best configuration for ZA free antivirus Firewall

What is the best or secure configuration for Zone Alarm Free Antivirus firewall? Zone Alarm has HIPS?

 

ZA already provide excellent security out of the box. I would recommend only to move up application control from AUTO to MAX after the first couple of weeks of use. So, you give enough time for ZA to learn your system before tightening your outbound filtering.

Then ensure all categories of riskware are selected for the on-access AV detection and that behaviour filtering is ticked all across (the latter may cause some false positives). You will find these options under the advanced settings of the AV section. I am not 100% sure all the above is available in the free version!

The rest should be kept as it is as it will not add much security as compared to downgrading usability (pop-ups and possible blockges if you start to play with ZA zones and related settings).

Keep it simple and do not fall into the temptation of installing applications that then you need to block with the firewall. Only install software you can fully trust.

P.S. BTW, have you resolved all your problems of installing/unistalling/updating? It is always nice to provide feedback to the volunteers at the ZA forum about how you resolved your issues. It can also help other users with similar problems!

 

I would add the ZA AV plays nice with other AV software. Add them to each other's exclusion list and they will get along happily! You can have more than one AV engine - just be sure not to run scans together!

 

Thanks, yes no more problems whith installing Unistalling Updating

 

Running ZA free antivirus with other AVs means looking for troubles. I have seen several users having problems with this approach. If you have not then you have been a lucky user . This includes but not limited to BSODs, inability to update AV signatures, slow performance, random blocking, uninstall problems, difficulties in clean up systems in case of an active infection. Never use more than one AV at the same time unless the other AV is designed to do so. In my historical support history on ZA I have seen conflicts with mcafee, AVG, norton, winpatrol, MBAM (paid), AVAST and many others.

I am not sure this happens with ZAfree antivirus but also webroot security anywhere (WSA) do not play nice with ZA with negative impacts especially on web browsing (this has been already reported to WSA development team).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Fax

 

Webroot claim WSA will run with any av or security suite.

 

Not any, they cannot be 100% compatible with all security solutions out there. But they try with most of them

 

Exclude the scanner from the other and they will get along together. And of course don't use them at the same time. If they have different engines one can detect something the one could miss. Use common sense and you'll be alright online.

 

It would have been nice if it was so easy. Unfortunately conflicts are happening behind the scene. You have core system drivers loading (e.g. klif, vsdatant) even if the security suite is disabled. You have multiple hooking at kernel level. This means malfunctions, crashing, problems etc that you will not easily link back to your setup. Consider that a large share of support requests at the ZA forum are linked to users running multiple AVs. So, no this is a no go strategy that instead of improve your overall security may even make you weaker against attacks.

Feel free to run multiple AVs but be ready to troubleshoot at each new update or in case of infection or in case of a specific configuration scenario. It may happen now or in a year. Not really to recommend unless the multiple protection is done intelligently (i.e. no overlapping tools or use tools that are designed to work with other AVs).

Thanks,
Fax