Understanding TPF

Tiny Personal Firewall 4.0 (TPF4) is the security software that offers the combined protection against to any combination of network and application (trojans, worms) attacks undertaken through the Internet, LAN/WAN or just by inserting a floppy into the computer.

Tiny Personal Firewall 4.0 combines the protection on NDIS and TDI layers (firewall) and also installs various guards controlling the system calls of the installed applications (sandbox). In conjunction with the firewall feature TPF4 offers true signature based Intrusion Detection System.

Sandbox in General

With TPF4 you can create a closed environment (sandbox) around any application and restrict its access to your computer's resources as well as its ability to communicate to the Internet. Within this closed environment any code can run and access calls of the application to system resources. Drivers, the registry database (all configurations), and the file system are shielded and constantly monitored to protect the privacy and integrity of your system.

When installing TPF4, the program scans the workstation for already installed or known applications. In addition, it sets up a pre-configured default sandboxes around the most common Web browsers, email clients, and a restricted area for unknown. This process may take up several minutes - please be patient during the installation.

Preventing Damage BEFORE it Happens

The significant advantage of the application protection of TPF4 is that it is not signature based. TPF4 checks for the application activities and does not base its security mechanism on a comparison with a database of hostile applet references. It checks all actions and access to resources, but only suspicious or unwanted actions are blocked. Hence, it is a behavior checker, which not only protects against intended hostile attacks, but also against unintentional bugs in applications. Any other application within your user environment can run and access resources without being restricted by TPF. You can view which components are installed and running on your computer, where they came from, monitor what an application does, and which resources it accesses.

TPF4 adds a security perimeter within a Windows workstation, transparently layers it into your operating system, and integrates into existing network security solutions. With this security, TPF protects against flaws and holes within the security mechanisms of the Web browser, the Java virtual machine and the any application in the operating system.

Replacement or the Addition to Your Virus Scan Software?

TPF4 does not replace your virus scan software, it complements it. Imagine virus scan software as a doctor - it removes infected files or their portions once it KNOWS the infection. However, in todays world when the viruses are spread across the internet in a matter of minutes it would be too late most of the times and damage would already happened.

TPF4's sandbox adds the new significant layer of protection since it protects your PC BEFORE the infection is known. The sandbox stops virus or trojan which made it to your computer immediately and instantly. Essentially it buys the time for virus scan companies to identify virus and post the update for virus scan engines so the virus or trojan may be removed later on.

Standard Network Firewall

TPF4 includes bi-directional stateful packet inspection firewall which combines NDIS (network layer) and TDI (application layer) information in order to determine the rights of processes to communicate with the outside world and block all unwanted traffic.

Tiny Personal Firewall 4.0 Components

TPF4 consists of a series of executables, DLLs and kernel drivers to protect the different parts of your system. Each component fulfills a certain task, which builds a bulletproof protective wall around your system.

• TPF4 Agent

The agent, which displays information to the user, is the interface to the TPF4 security solution. It also monitors restricted access to the system's environment and resources.

• TPF4 kernel components

The kernel components deliver extended protection against certain lowûlevel accesses, and protect the TPF4 runtime environment.

• TPF4 Administrator Tool

With the Administrator Tool you can configure TPF 4.0. The Administrator Tool scans your system for installed applications and sets up default settings for the most common Web browsers and e-mail clients.