ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, December 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The security experts at Agnitum, developers of the Outpost Pro security product line, are pleased to announce the availability of Outpost Security Suite Free 7.0, the first comprehensive security suite to protect Windows users from the full range of cyberthreats at no charge.

"We believe users have a right to feel secure when they go online," said Vitaly Yanko, Agnitum's Director for Marketing and Sales. "We also feel that security should go beyond separate free firewalls, free anti-virus, and free anti-spam. For those reasons, we made the groundbreaking decision to launch a free version of our popular Outpost Security Suite Pro to give users 360 degrees of protection whenever they go online.

"However helpful on an individual basis, "point" products that address separate aspects of everyday online activity fail to address a broad range of web-borne security issues. Against this background, Outpost Security Suite Free stands out as the first fully-functional, industry-certified all-in-one security solution to be made available free of charge".

The new Outpost Security Suite Free 7.0 (OSS Free) brings ease-of-use and transparency for non-expert users who want to feel protected online without the expense and sometimes steep learning curve of a commercial product. Right out of the box, OSS Free provides robust, easy-to-use protection with optimal default settings to address web-borne threats including known and zero-day viruses, spyware, hacker attacks and intrusions, spam, and more.

Outpost Security Suite Free builds on the cutting-edge technologies in the commercial version of the suite. While it does not provide the depth of configuration, automation and control offered by the commercial suite, OSS Free provides comprehensive protection against the most prevalent threats in today's online world. The product's acclaimed proactive protection, coupled with efficient detection and disinfection, make OSS Free a great option for web users everywhere.

Outpost Pro solutions have gained international recognition and received many awards around the world. In particular, Outpost has consistently registered top scores in VirusBulletin's VB100 and Matousec.com Proactive Security Challenge, both widely-acknowledged centers of excellence for PC security.

Agnitum's 10+ years' experience in data protection and Internet security are now available to all users, regardless of their willingness or ability to pay.

Benefits of OSS Free - The first fully-functional free security suite - The latest technology - based on Outpost Security Suite Pro 7 - VB100 certified antivirus - Best-of-breed award-winning personal firewall - Leak-test certified by Matousec.com - Automatic optimal configuration out of the box - Lightweight solution that doesn't slow systems down - Full compatibility with Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000 - both 32- and 64-bit.

A summary of the free suite's features accompanies this release in a technical note below:

Outpost Security Suite Free 7.0. Functionality

Reactive protection

360-degree anti-malware

Both anti-virus and anti-spyware functions are provided through the universal anti-malware module, which ensures users can surf the web and share files via USB drive or CD without the risk of infection. The on-access monitor constantly watches for and instantly disinfects, quarantines, or removes any malware objects found in key areas of the PC, while the on-demand scanner lets users scan for and remove threats on hard disks, network folders, DVDs, or external storage devices. Email attachments are checked in real time as they leave or arrive, and any suspicious file can be moved to the quarantine area for later review.

Faster, more intelligent scans

SmartScan ensures that only the modified portions of the file system are scanned, avoiding repeat scans of files that have not changed since the last scan. The fast and intelligent anti-malware engine does not impact overall system performance and operate in the background while the PC is used for other tasks.

Proactive protection and connection security

Preemptive threat protection

The anti-leak module provides the first line of defense against malicious software by proactively controlling how programs behave and interact on a PC and preventing security breaches. By analyzing threats and displaying actionable alerts, Outpost Free blocks zero-day attacks and other unauthorized activities, providing advanced protection against botnets, rootkits, and inadvertent data disclosure.

Self-protection

Today's malware frequently seeks to shut down security software to make its infection process easier. By incorporating solid tamper-proof protection for all its components, Outpost makes it impossible for anyone except the authorized user of the program to disable or shut down active protection.

Acclaimed personal firewall

The two-way firewall monitors inbound and outbound connections and prevents local and remote unauthorized network access. It conceals access ports, rendering the user's presence on the Internet invisible to hackers and vulnerability probes.

Protection from spam

Outpost Security Suite Free's Bayesian anti-spam engine will keep inboxes free of junk email. Users can train it to recognize and use their own personal definition of spam, so it becomes more efficient and an even greater time saver the longer it is used.

Convenience and Ease of Use

Automatic configuration

Rules for most programs that access the Internet are applied automatically, relieving the user of the need to enter rules manually every time a new application accesses the Internet or interacts with another program.

Hands-free updates

Whenever updates to the main anti-malware engine become available, they will be automatically applied without the need for user participation (excepting, of course, for any required system reboot). This ensures the latest protection is always in place.

Auto-learning mode

When the user is sure all normal computer activity is safe, it makes sense to activate the "autolearn" mode, which will suppress all security alerts and notifications. During this time, the program is silently learning what constitutes safe user behavior and typical tasks and policies, and will apply this knowledge in the future to display fewer alerts.

Compatibility

Outpost Security Suite Free 7.0 has been designed to be fully compatible with Windows 7, Vista (up to latest SP2), Windows XP (up to SP3), as well as all previous 32-bit versions from Windows 2000 SP4 onwards and all 64-bit Windows. The product will work smoothly on any PC with a 450 MHz or faster CPU (x86-/x64-/multi-core), at least 256Mb RAM and 200 Mb hard disk space.