• Welcome
• Installation and setup
  • Safety Check Wizard
  • Learning Mode
  • Accessing Settings
  • Configuration
  • Banking Mode
  • RunSafer
• Using Online Armor
  • Status
  • Firewall
    • Creating Firewall Rules
    • Ports and Protocols
    • Firewall Status Screen
    • Firewall Logs
  • Domains
  • Antivirus
    • Scanning
  • Programs
  • Files and Registry
    • Creating File Rules
    • Creating Registry Rules
  • Autoruns
  • Anti-Keylogger
  • Hosts file
  • History
  • Options
  • Debug
• Customer Support

Pop-ups

Online Armor uses the Anti-Malware Network to automatically allow known Trusted programs, and block Not Trusted programs, as much as possible to minimize the amount of pop-ups that you see. When Online Armor encounters a new item that it cannot identify, it will pop-up and ask you to Allow or Block it.

The Online Armor pop-ups are color coded according to the classification of the program trying to run:

• Green – Trusted program or low-risk action. If a Trusted program has been changed then Online Armor will display a green pop-up asking if you still trust the program the next time the program runs. If the program has been updated since the last time it has run then this is to be expected. Green pop-ups may also be displayed if a protection feature needs to ask you to Allow or Block an action from a Trusted program.
• Orange – Unknown program or medium-risk action. If an Unknown program tries to run or perform a potentially malicious action then Online Armor will display an orange pop-up asking if you want to Allow it. This is the most common pop-up you will see, and may be expected if you are installing, or have installed, new software on your computer, are browsing the web, or downloading email.
• Red – Not Trusted program or high-risk action. If a Not Trusted program tries to run then Online Armor will automatically block it from running and produce a red pop-up alerting you to the fact that it has tried to run. Red pop-ups will also be displayed for unusual activity that is particularly high-risk.

The pop-up header will show the program icon, the behavior it is alerting you to, and the program causing the popup. To the left of the popup header is an icon of a clipboard. Clicking this icon will copy the program path and available file information to your computer's clipboard.

Below the header, the pop-up will provide details such as the location of the program on your hard drive and any available file information for the program. You can click the underlined filename's to be taken to the Online Armor website where you can view any information Online Armor has collected about this particular program.

Following the file information are some tips on how to answer the pop-up, relevant options, and finally the Allow and Block buttons. Placing your mouse pointer over the blue information icons will display a tooltip explaining each option.

Types of Pop-ups

Online Armor pop-ups will look slightly different, and contain different options, depending on what the pop-up is for.

HIPS popups (Program Guard, Anti-Keylogger, Autoruns, Web Shield, File and Registry Shield and Antivirus) offer some or all of the following options.

• Remember my decision – Selecting this option will add a rule to Online Armor, found in the Programs section, based on your decision to Allow or Block the program from running. This will prevent Online Armor from popping up and asking you about this program in the future.
• Remember my decision for any target – This option will be displayed on popups for Advanced Options while in Advanced Mode. Selecting this option will allow the program to take the specified action on or with any file, rather than the specific target file. For example if the popup is to allow the program to create an exe file, selecting this option will allow the program to create any exe files.
• Trust this program – Selecting this option will add a rule to Online Armor setting this program to Trusted. Trusting the program will prevent Online Armor from monitoring the program for potentially malicious behavior.
• Install mode – Selecting this option will indicate that this is an install/setup file. Installers run many programs and perform many actions that may raise pop-ups from Online Armor. Using this option will automatically allow Unknown programs that the installer runs, reducing or eliminating those pop-ups.
• Create system restore point – Selecting this option creates a system restore point which can be used to reverse the changes if they cause system problems.
• RunSafer – This creates a rule in Online Armor that sets this program to RunSafer, restricting the program's access to system components that could have wide-reaching implications.
• Reset firewall rules – This option will remove all Firewall rules associated with the program being prompted for in the event that you wish to reconfigure how this program can connect to the network/internet.
• Terminate this program – Selecting this option results in program termination if you block this action, otherwise it is ignored.

Firewall popups offer some or all of the following options.

• Create rule – Creates a rule in the Firewall to "remember" your decision to Allow or Block the program from accessing the internet. This prevents further pop-ups the next time that the program attempts to access the internet.
• Current session only – Creates a rule that is only retained until Online Armor is restarted, such as when you restart your computer. This prevents further pop-ups while the program runs this time, but Online Armor will pop-up again the next time that the program attempts to access the internet after Online Armor is restarted.
• Trust this program – Selecting this option will add a rule to Online Armor setting this program to Trusted. Trusting the program will prevent Online Armor from monitoring the program for potentially malicious behavior.

Considerations for answering pop-ups

Some "rules of thumb" to keep in mind when deciding to Allow or Block an Unknown program:

• Consider what were you doing on your computer when the pop-up occurred and the type of pop-up being displayed. If you were intentionally installing software, even if it's a plugin for your web browser such as Flash, program related pop-ups may be expected. However, if you are just browsing the internet then you should pay close attention and be cautious.
• Software updates, including Windows Updates and updates to your antivirus software, may cause pop-ups at unexpected times. However, there should be some indication that the update is taking place. If you have any doubt you can click the small blue information bubble next to a program's name to take you to the Online Armor website where you can view any information Online Armor has collected about this particular program.
• Make sure that you have obtained any program that you run from a trusted source. For programs that you already know and trust, downloading directly from the developer's website is best. Large and reputable download sites that carefully monitor their available downloads to ensure that they are malware free, and stake their reputation on it, are also good sources. Peer-to-Peer networks such as eMule and Bit Torrent are not trusted sources as you have no way of knowing who may have tampered with the download.
• If you are installing software (such as a printer driver) from the CD that came with the product then be sure to make use of the "Install Mode" option and/or Allow any pop-ups that arise from the installation, unless you are very confident with what you are doing.
• Make sure that you are not running something as risky as a crack or keygen. Files intended for illegal purposes such as these are common sources of malware. Even if they operate as expected, some will behave maliciously in the background at the same time.