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Policy Tab

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Policy options

This tab covers options to do with what Policy mode Outpost is in and Outpost's Trusted Zone. It is split into 2 different sections:

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1 - Policy mode

You can select what policy mode Outpost is in by selecting a policy and clicking on the 'OK' button. There are 5 different modes you can put Outpost in:

1. Allow Most mode
   In this mode all communication is allowed unless you have created a rule blocking that type of communication. Some firewalls don't block communication by default, instead they allow it, if you have switched from such a firewall to Outpost you may prefer Outpost to operate in the same way. If you do, use this mode.
2. Rules Wizard mode
   In this mode Outpost will follow all current rules, but if communication is attempted that doesn't match a rule a window will appear telling you about the communication attempt and asking you what you want Outpost to do. Use this mode when you want to create rules for an application not in Outpost's Application list.
3. Block Most mode
   In this mode all communication is blocked unless you have created a rule allowing that type of communication. Use this mode once you have created rules for all your applications that access the Internet. You may also want to switch to this mode, if you are leaving your computer on but will not be at the keyboard (so that any communication attempts not governed by an existing rule will be blocked), or if you are using an application that takes you away from the desktop (such as a game) and don't want to be pulled back to the desktop when connection requests are made that don't meet an existing rule.
4. Stop All mode
   In this mode all communication is blocked. Nothing will be allowed to send or receive, use this mode when you want to temporarily turn off Internet/LAN connections without actually disconnecting.
5. Disable mode
   In this mode all communication is Allowed. Everything will be allowed to send or receive, use this mode when you want to temporarily run without a firewall without having to shutdown Outpost.

Do not confuse Policy mode with 'Stealth mode', this is something quite different and operates irrespective of what Policy mode you are in.

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2 - Trusted Zone

This section allows you to specify IP addresses or hosts that Outpost should not block communication from. You should be careful about adding hosts to the Trusted Zone, only do so if you completely trust the host as doing so effectively makes you not have a firewall (from the point of view of the entries in the Trusted Zone) as all communication will be allowed to and from the host(s).

You can see in the image above that I have added a host to my Trusted Zone. cripplecock is the name of my brothers PC (we have a very small LAN - just two PC's) and Outpost has resolved cripplecock's Network cards IP address too. I have added his computer to the Trusted Zone so that all communication is allowed from his PC to mine (the one with the Internet connection). I use a local proxy server from AnalogX (it's free ;) ) to allow his PC to access the Internet, but I can still control exactly what he can and can't do on the Internet because the proxy server is on my PC and I use Outpost to create rules for the Proxy server. In this way cripplecock has complete access to my PC, but restricted access to the Internet.

If you are adding hosts/IP's to your Trusted Zone that are on your LAN don't forget to allow NetBIOS traffic to that host/IP as well.

Entries for communication to and from the Trusted Zone will appear as Trusted Zone in the Allowed log.

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Outpost and the Outpost logo are ©Agnitum Software

This is an unofficial guide, the information expressed here may differ from Agnitum's. There is a support forum (no longer run by Agnitum, but by users) if you need more help this is a good place to start. Where information here conflicts with what Agnitum have told you always go with the information given to you by Agnitum.

Guide/site and images ©Stephen Cox