Agnitum Outpost 3 Beta review

Agnitum Outpost has long been a PC Pro favourite. Yet version 6 of ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite suggests that standalone software firewalls are an endangered species.

Outpost does have one trick up its sleeve, though: a modular architecture that enables new features to be literally plugged in. While there's no sign of an anti-virus module, we've managed to get a sneak preview of the beta code, which does add anti-spyware features in the mix. Apart from that, it's almost identical to the 2.5 release, but an important addition nonetheless, especially as Agnitum has spent a year developing its own algorithms, based on the code from its Tauscan anti-trojan software.

Despite being a beta app, it performed well in our spyware tests. Using the same tests as applied in our anti-spyware round-up, it detected keyloggers with ease and, as a result, scored a detection rate of 81 per cent. Removal was a more average 72 per cent (fifth equal) and blocking a good 53 per cent (third). All of this gave Outpost an overall accuracy score of 68.6 per cent -enough to have placed it fourth in the group test. Not bad for software in beta.

It could do with some tweaking when it comes to scanning speeds, though, as a full system scan was down there with Norton's offering at 21 minutes, 32 seconds, although the quick scan was faster at five minutes, 46 seconds. What did impress us was the minimal impact upon system resources, both during scanning and in general. This was better than Norton and ZoneAlarm, and alongside the leading apps in the group test.

Agnitum has also added an ID block feature to Outpost 3, which acts as a data vault and prevents 'leakage' through IM, email and so on by using block and exception lists combined with string filtering. This, like every aspect of the anti-spyware plug-in, is very configurable. Agnitum is aware that many of its users fall into the intermediate/advanced bracket and are happy to accommodate the desire for system tweaking. That said, straight out of the box with a single database update, this beta performed exceptionally well and we can't wait to see the finished product. For those who purchased Outpost 2.5 in the last 12 months, there will even be a free upgrade

Author: Davey Winder