ZoneAlarm Pro 70_337_000

......earlier we read this

Disabling communication will disable most of the features in the paid product.
Automatic settings of known programs, automatic block of malware, updates, etc... Your are, more or less, using the ZA free firewall features. .....

If you do not trust the security tools you have installed better to remove it and choose a product you feel confortable with and a product with which you can use all features you are paying for...

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But ZA tells us more:

It seems you can opt in or not as your see fit, there was no need for FUD about totally disabling it. So turn things off or on selectively.


Got this from ZoneLabs today and I thought I would share it as some of you have been asking about what these servers do.

Q: Why does Zone Labs software contact Zone Labs?

A: The ZoneAlarm family of products offers a number of features and services that enhance your security by providing
specific information about threats, configurations, and programs. To enable these services, ZoneAlarm security
products communicate periodically with Zone Labs servers. Of course, this communication is done on an "opt in"
basis; it is your choice to decide to take advance of these features and services.

Zone Labs is committed to your privacy, and never collects any personally identifiable information about our users.
Any information that does come to Zone Labs servers is used in aggregate form. For Zone Labs' full legal statement on
privacy, please refer to http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/privacy.jsp The information that is exchanged
with the servers below is stripped of identifying data, and is not saved.



Each one of these features and services is voluntary; you can easily choose not to use any or all of them.
Following is a list of the servers that your client might contact, and the functionality they provide.

cm2.zonelabs.com assists in the functioning of various services including the AlertAdvisor, antivirus updates, and
antivirus monitoring.

hs2.zonelabs.com helps your client keep its services up to date.

ls2.zonelabs.com manages information relating to program configuration.

pa2.zonelabs.com manages the Program Advisor functionality.

ps2.zonelabs.com helps with updates to services and client functionality.

update.zonelabs.com supports the "Check for Update" functionality.

register.zonelabs.com handles product registration.

 

Are you lost in your own thread? The water is warm and choppy!

Are you going come back with your comments on you OP?

 

I don't expect to find out the real deal here or anywhere, and I'm sure conspiracy theories are juicy.

But if I can just figure out how to properly block the ZA outbounds while still being able to functionally update, it's all good enough for me - and the reason I'm here in the first place - pooling wisdom for solutions.

I digged a little and found some relevant links:

Zonelabs' own directions for Disable ZoneAlarm Server Communications (apparently you can also download a "patch" if the following directions don't work):

http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2005/pr_22.html


As for juicy stories, read them at your own leisure:

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=29157

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Check_Point


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A lot of the new firewall programs coming out appear to contain multifunctional features that make them have properties over a simple firewall. Following this reasoning, then we should just ignore all of the new firewall releases and use programs back some 10 years ago?


http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2005/pr_22.html

Thanks for the link from Zone Alarm. My program still occasionally pops up with a request to download the new version, but I just ignore it because I already have done it (but can't install it).

 

Thanks for the juicy links, I will add them to my collection.

The following quote are from Escalader's post. "Each one of these features and services is voluntary; you can easily choose not to use any or all of them.
Following is a list of the servers that your client might contact, and the functionality they provide."

If you have ZA Pro installed, you can BLOCK all of these servers. I have the Pro version and all these servers are BLOCK and my ZA Firewall is running correctly and I am still receiving my Anti-Spyware updates when they are available. I will continue to keep an eye out for any type of problems, but as of now, there is NONE. If there should be a problem, I will post back ASAP and advise of the settings that needed to be changed.

 

Hope this helps, the red highlighting on the v6 bug is mine so those who have that version are aware.

"How to Disable ZoneAlarm Server Communications

In order to ensure that users have up-to-date protection, the ZoneAlarm product family relies not only on powerful desktop technology but also a central server-based infrastructure. Security software is no longer a self-contained program that can be updated annually. With zero-hour threats emerging, consumers need dynamic ongoing updates. These communications are not only essential to the effectiveness of our products, they are a significant part of the reason most customers purchase our software.

Despite the value of these services to our customers, we realize that a limited number of users do wish to disable all communication and cut off all updates - even though no personal information is shared and even though doing this will weaken their security. Because of this, we have included features to turn off communications with ZoneAlarm’s central servers. Here is a list of the various features and settings within the product where you can turn off communication with ZoneAlarm central servers.

* SmartDefense Advisor: In "Program Control", set SmartDefense Advisor to "Off". See screenshot.
* Anti-virus / Anti-spyware: In "Anti-virus / Anti-spyware", click "Advanced Options", then "Update", and deselect both options. See screenshot.
* Check for Updates: In "Overview", click the "Preferences" tab, and select "Manually". See screenshot.
* Share my security settings: Also in "Overview" under the "Preferences" tab, at the bottom deselect the "Share my security settings anonymously with Zone Labs." See screenshot.
* Email Protection: In "E-mail Protection", set Inbound MailSafe Protection to "Off". See screenshot. Next, under "Junk E-mail Filter", click the "Advanced" button. Then click the "Settings" tab and deselect the one option under "Auto Report Fraud Email" and deselect both options under "Show Confirmations". See screenshot.

(Note: Screenshots above are from the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite. The user interface may be slightly different for other ZoneAlarm products.)

Unfortunately, we have discovered a bug in these features for our customers using 6.0 or 6.1 versions of ZoneAlarm products. Even after making these manual changes, the client will occasionally communicate with the centralized servers anyway. We will fix this in the product as soon as possible. Until then, concerned users can go through the following steps to turn off all communications with the ZoneAlarm central servers.

* Adjust settings to prevent communication with ZoneAlarm central servers as described above.
* Go to http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/plugintool/RegisterPluginCam.exe to download "RegisterPluginCam.exe". After downloading, double-click on the icon. And that's it - after the program runs, your server communications will have been disabled. (There will be no confirmation.)
* If you want to restore your communications with ZoneAlarm central servers, use the command line to run the application (click the Windows "Start" button, choose "Run") by typing "RegisterPluginCam.exe –r". "

 

Thanks Ron:

Right, I got the quotes and the link was just posted one post before. I wanted the bug warning to show for the sake of the members with that version who may not click. Thats the trouble with links.

Here is the link again:

http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2005/pr_22.html

 

This was one of the update comments from the Zone Alarm website. I wonder if it addressed the previously cited communication problem.

 

Here is the latest test results, others will draw there own conclusions.

Following the advice ....In "Program Control", set SmartDefense Advisor to "Off". See screenshot", I turned off all their settings as outlined.

Now expecting to lose the advisor pop ups, they are still happening!

I will now restart PC, maybe that will lock in the change. BTW I also still get all event shown on log repeatedly turning off! This software doesn't seem to like being told what to do on logging or it has a bad memory!

More later

 

Okay, last post today!

After restart the smart adviser switch is off, but I still get the adviser service.

ZA needs to access a server to provide this advice so the off switch is broken or maybe the link information is unmatched to what actually happens.

The cheapest way is to fix this is to change the manual to say the smart adviser cannot be turned off!

I've got an old lite switch like that, to turn it off I either have to take bulb out or cut the power line feed. OTOH it would be better to have an electrician fix it before the bulb burns out or starts a fire and the house burns down.

 

Post back asap Berhe01! see post 138. My light switch won't turn off and so and so on

 

Are you talking about the Privacy Advisor? If you are, go into the firewall to the Privacy tab, then to Cookie Control, click on the Custom button, scroll down until you the box that says Show Privacy Advisor, remove the check mark, click on Apply and then OK. Presto done. No more pop ups for the Privacy Advisor.

 

Just a heads up for those still using Version 6 of ZoneAlarm:

http://www.matousec.com/


Generally, if you're not upgrading to a version with anti-virus, shouldn't have too much of a problem. ZoneAlarm forum has more detail instructions on how to do a clean uninstall and upgrade. Just make sure you're offline during the process.

http://forums.zonealarm.com/zonelabs/board?board.id=inst


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I don't see this behaviour here...
I think there is some confusion on how SmartDefense works

Everything below refers to known programs to the ZA central database.

Automatic settings: ZA will contact ZA server and automatically configure your programs without any pop-up

Manual setting: ZA will contact ZA server and automatically configure your programs with a pop-up. A traffic light will be displayed (green= Known good; Red=known bad), "remember this action" is checked. You can change permissions if you do not want to follow Smartdefense.

OFF settings: ZA will not use ZA server information and you will get a pop-up asking about access, "remember this action" is not checked.

Summing up: getting the pop-up has nothing to do with SmartDefense but with the basic firewall in ZA. i.e. for programs not listed in the program list that needs access, ZA will pop-up asking you if you want to allow/deny access.

If you do not want the pop-up you need to turn OFF the program control (i.e. outbound protection).

Fax

EDIT: A couple of screenshots to show the differences.

Manual Settings. Known Program


OFF settings: ZA does not use the central server information


SmartDefence is a real time protection (Together with spysite blocking). Known bad executables will be killed.
Setting SmartDefence OFF will basically render useless one of the nice features included in the ZA triple defence firewall technology.

 

Hi!I use ZA Security Suite 70 337 000 , it's pretty good.

 

Hi Berge:

I have done that change, thanks for your solid detail and steps. Very refreshing.

I will wait the day and see what actually happening.

Then I will report back actual results

 

Thanks, Maysky:

Good links to solid sources.

The thread is about V7 Pro, but our fellow members deserve to be warned (as you have done) about V6. Not every body clicks on links!

Thanks again for the detail.

 

Berge01:

Can you verify/test the above quote for this thread?

This post seems to have missed the point that turning off "smart" defense is a test dealing with ZA connection servers. And having done that I still get to their server and receive the benefit of the advice.

I'm going to follow your advice now on ZA not only on how to turn it off, so I will wait for the results and report back for you and others who are reading.

 

My error on reading your original post, as I missed seeing the smart advisor, therefore giving instructions about the Privacy Advisor. SORRY!

In reference to the Smart Advisor to stop it, if by manual changing the controls do not work, therefore you will have to block the connection in your firewall, which I have already done in mine and results NO MORE Smart Advisor Alerts. But remember, I have ZA Pro version installed, therefore I don't really need this feature, but if you have the ZA Suite, then you may have problems receiving your Anti-Virus definitions from ZA. You can test it first, if you are not receiving the definitions, therefore you need to remove the block from the firewall.

 

No sweat, I have Pro like you and can't seem to turn Smart off as it is a dumb broken switch. But I can leave privacy on as it is one of the positives of Pro, yes those exist. optimizing it is another matter.

I don't use the AV just the ASW on demand but it never finds anything!

Not that that proves the PC is clear of parasites

 

Same question here...

If you don't like SmartDefense you can still tune existing programs as you want (setting Smartdefense to "custom" and program list) and still be protected if new known bad programs will try to install...

Or if you want control on settings, just set General SmartDefense to "Manual", so you will have your chance to change settings you don't like.

Fax