ActiveDefender
Protect Internet Connection

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About ActiveDefender

ActiveDefender, an easy to use program that does not require any extra hardware installed on your computer, safeguards your system and private data from hackers and marketing thugs. By simply not giving programs access to the Internet without your knowledge and permission, you maintain total control.

ActiveDefender protects all Internet connections and Internet Providers running Windows (95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP).

ActiveDefender works by examining the data stream (individual data packets), and denying access to suspicious incoming and outgoing traffic. Open the Security Manager window and block specific applications from accessing the Internet, or deny access to any Internet site or port number. You will see a Program Alert whenever a program that you haven’t already given explicit permission to tries to use the Internet. By controlling who gets in or out of your computer, you control your security.

Get the protection you need today. As the number dialup and broadband connections continue to increase, the protection offered by ActiveDefender will become more important in providing 'end point' security to corporations and consumers alike.

This type of security was practically insignificant a few years ago. However, firewall protection has become a 'must have' in today’s uncertain world. Hackers are getting smarter and online advertisers are developing better ways to steal private information from your system. With ActiveDefender installed, you will maintain constant protection from data theft or malicious programs that track your every move.

Click here for a free security scan!

ActiveDefender - A Quick Start Guide

Simple, but POWERFUL security.
ActiveDefender, an easy to use program that does not require any extra hardware installed on your computer, safeguards your system and private data from hackers and marketing thugs. By simply not giving programs access to the Internet without your knowledge and permission, you maintain total control.

Secure your data and private information!
ActiveDefender works by examining the data stream (individual data packets), and denying access to suspicious incoming and outgoing traffic. Open the Security Manager window and block specific applications from accessing the Internet, or deny access to any Internet site or port number. You will see a Program Alert whenever a program that you haven’t already given explicit permission to tries to use the Internet. By controlling who gets in or out of your computer, you control your security.

Get the protection you need today.
As the number of telecommuters and broadband (DSL & Cable) connections continue to increase, the protection offered by ActiveDefender will become more important in providing 'end point' security to corporations and consumers alike.

This type of security was practically insignificant a few years ago. However, firewall protection has become a 'must have' in today’s uncertain world. Hackers are getting smarter and online advertisers are developing better ways to steal private information from your system. With ActiveDefender installed, you will maintain constant protection from data theft or malicious programs that track your every move.

See ActiveDefender in Action.
By default, ActiveDefender should open for you automatically when you turn on your computer. If it doesn’t, just double click on the ActiveDefender icon on your Desktop. Then just sign in with your Ascentive account name and password and your system is already protected!

Congratulations! You did it. Now ActiveDefender will protect your computer from hackers and evil corporations. By monitoring and controlling who and what can enter or leave your computer, you can have the peace of mind that you will be safe and secure with ActiveDefender on the lookout.

Now you can familiarize yourself with ActiveDefender’s optional features, such as the password feature (there is no password by default). This and other features are designed to help you monitor and keep hackers from stealing invaluable data from your computer.

Program Alert
For your protection, you will be prompted with a Program Alert whenever a new program tries to gain access to the Internet using your connection. For almost all programs, (Internet Explorer, in this example), you will probably want to click on YES and allow them to access the Internet. Click on No for programs you are not familiar with.

If you check the box labeled “Don’t ask me again for this program” before you click on YES or NO, you won’t be prompted for this program again.

Of course, you can always change your answer by opening the Security Manager window and using the Security Rules option for either Program Rules, Internet Address Rules, or Port Rules.

ActiveDefender - Security Manager Features

Open the Security Manager
When you open the Security Manager, you can configure ActiveDefender's optional functions.

Security Manager Options
When you open ActiveDefender’s Security Manager window, you will see a list of buttons on the left side of the window. These buttons will display ActiveDefender’s various optional features (pictured on the right).

Here is a brief summary of the security controls available to you in the Security Manager window:

Introduction
This button displays a quick introduction to ActiveDefender. You will see this screen when you first open ActiveDefender’s Security Manager window.

Security Rules
Click the Security Rules button to customize the action that ActiveDefender should take when programs try to access the Internet. The Security Rules are the most important feature in helping protect your level of security. You will be able to set different levels of access for each program. You will also be able to restrict Internet access by domain name or IP address, or block access to certain ports.

Internet Lockdown
Internet Lockdown is a powerful feature that immediately disconnects all connections to the Internet. Here you will be able to set a Hot Key to quickly enable/disable total Internet access to your computer. Internet Lockdown will not disconnect you from your ISP, but will restrict all access to and from your computer (you may also configure Internet Lockdowns to only block or allow inbound packets, outbound packets, or non-IP packets).

Alert History
Your ActiveDefender can keep a log of security alerts. Click this button to view them (or enable/disable the logging option).

Options
The Options button will show you a list of other ActiveDefender’s configurable functions, such as “Load at startup” or “Show welcome screen on start.” These options are not obligatory but will help you personalize your ActiveDefender experience.

About ActiveDefender
Displays copyright information and Version number.

Using ActiveDefender - Opening The Program

2. To sign in to ActiveDefender, enter the username and password you chose when you placed your order. After every login, you are protected from hackers and evil corporations by ActiveDefender.

Save password for easier and faster sign in: Check this box if you would like ActiveDefender to remember your user name and password for easier login.

Automatic Sign in: Check here to automatically sign in whenever you start your computer. When this box is checked, it provides the security of knowing ActiveDefender will always be protecting you when your computer is running.

NOTE:
If you are using a computer with shared access (more than one user), others will be able to access and make changes to the program should you choose to save your password (unless you have enabled an ActiveDefender Security Manager password, which should be different from your sign in password!).

Using ActiveDefender - Main Screen

• Connected Programs Tab
• Recent Connections Tab
• Statistics and Connections Tab

The Connected Programs Tab will display a list of the currently running programs that are using, or trying to use, the Internet.

You can toggle permissions for a program by clicking on the green check mark to the left of the program name. Click once to toggle to a Yield Sign (ActiveDefender will prompt you before allowing the program to access the Internet, every time the program is activated). Click a second time to change the icon to a red X (the program does not have access to the Internet at all). Clicking the box a fourth time will change the icon back to a green check mark, allowing that program access to the Internet.

The Recent Connections Tab displays a total list of the most recent IP addresses (or domain names, if applicable) that your programs have accessed, or tried to access.

If a program has accessed sites multiple times, you will see all instances listed. For example, you may see your AOL Instant Messenger program listed several times as it accesses the Internet downloading advertisements or when you communicate with other users.

Clicking on the green check mark will change it to a red X. This will block that your computer from accessing that IP address (note, this is different than blocking a program access to the Internet. Blocking an IP address means that no program on your computer will have access to that address).

Note, listings will only remain for a few moments before they are automatically cleared. To view a list of all activity, you may view the log file.

The Statistics of Connections Tab lets you monitor the current network activity.

Under Data, you will see the total amount of data sent from your system, and received by your system, since ActiveDefender has been activated (you must have this option enabled in the Options menu to see the Data statistics).

Under Connections, you will see the total number of programs that have tried to access the Internet.

Using ActiveDefender - Lower Menu

You will find six (6) buttons at the lower end of your ActiveDefender main console window. The six buttons are defined below:

Always on Top

The first button (the red tack) will toggle between two settings; your ActiveDefender always above other windows or not.

Open Security Manager

Click this to open the Security Manager window. With the Security Manager, you will gain access to an array of configurable options. See Security Manager for more details.

Help

If you get stuck, click on this button to access our online support area. Hey, you’re here right now! Besides step-by-step guides, you can also read about special tips or contact Ascentive customer support representatives.

Internet Lockdown

Clicking this will initiate an immediate Internet Lockdown (see Internet Lockdown options).

Special Offers

As an Ascentive customer, you are privy to special discounts and customer-only offers. Click this button to check out which offers are available to you!

Dock to Right

The “arrow” button will dock your main ActiveDefender console window to the bottom-right of your screen. Most users find that it is easier to keep an eye on ActiveDefender’s alerts from this location while browsing the Internet.

Using ActiveDefender - Security Manager

Note:

Some features will be disabled if you have a password set! If you have a password set, click on the Enable Security Manager button to unlock ActiveDefender's Security Manager options.

Security Manager - Security Rules Option

Here you will be able to tell your computer exactly what level of access each program has (Program Rules tab), exactly what Internet addresses your computer can communicate with (Internet Address Rules tab), and exactly which ports can be used for sending data (Port Rules tab).

When you control these three things, your system is safe from hackers and evil corporations.

Three options under Security Rules:
Program Rules, Internet Address Rules, and Port Rules

Program Rules

Under Program Rules, you will see a list of the programs that ActiveDefender has automatically detected trying to access the Internet. You can change the type of access they have by clicking on Allow, Deny, or Alert.

Allow: This program has been given access to the Internet. It will be able to access the Internet without your permission. You will want to set frequently used programs that you trust to Allow (such as Internet Explorer or AOL Instant Messenger).

Deny: Programs that have no business accessing the Internet should be set to Deny. Any program set this way will not be able to send your private data to the outside world. For programs you simply do not trust, set to Deny!

Alert: You might want to grant certain programs access to the Internet, but only after it has asked your permission. Programs set on Alert will need permission to access the Internet every time they try.

Above: Example of the kind of alert message you will get for new programs or programs set on Alert when they try to access the Internet.

Port Rules

You can restrict Internet access over specified port numbers as well. When a program accesses the Internet from your computer, it does so over a PORT. For example, Internet Explorer uses port 80 to transmit data to and from the Internet. Enter the number of the port that you wish to restrict and click on the Add button.

Ports are in the range of 0 to 65535.

Special Tip:

From the Programs Rules window, you can select the option of “Allow access to all new programs” or “Ask me by displaying an alert.” To keep secret programs from accessing the Internet and sending your personal information (programs known as spyware), you should keep your Program Rules set to alert you when new programs need to access the Internet.

ActiveDefender is set this way by default.

Security Manager - Internet Lockdown Option

An Internet Lockdown will prevent your computer from sending or receiving any data from the Internet; no information will be transferred or received by your computer.

Whenever you suspect a hacker or malicious program is stealing your data, initiate an Internet Lockdown!

There are three ways to do an Internet Lockdown for quickly securing your system from hackers and malicious programs:

1. Clicking on the "Internet Lockdown button in your Security Manager Window.
2. Clicking on the Internet Lockdown button on your ActiveDefender Console (see right).
3. Using the Internet Lockdown Hot Key.

Special Tip:

You can use the Internet Lockdown Hot Key for immediate Internet Lockdown. The Hot Key works even if ActiveDefender is not the active application or is hidden (minimized) in the system tray.

Security Manager - Alert History Option

ActiveDefender automatically records every type of connection made to and from your computer and saves it to a log file.

For your records, the log file will list:

• The time and date of the event
• The name and location of the application
• The destination address the application was connecting to
• The source Internet address (yours)
• The destination port the application
• The source port the application (yours)
• Whether the application was allowed or denied a connection

Security Manager - Options Button

By using the Options section in the Security Manager window, you get to personalize your copy of ActiveDefender and choose how you secure your system.

The following options are available after you click on Options in the Security Manager Window:

• Load at startup
Checking this box will make ActiveDefender load automatically when you turn on your computer.

• Show host names
With this option checked, ActiveDefender will translate IP addresses and display their host names if possible, rather than just the IP number under the Recent Connections Tab.

• Show friendly names
With this option checked, ActiveDefender will show the common names for programs, as apposed to the actual file name of the program, under the Connected Programs Tab.

• Show welcome screen on start
The welcome screen is first shown to you when you install ActiveDefender. The welcome screen will ask you if you are a current customer, or assist you in setting up a subscription if you do not yet have one. Most users uncheck this option the first time the activate ActiveDefender.

• Show splash screen on start
With this option checked, the ActiveDefender Splash screen will display when ActiveDefender loads. This is just a reminder that ActiveDefender has loaded.

• Show notification when Security Manager is password protected
As you use ActiveDefender, you will receive security alerts whenever a program tries to gain access to the Internet (unless you have alerts turned off or the program has already been granted access by you). If you have a password set and activated, checking this box will allow non-password users to see the alert notifications.

• Display send and received bytes summary
This will allow you to see the amount of data being transferred over your connection. With this option checked, you can view that data by accessing the Statistics of Connections tab (the third tab on the main screen, see Main Screen).

• Show network activity in system tray
Checking this option will change your ActiveDefender system tray icon into graphical representation of incoming/outgoing data in bytes. You will be surprised at how often data is transferred to and from your machine, even when you are not actively using your computer! This graph will help give you an idea of when data is being transferred, and how much.

The green bar shows incoming data, the red shows outgoing data.

What every person online should know:

What does ActiveDefender do?
Think of ActiveDefender as an impenetrable border between your computer and the Internet. No program, no matter how small, will be granted access outside of your computer without your explicit authorization first.

Protection vs. No Protection
Without a firewall, your computer and all of your personal information are open to anyone. Think about what kind of information you have on your computer. Bank information, personal documents, journals, passwords, private family photos, credit card numbers? Without the constant protection of ActiveDefender, that data is available to anyone with basic Internet skills and bad intentions. Advertisers and hackers can get in and take what they want. They can even leave open a “back door” so they can use your computer to attack other computers; all without your knowledge. Of course, you get the blame too.

Anti-virus protection just is not enough.
Antivirus software comes installed on most new computers, and most people think that they are completely protected from hackers. But virus defense is only as smart as the latest virus definitions available (which are only produced in response to the latest viruses). Sometimes, many thousands of people must be infected before the makers of antivirus software developers can create a defense and send it to you. In other words, the solution comes only after the problem has been around far too long. And antivirus software does nothing to secure your computer against hacker attacks and sneaky spyware programs.

Monitoring outgoing traffic is crucial.
Malicious code spreads by accessing the Internet and sending copies of itself onto the computers of your friends and family. ActiveDefender’s monitoring protection can keep even brand-new Trojan horses and spyware/adware from doing their adverse work. The ultimate protection is ActiveDefender’s program-level control, so that only those programs that you completely trust are allowed to access the Internet when you want them to!

Special Tip: Sign in Password?

ActiveDefender can store your Sign in name and Password and sign you in automatically when you activate it. You can also set ActiveDefender to start when you start Windows. These two features work really well together to keep your system secure at all times!

Special Tip: Setting a Security Password

Some features will be disabled if you have a password set! If you have a password set, click on the Enable Security Manager button to unlock ActiveDefender's Security Manager options.

Setting a security password will keep others who access your computer from changing your settings or overriding your program access settings.

Installing ActiveDefender

After you have downloaded the ActiveDefender install package, you will need to locate the file on your computer (see the image on the right to see what the ActiveDefender installer program looks like). It is best to download the installer to your Desktop so you can find it easier.

To begin the install process, just use your mouse to double-click on the install icon.

1. Begining

 After you open the installer, you will see the ActiveDefender install Wizard which will step you through the installation process. Read each page and then click on the Next button to be stepped through each section.

2. License Agreement

 Before you can protect your system by installing and using ActiveDefender, you must agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the End User License Agreement. Please read them and select “I accept the terms of the license agreement.” Press Next to advance to the next step of the installation process.

 Personalize your copy by entering in your name. You may optionally include your business name. Then click on the Next button.

 By default, your ActiveDefender program will be installed in your Programs File folder on your C: drive. If you wish to change this, click on “Change…” When you are ready, click on Next.

 Now your installation settings are chosen; click on Install to begin installing ActiveDefender on your system!

 The installer program will begin adding ActiveDefender to your computer. The installer will update you on its progress by filling a graph bar. Do not interrupt the installation progress!

When the installation is complete, you will see the confirmation message shown to the right. Click on Finish to finish the setup.

8. Reboot on Finish

 The last part of the installation procedure is to reboot your system. Once you reboot, ActiveDefender will be installed correctly on your system.

ActiveDefender - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why do I need ActiveDefender?

Anyone who connects so much as a single computer to the Internet should have the personal firewall protection of ActiveDefender. Many Internet users believe that anonymity will protect them. They feel that no malicious intruder would be motivated to break into their computer.

Internet users who have been victims of malicious attacks and who have lost days of work, perhaps having to reinstall their operating system, know that this is not true. Irresponsible pranksters can use automated robots to scan random IP addresses and attack whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Without a firewall, your computer and all of your personal information are open to anyone. Think about what kind of information you have on your computer: bank information, personal documents, journals, passwords, private family photos, and credit card numbers. Without the constant protection of ActiveDefender, that data is available to anyone with basic Internet skills and bad intentions. Advertisers and hackers can get in and take what they want. They can even leave open a "back door" so they can use your computer to attack other computers; all without your knowledge. Of course, you get the blame too.

Will ActiveDefender stop spam and popup ads?

No, ActiveDefender is not a popup blocker or spam filter. However, ActiveDefender will help you stop and find any adware or spyware program the second it tries to connect to the Internet.

What programs should I grant access the Internet?

That's completely up to you! ActiveDefender is designed to catch programs from accessing the Internet without you knowing about it. Now that you can see exactly which programs are trying to use the Internet from your computer, you may be surprised at how many there are running that usually sneak by you.

Essentially, you will want to grant access to programs you trust and use and know that they need to access the Internet (your email program, browser, messenger program, etc.). But you should be wary of programs that have no obvious reason to have to access the Internet, especially if they were free downloads or something you do not recognize.