When Online Armor encounters a new item that it cannot identify, it will pop-up and ask you to Allow or Block it. Online Armor pop-ups will look slightly different, and contain different options, depending on what the pop-up is for.
The header of each pop-up will indicate what Online Armor is asking you to Allow or Block. If Online Armor is displaying a pop-up for an Unknown program trying to run, for example, then it will say "A program wants to run," which is asking if you wish to Allow or Block the program from running.
The pop-up header will show the program icon, the behavior it is alerting you to, and the program causing the popup. Below the header, the pop-up will usually provide some detail, such as any available version information for the program, the location of the program file on your hard drive, some tips on how to answer the pop-up, relevant options, and finally the Allow and Block buttons.
You can also 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.
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. See “Considerations for answering pop-ups” below.
- Red – Untrusted program or high-risk action. If an Untrusted 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.
Here are the different types of pop-ups that you may see from Online Armor. Visit the links for more information on how to answer them.
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. When Windows installs updates you should see a yellow shield icon in the system tray in the area next to the clock in the lower right-hand corner of your screen. Most other programs have similar notifications including tray icons, balloon tips, pop-ups, or similar. 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.