• What exactly do you mean by "automatic application of program network access rules"?
• How are these rules created and how do I get updated security product configurations?
• What is the ImproveNet system and why is it useful for me?
• What information is sent to Agnitum from an ImproveNet participating user? What privacy concerns are expected or planned for the future? How can you assure me that no personal information is sent to you?
• Why are so few presets available after the installation?

What exactly do you mean by "automatic application of program network access rules"?

With this system in Outpost products, rules that govern how various applications on your computer access the Internet will be automatically configured and applied based on the extensive default settings worked out by experts for each of the most popular software packages people use. This eliminates a lot of decisions a user has to make when a new connection is initiated on their PC. It relieves the end-user of having to correctly (and more importantly securely) configure the security product to handle different programs' access. Before this innovation, inexperienced users reported difficulties managing their firewall, but the addition of automatic rules creation makes working with the program amazingly simple by actual user reports and reviews.

Advanced users (who understand the inner workings of network traffic) can choose to disable this option during installation of Outpost or on the Policy tab of the Settings menu for Outpost Firewall Pro (versions up to and including 4.0) and Outpost Security Suite Pro 2007 or on the ImproveNet page for Outpost Firewall Pro 2008/2009/7 and Outpost Security Suite Pro 2008/2009/7.

How are these rules created and how do I get updated security product configurations?

Based on the configuration files sent to us from participating users through the ImproveNet program (described below), Agnitum security engineers collect and evaluate actual working data on thousands of network-enabled applications.

New automated access rules are prepared based on these reports and configuration files are distributed via the Agnitum Update service to users. These updated rules are automatically applied on each user's machines, so that your copy of Outpost is continually brought up to date with today's constantly evolving software.

What is the ImproveNet system and why is it useful for me?

ImproveNet is an opt-in system where participating users allow their copy of Outpost to automatically send its firewall configuration file to the Agnitum security experts so they can continually keep Outpost products on the cutting edge by creating new application access rules and global firewall settings to be distributed to all Outpost users. The aim is to keep abreast of new or modified Internet-accessing applications in order to keep our end-users safe and to maintain Outpost products' well-deserved reputation as the most reliable security product solution available anywhere in the world.

ImproveNet relieves users of having to decide on all their firewall security rules. It gives them the option to network with other Outpost users and Agnitum's engineers to share configurations and gain access to universally-applicable Internet access security rules. Users simply select a check a box in the Outpost interface to give their permission for rules they create to be automatically reported to Agnitum engineers. Our engineers check the rules for validity and then automatically distribute them to all other users by the Agnitum Update tool.

Users benefit by seeing far fewer action prompt windows, so their computing experience is less interrupted, since Outpost applies automatic presets based on these shared rules. And, because they do not need to manually create their own rules, the primary cause of firewall failure-configuration errors-is eliminated and security is greatly increased. Updates are automatically delivered daily, so the need to manually configure rules for new or uncommon software is minimized.

The following scenarios are possible:

Scenario #1

An ImproveNet contributing member approves her copy of Outpost to automatically share any new application's access configuration to be evaluated by an Agnitum security specialist. After our engineers have looked at these shared rules and approved them, a corresponding allowing ruleset is created and distributed to other ImproveNet participants. This greatly simplifies our engineers' mission of providing secure access configurations for new or obscure programs:

Scenario #2

The overall situation is the same, but this time a volunteer sends out an incorrect or incomplete rule for a program, so no coherent set of rules for that particular software can be worked out. Our Agnitum specialists examine the rule and adjudicate that no ruleset should be issued. As a result, the volunteer's rule is disregarded and dropped.

Scenario #3

Occasionally a contributor (either unknowingly or maliciously) sends out a configuration for harmful software (virus, worm, Trojan, or other malware) and our specialists create a denying ruleset for that malware and distribute it to our subscribers. As a result, recipients get a product configuration that automatically prevents network access to dangerous software.

What information is sent to Agnitum from an ImproveNet participating user? What privacy concerns are expected or planned for the future? How can you assure me that no personal information is sent to you?

No personal information is sent and there is no conceivable need to ever have personal info sent. That is completely not the purpose of ImproveNet, which is simply a method of improving the general security of people's computer systems in order to prevent personal data being accessed. The only data that is sent to our engineers is technical details about Internet-requesting applications.

No personally identifying data is sent or needed. No IP addresses, MAC addresses or any other user-specific information is communicated. The following data is all that is sent for an application: its name, version number, local path, and its own unique ID (software ID, not registration ID). The following data is all that is sent for the connection: its direction (incoming or outgoing), its protocol, and the port number(s) it uses. The following data is all that is sent for the general connection type: Internet, local (localhost), or local network (whether it's class A, B, or C).

We are very serious about maintaining user privacy and anonymity, and our engineers receive only technical data to identify an application and how it interacts on the Internet.

For a version with the same number the information is strictly fixed. In versions after Outpost Firewall Pro 3.5 there may be possible additions, such as application component control data.

Why are so few presets available after the installation?

We will be updating and expanding the current configuration with the ImproveNet-distributed presets.

Program rules are created as needed. For each application, there will be only those rules which have been required at least once. Application rules are applied only in cases where the software ID information of a particular application matches that written in the presets files. If there is no match, the Rules Wizard will be displayed and a user can select the appropriate action from a drop-down menu of choices.