WRQ Announces Immediate Availability of AtGuard 3.0 – A Powerful Set
Of Internet Tools Offering Strong Protection Against Vandal Programs,
Reduced Spam and Site-Specific Settings for Ad-Blocking
PC-Level Firewall Protects Against Back Orifice, NetBus, Picture.exe and
More – Fail-Safe Protection for PC’s with Cable Modem and xDSL Persistent
Connections
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ — WRQ today announced availability of WRQ
AtGuard(TM) 3.0 during an on-stage demonstration at David Coursey’s
Showcase ’99 conference. AtGuard 3.0 is a powerful IP filtering tool
that
provides Internet users with greater PC-level protection, enhances privacy,
and dramatically faster download speeds by selectively filtering advertising
banners and complex graphics.
What’s New in AtGuard 3.0
AtGuard 3.0 (formerly @Guard) puts control and choice for Internet
performance, privacy and protection back in the hands of the user.
New features and enhancements include:
* Specific protection against Back Orifice, NetBus and vandal programs
(TCP, UDP) when the firewall is activated.
* Selectively blocks Active X, Java Applets and Java Script that can
transport malicious programs or cause “website trapping.”
* Reduces spam by allowing the user to block HTTP header information in a
browser that contains a user’s email address. To see how much information a
user reveals to a web site go to http://snoop.cdt.org/. This is a free service
available from The Center for Democracy & Technology.
* New Dashboard user interface reveals behind the scenes web site
activities previously invisible to the user — change settings with a
single
click.
* Allows Per-site Settings to offer users more choice for viewing and
customizing their top sites.
Codie Award Finalist
AtGuard 2.x has been selected from a field of more than 900 nominees as a
finalist in the Software Publishers Association (SPA) Codie Awards. As one of
five finalists in the Web Enhancement Tool category, AtGuard was judged on its
ability to enhance the functionality of the Internet.
“Many of the new features and enhancements in AtGuard 3.0 come as a result
of feedback from the more than 100,000 Internet users who have downloaded
AtGuard during the past six months,” said Chris Rogers, market manager, WRQ.
“In addition to rave reviews from users, we’re very pleased to have AtGuard
recognized by industry influencials who chose the finalists for the Software
Publishers Association Codie Awards.”
Protective Perimeter
Created by WRQ, the maker of Reflection connectivity solutions and Express
software management solutions, AtGuard’s personal firewall capabilities create
a protective perimeter around a PC. With the increasing importance of security
for Internet, intranet and extranet resources, IT managers can use AtGuard to
prevent telecommuters and mobile users from becoming an undesirable backdoor
to corporate networks. Individuals, especially those with persistent
connections such as cable modems and xDSL, can activate the firewall
as a
fail-safe barrier to protect and control access to their PCs. Access to and
from the PC can be limited by application, network port, IP address or even to
a particular time period. Settings are password protected.
Enhanced Internet Privacy
In addition to new safeguards to reduce spam and unwanted email, AtGuard
enhances privacy on the Internet by giving users the choice to allow or deny
cookie and referer field reporting of personal or corporate information back
to a web site. Many web sites download cookies onto the hard drive of a PC to
track users on a site. Referer fields tell a web site the previous
site visited. A user may choose to allow cookie or referer field
reporting on trusted sites such as subscription-based sites,
brokerage sites or a site they
visit frequently. However, a user searching the Internet may choose to deny
reporting, protecting their privacy.
Performance
The new per-site settings will allow users to customize their favorite
sites to selectively block advertising banners and significantly
speed Internet performance. Corporate, mobile, small business and
home users save
time and money with a faster Internet experience. Users can further customize
sites by putting heavy unwanted graphics in the “Trashcan.” In
addition, animated GIFs cycle once, then stop. For modem users on
standard phone lines
the increase in speed is especially dramatic.
Pricing
The manufacturer’s recommended retail price for the individual product is
$29.95 (US). AtGuard can be purchased in discounted volume packs of
10, 50 and 100 through select Internet resellers. Customized volume
purchases
are available directly from WRQ. A 30-day free trial is available.
More information about AtGuard is available on http://www.atguard.com.
System Requirements
AtGuard works with leading browsers on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows
NT 4 platforms. The Microsoft TCP/IP network protocol is required.
WRQ — When It Has to Work Right
WRQ, established in 1981, develops software to connect, manage, and secure
networked information systems. These software solutions help IT managers
reduce network complexity and manage costs, while exceeding expectations for
quality. WRQ products are backed by WRQ’s award-winning Guide
Services customer support program.
WRQ, Inc., is the 17th largest PC software company in the U.S.
(Soft-Letter). It has offices throughout the world and distributes
products in
more than 50 countries through a worldwide distribution network. For more
information, contact WRQ, 1500 Dexter Avenue North, Seattle, WA
98109. Phone: 800-872-2829 or 206-217-7100. Fax: 206-217-0211.
E-mail: info@wrq.com. Web: http://www.wrq.com.