not prevent a company from lying, but it would give a
starting point for public reactions, should there be found any spyware some
time later.

And there are companies that say explicitly: We don't build in spyware.

If this is not true, the public knows what to think about it for the future.


But please keep in mind:
I never claimed that I think your product has spyware built in, it's just that
such frequently unanswered questions leave some bad taste...


Petersen

[Dash]

So if, in active content, the Referer is enabled, that means that it Outpost allows them? If I set Referers to disable, it blocks them?

[WizzOzz]

Originally posted by Dash
So if, in active content, the Referer is enabled, that means that it Outpost allows them? If I set Referers to disable, it blocks them?

Correct.

Enabled: Referers are send for all pages
Disabled: Referers are blocked for all pages

WizzOzz

[Mikhail]

If this is not true, the public knows what to think about it for the future.

Okay I'll remove it from "unanswered questions".