AppGuard 3.x 32/64 Bit

Thanks! I guess that I've been outed.

I'm really proud of the AppGuard product. We have other products at Blue Ridge, but AppGuard is my baby - not to say that I've created it (there is a very smart software architect/security expert behind the patents and design), but I manage the group that developed it and actually participated in some of the development during the early days - now I spend too much time in meetings. Anyway, I better say some good things about the other Blue Ridge products - the most secure VPN system in the world - or some of my team will accuse me of playing favorites!

 

The license is perpetual for version 3.0s. If you purchase the product now, send an email to AppGuard@BlueRidge.com when 4.0 comes out. We will provide a free license for 4.0 to anyone that has purchased the product "recently". We haven't defined what "recently" is but I'm sure it will cover at least 2 months - maybe 3.

 

Done! We do listen to the Wilders forum and greatly appreciate your feedback!

Anyway, I'm really excited about the new UI. Our QA team came up with a great suggestion as well and both the ideas combined resulted in:



When you change the level, both the indicator at the top as well as the tray icon will change:



The advanced tab now looks like this (note the Power Apps tab is gone as a result of incorporating them here):

 

Nice!

A lot of cool stuff is coming out in october. I'm excited!

 

I think you should use only one tense in text descriptions.
Now we have a mix of future and present tenses....

 

I like what I see....

 

The GUI is a big improvement, there are one or two things which could be improved:
1) Now the GUI has two Advanced buttons, one to navigate from the nicely designed protection mode slider AppGuard (main) screen to a tab showing the "AppGuard Customize" screen which itself also contains an advanced tab

2) Now the "AppGuard Customize"screen has five tabs,
a) first is Alert is how it ALERTS (informs the user),
b) User Space, Guarded Apps and Publishers control how AppGuard PROTECTS
c) Advanced tab has two issues, the label Advanced is non-descriptive and it combines (single data fields) which users may set ACCESS permissions to AppGuard and also defines exceptions on how AppGuard PROTECTS (multi entry data box of power applications)

Logical improvement would be (applying guidelines of a Dutch useablity center):
1) Rename the advanced button on the AppGuard (slider) screen to CUSTOMIZE, two reasons
a) Labelling something "advanced" attracks people to use it (let's use all of this programs capabilities, use the advanced options also), so when you have trust in the default levels call it CUSTOMIZE (AppGuard is marketed as simple to use, so "customize" asociates with personal preference, "advanced" associates with complexity and details, so label "customize" for this button is more in line with AppGuard's product promise=easy to use).
b) It makes more sense to have a Customize button to navigate to the Customize screen "AppGuard - Customize" (and it customizes the way AppGuard works, so is descriptive also). Prevent using (I think it is called) a homonym (same word can have different meanings, same label points to different functions) is also good practise in useability.

2) Split the Advanced tab into two tabs "Access" and "Power Apps", group the "Power Apps after the "Publishers" tab and "Access" is the last for a nice interaction cycle: Customize how to ....alert (Alert), ....protect (User Space, Guarded Apps, Publishers, Power Apps) and ...access (Access or access permission or what ever you name it). Mixing two purposes/functions into one screen is not ideal in terms of (intuitive) useability, labelling it with a (i think it is called) an adjective is not intuitive also (advanced what?).

An anecdote to explain why mixing functionality is a bad idea. I lived in a old city centre (build in 13th to 15th century) in the Netherlands, we had a bathroom and a toilet, but no a toilet in the bathroom. My niece from abroad came over and she asked for the bathroom (I was 14 only had one year of English education, so not an experienced user of the English language). I was a bit surprised (that she wanted to take a shower). So I told her where she could find a towel. She looked at me with big rolling eyes and said "no dummy, I have to pee", leaving me behind confused (did I hear that correctly?). She came back irritated telling me there was no toilet in the bathroom. I apalogized,telling her 'we use a toilet in the Netherland to pee' felt as patronizing (since she came from a tropical country). Then we laughed and she told me compared to her standards we live in tiny houses. What the Dutch called a 'spare sleeping room', she would not call a guestroom, since it looked more like a closet with a bed fit in, so she should have guessed about the tiny bathroom also (only having a shower, no bath nor toilet).

Barb support your user interface designer and data (normalisation) engineer, they both will agree with above design principles. Five or Six tabs is no big differences, you don't cross a useability border (three or less tabs is simple, less than seven tabs is still accepted as medium complex, over seven tabs is complex, over 12 tabs is very complex), so the harm of one extra tab is less than the benefits of splitting (and keeping it as it was done, first time right)

Regards Kees (former user Kees1958, ask Eirik)

P.S. When the designers really have courage they break with the label Power Apps. Contrary to Guarded Apps (Apps which are guarded), Power Apps only tell something about a strange quality (Apps which have 'power', may the power be with them). Better would be to call them Allowed Apps or Excluded Apps (since they are allways allowed even when launched by a guarded app or excluded from AppGuard protections). May the power be with you in these tough decisions

 

I remember you as well Kees (from when I used to lurk on the forum vs. post). Anyway, thanks for all of the specific feedback. It will take a while to digest it. We are ultimately wanting to reduce the number of options on AppGuard (maybe even eliminate them) so I'm not entirely keen on adding the Power Apps tab back in. Perhaps we can go back to "Customize" vs. "Advanced" button, but I prefer the current placement of the button. I think moving it next to the Activity Report button makes it more prominent and would encourage users to click on it.

 

Would you please be more specific?

 

BTW, the price for 4.0 will be going up to $29.95 for 3 licenses - please don't shoot the messenger!

 

In descriptions of Locked Down and Medium modes you are using future tense (will not allow, will allow).
For Install mode present tense is used (lowers).

So, you should either change 'lowers' to 'will lower' or 'will allow/will not allow' to 'allows/does not allow'.

 

I think the Beta will be going live this afternoon. Please email AppGuard@BlueRidgeNetworks.com if you want to participate. Please include your Wilder's userid in the email.

We will respond with the download link and a license key sometime in the next day or so. The license key will allow a single activation and it will also be good for the 4.0 released product (so in other words you will get a free 4.0 license by participating in the Beta test). We will be limiting the number of beta participants to the first 25 requests received by October 7th. We will also honor those that have PM'd me previously about participating in the beta (but please send an email as well).

 

Thanks! Our marketing person came up with the text so I wanted to get the specifics before suggesting any changes. The change won't be in the Beta, but will be made before the final release.

 

$29.95 for 3 licenses thats still a good buy. I'd pay that for this fine product......

 

Thanks! I don't have much control over the pricing. I do know if you buy 3.5 now for $20, we will most likely provide the 4.0 licenses for free to anyone that has purchased 3.5 in the past month or so. Now, everybody don't rush all at once to buy 3.5 just to get the great discount

 

A respected friend replies to AaLF when I was recently snooping around for a new AV/FW setup:

 

APPGUARD 4.0 BETA LINKS ARE READY:

Well almost.

Before I post the links, I have to say that we've closed the official beta sign-up as we've already had 25 email requests from potential participants. If you sent your email prior to 4pm EST you will be getting an email with your license key in the next day or two. We will honor previous requests to beta test that were made on this forum either by Private Message or a post. Just send an email to AppGuard@BlueRidge.com referencing the PM or post.

Also, this download provides for a 30 day trial without requiring a license. If you wish to try it, please feel free to do so even if you're not an official Beta tester. If you provide some constructive feedback I will see what I can do about getting you a single-activation license in exchange.

Those of you who officially signed-up for the beta will receive your license keys via email in the next day or so when our operations department sets up the licenses on the server (probably first thing Monday unless I can convince one of them to work some over-time).

I also want to remind you all that we have removed MBRGuard from the product. If that is something that you wish to keep, you will need to revert to 3.5 after the Beta (eventually we will have a separate MBRGuard install package available, but that may take a few weeks). So my recommendation is that you download the 3.5 version and save it somewhere before it vanishes from our web site (when we officially release 4.0). I believe that you will have to uninstall 4.0 and then install 3.5 when you want to revert.

More to come...

 

Where was the original quote [AaLF was relaying a post from someone that said they were able to get past AppGuard with a malicious script]? I highly doubt it got by AppGuard - at least not persistently. I'd be interested in finding out the details. For instance, how did he introduce the script? If you manually copy it to Program Files for instance, AppGuard will not block. AppGuard is not designed for that. Anyway, if you can get more details, I would appreciate it.

BTW, AppGuard has undergone some very rigorous penetration testing by a prestigious company (I hope to be able to announce the name of the company soon) and they were not able to penetrate it.

 

APPGUARD 4.0 BETA LINKS:

Okay, a few more bits of information (please refer to post 3143 as well) and then I will post the links (promise).

AppGuard 4.0 has the following new features:

1. Windows 8.1 support
2. Improved User Interface
3. Improved MemoryGuard policy
4. Eliminates the need to configure MemoryGuard exceptions.
5. Reduces the need to configure Power Applications.
6. Unicode Support (should work with user-names that have non-English characters).

AppGuard 4.0 should install over 3.4 and 3.5 (no need to uninstall first), but if you are still in trial mode of 3.x, then please uninstall first. We have seen some issues in our QA department when installing over a 3.x version that is in trial mode.

You will be required to enter a new license key in order to activate the new version after the 30 day trial is over in order to continue AppGuard protection. Your 3.x key will not work.

The goal of this version of AppGuard 4.0 is to reduce the customizations required by the end-user. We would be interested to know the following:

1. Your previous MemoryGuard exceptions are no longer being honored in this version. Are you seeing issues because of this?
2. Are you able to remove your power application definitions without adverse side effects?
3. Those running with Sandboxie, are you able to remove your customizations and continue to run both AppGuard and Sandboxie without adding a power application.
4. Are Guarded applications able to update themselves in the Medium protection level?

When providing your feedback, will you please indicate the OS that you're running on?

And now finally, here are the links:

Install Package: http://www.blueridge.com/support/products/beta_4/AppGuardSetup.exe

Release Notes: http://www.blueridge.com/support/products/beta_4/AppGuard_ReleaseNotes_4.0-Beta.pdf

And, THANKS to everyone who expressed an interest in being a beta tester!!!!

 

Hi Barb_C, like the new look and feel

In answer to your questions:

Win 8 Pro x 64

1. No, Sandboxie and WSA exceptions were the only MemoryGuard exceptions I had, no longer required & no adverse effects

2. Didn't have any, sorry.

3. Yes, only MemoryGuard exceptions were required for compatibility for a while now (i.e. no Power Apps required), now working fine without MemoryGuard exceptions. In my set up I've moved the SBIE container to user space. I would think if you use the default SBIE container (C:\Sandbox) you still need to add it to user space in AppGuard but will check as part of my testing.

4. Testing in Locked Down for now (so its like for like for me in the initial 'getting to know you period') but will let you know over the next few days.

Cheers

 

I didn't have to do anything so far to make Appguard 4.0 work with Sandboxie which is really amazing. I only added the Container to User Space and that's it. I really like the new Version so far. It Looks really nice.

 

Hi Barb_C,

Don't know if it was supposed to be fixed in this build but issue with Office 2013 x 64 on Win 8 x 64 is not resolved. Work around of un-checking Protected View settings in Trust Centre still works.

Thanks

 

hey Barb_C,

found a small bug which does occur when using the locked down mode. When you have set Appguard to locked down and it blocked execution of a file the tray Icon changes to a blinking warning sign and then if you leftclick the tray Icon it changes back to a green checkmark instead of changing back to the tray Icon which is related to locked down mode.

 

I've just downloaded the 4.0 Beta for a trial run, will read the pdf tonight. I haven't been reading this thread unfortunately so don't know anything about AppGuard. Any opinion if it would be a good program to run with the two main ones I'm using now, Webroot SecureAnywhere and VoodooShield? Anything I should know in setting things up?

 

I would choose either Voodooshield or Appguard to run with Webroot. Using all of them would be Overkill in my opinion. The new Version of Appguard seems to be very user friendly. I don't think you would have to set it up to work with your other security applications. And if any Problems occur there is still the powerapps Feature.