Beware Latest Zone Alarm Free Update

[Steve2UK]

As Zone Alarm Free is widely (and, IMHO, until now rightly) recommended as an effective firewall on this forum, I thought I should alert members to a major problem they may have with Outlook/Outlook Express in their various flavours - if they already have a spamfilter add-on or integral spamfilter component within their version.

The latest Zone Alarm Free version update (zlsSetup_70_337-000) is 3 times the size of the preceding version (zlsSetup_65_737_000) - mainly because it now includes its own spamfilter module called "MailFrontier". It seems that even if you choose not to enable this function in the install setup, it will still be installed into Outlook (and, I assume, Oulook Express). I use Outlook 2000 with Spamfighter (free) add-on and the result was that the Zone Alarm MailFrontier component conflicted with it and caused Outlook to crash repeatedly. Eventually, I had to uninstall the Zone Alarm Free software completely and re-install the earlier version which I (fortunately) still had available; result - all is fine again......... except that I am now having to "re-teach" permissions in the new install.

Since then, I have been exploring the Zone Alarm User forum to find out more - and it appears that this problem is widespread. Check through the posts here: http://forums.zonealarm.com/zonelabs/board...inst&page=1

There are various convoluted ways to disable the MailFrontier component after the update install, but it seems better to avoid the problem in the first place. The official advice from that forum's moderators is to actually accept the option of the 15-day trial to use the Zone Alarm Pro version - which will then revert to a "clean" version (i.e. without the MailFrontier component) at the the end of the trial period. My own choice is to stay with my previous version and not have any of these issues. I saw one post on the Zone Alarm Forum that quoted company tech support as saying that the previous version was still fully effective - which rather suggests that there are no significant improvements in the update other than the spamfilter.

Given Zone Alarm's previously great track record, this development is disappointing. If nothing else, it's considered really bad form for unadvertised components to install themselves into other software without allowing a valid choice - that puts it virtually into the malware category.

[Mighty Mouse]

Thanks for that timely advice. My copy of Zone Alarm now wants to update but after reading your post I'll hang off until more information comes to hand.

[opalhort]

I have installed the mentioned ZoneAlarm update a few days ago on two Win-XP-Pro Sp2 PCs and running OE6 have so far not encountered any problems.....let's hope it stays this way.

Apart from ZoneAlarm I use AVG free, Spybot S&D and Spyware Terminator for protection, all integrated in IE6 and OE6 as far as possible.

opalhort

[Firefoxx]

Zonealarm was the choice when windows didn't come with a firewall, since it was free. However, with windows now having a good enough firewall (if you don't do anything stupid) and Zonealarm being too complicated for its own good (has been for way too long), I don't see the point of ever using it.

You don't need zonealarm, and you don't need anti-spyware programs. You just need to arm yourself with a bit of knowledge and use your computer in a way that doesn't allow these things to become a problem.

[Thaising]

Me too also updated the latest ZoneAlarm version with junk filters already installed on outlook 2003. So far still did not encounter any problem. If there is one as the OP mentions I will have to rollback using the old version. Hopefully not everyone facing this problems.

[britmaveric]

No problem with latest Zone Alarm update. Works fine with Office03.

[cdnvic]

When will ZoneLabs realize they had a great little product that they ruined by adding more and more junk to it.

BTW.. if you are worried about security you can find much better antiviruses than AVG, and leave yourself less vulnerable by using Firefox and Thunderbird rather than IE and Outlook. Your contacts and emails will import seamlessly from one to the other.

[Steve2UK]

While it seems that most TV members have escaped the problems I mentioned in my original post, there may be some out there who do have trouble. Zone Alarm have now released a patch which disables the MailFrontier spam-filtering function in the updated version 7 - you might find it useful. This from their Forum Administrator:

"Some users of free ZoneAlarm have inadvertently had Anti-spam enabled. This can cause interference with Outlook and Outlook Express, or possibly with Outlook crashes.

To turn off the anti-spam filtering, please click on the following link. Select Run. Once it runs, you will get a popup asking if you really wish to add this information to the registry, click Yes. Then reboot your system. Antispam should now be disabled.

http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/mail...tier/mf_off.reg

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Zone Labs Support"

(Link for the above: http://forums.zonealarm.com/zonelabs/board...ssage.id=67036)

Incidentally, on the Zone Alarm forum, there were also reports of many false positives triggered by the Zone Alarm MailFrontier component - including e-mails from senders that had been added to its whitelist. Even if you're not having crash problems with Outlook/Outlook Express as I described, you may want to double check what this new spamfilter is doing with your incoming e-mails......... If you're not having any of these problems - great .

[Kyosuken]

I have been using the very best spam filter in the world... it's called google mail, with it's option now to retreive mail from pop3 accounts (i have linked 2 pop3 accounts from my previous mail account in France) it works like a charm, and you can put "tags" to the imported mailboxes so you know from where they come, very handy.

The only problem thought is "offline browsing" as of yet google doesn't offer any alternatives, but it's not really a problem most of the time (and as far as goes "security" it's as secured as using a desktop application well a little better even as the mail are already processed through an antivirus before you get them).

I like it because i like to have a desktop with less bloat as possible, a desktop antivirus "a la" Avast is good enough, an active firewall is for... lazy people . Seeing as viruses are still for a large amount from social engineering nowadays good practices like : having your computer patched up to date, an antivirus and even the default firewall in windows XP SP2 are more than good enough to be protected from 95% of the "threats" of internet.

Off course everything is debatable, but not having a single spyware/virus/worm/whatever on my computer for 4 years now makes me think that well educated behaviour regarding internet and computers is superior to being overly paranoid with "security" tools.

That said i don't like ZA, i liked to use it in the early days when it wasn't a bloat factory, now it's on the same level as Norton Internet Security in my book, a pain in the *ss for tech savy users and a completly broken way to handle things. These type of applications works well for one thing tho, locking your computer down... and then good luck to clean the mess

[PattayaDavid]

I recently updated from ZoneAlarm 6.5 to 7.0. I haven't experienced any problems with Outlook, however I use Opera 9.1 version and since installing the upgrade I can no longer access both my hotmail and gmail email accounts. My username and/or password are no longer recognized or accepted. Other than that, all seems well. I am presently using Windows Internet Explorer 7.0 when accessing my email accounts.

Pattaya Dave

[Mighty Mouse]

Does anybody have experience with the JETICO Personal Firewall?

It is freeware.

[peter991]

Firefoxx:

You don't need zonealarm, and you don't need anti-spyware programs. You just need to arm yourself with a bit of knowledge and use your computer in a way that doesn't allow these things to become a problem.

That is really scary advice. The minute you connect to the Internet it is possible to get hacked / download viruses / spyware.

I am running Zone Alarm Pro (with update), NOD32 and Xosoft (anti-spyware) on 6 computers running Windows XP, which are permanently connected to the Internet. After being involved with computers since the Tandy TRS 80 days, I have leant no one product is sufficient to do everything needed to keep your computer safe.

Peter

[cdnvic]

I agree that a software firewall isn't always needed when you have top of the line antivirus, but I would also recommend a good antispyware program as they are not the same as an antivirus and both types of programs have their own particular strengths.

I use Windows firewall because it doesn't slow down the system at all but often have it disabled because it has an annoying habit of blocking outgoing programs that I specifically told it not to at random times.

I have a good hardware firewall that protects me from intrusion, and DEP enabled so I'm not worried, especially as I know how to avoid most of these problems.