FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IPNetSentryX Raises the Bar for Mac OS X Firewalls
CUMBERLAND, RI, June 17, 2003 -- Sustainable Softworks today released v1.0
of IPNetSentryX, an Internet firewall application for Macintosh computers
running Mac OS X. What makes IPNetSentryX so unique is the ability to
easily define hierarchial firewall rules. Like most conventional firewall
products, including Apple's own built-in Personal Firewall, IPNetSentryX
rules can be based on IP addresses, ports and protocols (services). But
unlike conventional firewalls, IPNetSentryX also lets users base rules on
the content of incoming datagrams (e.g. to detect worms). More importantly,
IPNetSentryX easily lets users define which actions to take when rules are
met. Such actions can be as simple as blocking an intruder (trigger),
alerting you of the intrusion, sending off an email message pertaining to
the intrusion, running a designated AppleScript, or any combination of the
above.
Here are a couple of often encountered situations where the capabilities
offered by IPNetSentryX far surpass the capabilities offered by other
personal firewalls:
1. Jim is a Mac OS X user who has a cable connection to the Internet.
Because Jim's connection is "always on", he wants the protection afforded
by a personal firewall. But he finds after enabling most personal
firewalls, many of his Internet applications quit working (e.g. ICQ
filesharing, network games, etc.). The problem is that the default
configuration of most conventional firewalls only permits a few limited
types of connections to a machine. To permit other types of connections,
Jim must then research which ports and protocols the application uses, then
"punch holes" in his existing firewall configuration for these ports and
protocols. Not something that Jim, nor most Macintosh users, wish to spend
their time doing.
With IPNetSentryX running, all of Jim's Internet applications just work.
There is no need for additional configuration. But "hackers" beware!
IPNetSentryX is still watching over Jim's machine for suspicious incoming
connection behavior (e.g. port scans, or connections to typically sought
after "hacker" ports such as Telnet, RPC, SMTP, etc.). When such behavior
is noted, IPNetSentryX is triggered so that the intruder is immediately
blocked from accessing the user's machine. To the remote intruder it is as
if the Jim's machine was never on the Internet.
2. Jane is a small business owner who runs the Apache web server built into
Mac OS X. She is concerned, however, that her web log files are filling up
with Code Red and Nimda type worm HTTP requests. By simply running
IPNetSentryX on her Mac OS X machine, and checking the "Server Attacks"
checkbox in the Rules tab of IPNetSentryX, all such worm intrusions are
automatically deleted. AND the offending remote IP address is added to the
trigger filters list, where it will remain for the next hour (thereby
leaving Jane's server untouched). Valid HTTP requests from customers get
in...intrusions from web based worms are dropped into the "bit bucket".
IPNetSentryX is $40 and includes a free registration for IPNetSentry
Classic. Registered users of IPNetSentryX Classic can upgrade to the OS X
version for $20. All Sustainable Softworks products come with a 21-day free
trial period and may be downloaded at
(http://www.sustworks.com/site/downloads.html).
About Sustainable Softworks:
Sustainable Softworks is a small privately owned company based in
Cumberland, R.I. The company develops innovative and practical Macintosh
networking solutions for individuals as well as Fortune 100 organizations.
The company's website can be found at
