ZoneAlarm Pro version 9.0.083.000

Discussion in 'other firewalls' started by Page42, Sep 1, 2009.

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  1. SoCalReviews

    SoCalReviews Registered Member

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    I can't answer as to whether that is still the case with the new ZA products but I do know one of the replies that was most often given when it used to be the case with ZA. It is sort of like worrying about whether or not the locksmith who installs all the locks on all the doors of your house and cuts all your spare keys should be trusted with the fact that he could possibly have access your house. In other words there are some people you are going to have to decide whether or not you trust them and the same is true with security software companies whether it be firewall software, AV or ASW software. Of course all of those security softwares tend to want internet access to check for automatic updates but I suppose that could be turned off if that option is available in the settings.

    Anyway...that has been a popular response given in the past to that type of question. Even if a security software company says it doesn't give itself access you might stay awake late every night wondering if they are telling the truth or not. Information could always be disguised, hidden and leaked out during the update process. I suppose that the only way to really be sure about any software's behavior would be to write your own security software so you could completely control exactly what it was doing. The other way to end the wondering would be to never install any security software from a company that you don't trust.

    My reply wasn't meant to diminish the importance of your question but to provide some perspective on what past responses have been for that same question. Maybe someone else can provide the actual answer as to whether the new ZA products are hard coded to give internet access to themselves...Maybe Fax can help? He almost always has the answers to questions like this one. o_O
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2009
  2. Wildest

    Wildest Registered Member

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    As far as I am concerned, your reply didn't diminish the importance of my question whatsoever.
    I know some clients who won't use Kaspersky because it has a red GUI, but I certainly don't tell them that isn't "important"; I respect their individuality and try to find a similar product with a GUI of a different color.

    I simply like being able to determine, both if and when, any software uses the network.
    Call this a "pet peeve" if you like.
     
  3. Wildest

    Wildest Registered Member

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    Something else.
     
  4. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Well, an old question I don't answer anymore since ghosts will never go away even in front of the factual proof. This is the case for ZA calling home. It was discussed, tested and showed here... (don't ask me where, search yourself) but still every 6 months there is a useless post about ZA calling home with the most funny explanations.... and this the case since version 6, 7 and 8.... and now 9 ;)

    ZA can call home many times a day. To update the antivirus, to consult the defense net, to check for fishishing IPs, to check for programs running, to block spyware sites, to report a crash, etc...

    You don't want ZA calling home, you trash 80% of the protection. Better to choose something else.

    As soon as you ask yourself, does ZA call home? Then you should move instantly to another security tool. You need to FULLY trust your security, its your first line of defense and it needs to move freely on the system to work correctly and to maximise your protection.

    Well, it is not that it needs access to internet. It is the access to internet itself! The vsmon will filter all communication in/out. You cannot block it.... you will just cut the connection. Easier to shut it down and not using it. This way it will not be running at all.

    Cheers,
    Fax
    P.S. And there will be still posts about ZA calling home! Any bet? :D
    EDIT: Which is the prize I win? :ninja:
    P.S. Please no personal attacks... usually it ends up like this... lol
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2009
  5. Wildest

    Wildest Registered Member

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    I use Comodo Internet Security with the Firewall and the Defense+. Since I do not use the AV, I see no reason to have automatic updates on.
    When I need a new version, I go to the site and download the latest version.

    Now here you are, saying that if I don't want ZA calling home, I will "trash" 80% of the protection? o_O
    If ZA can only give me approx 1/5 the protection of CIS if prevented from calling home, then for me this is a no-brainer. :rolleyes:

    Also, since this thread title is ZoneAlarm Pro version 9.0.083.000, my question was about this specific product.
    There is no AV/AS in ZoneAlarm Pro.
     
  6. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Oh, yes, sorry the same as alredy mentioned except AV/AS. Indeed I forgot the call home for product updates and the new MS safe-ex consultation...
     
  7. captkirk

    captkirk Registered Member

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    It's not 'strange' that Privacy Control" is gone. It was removed! Along with ad-blocking. As a long time customer of ZA, I updated to the new version ZASS 9 to find that they removed Privacy control. I didn't care that it wasn't in ZAES because I don't license that version.

    A 'guru' on their forum claims that Privacy Control was too much trouble to support and that it generated too many complaints, although I've never seen any complaints about Privacy Control. (except that it is now missing!). I've always thought integrating an ad-blocker for safety made sense in a 'suite'. I don't understand why it was removed. It was a favorite feature of mine in ZASS.

    I know, I know, there are third party ad-blockers out there, but if I have to go buy an Ad-Blocker program, instead, I'll buy a firewall program or suite that already has it 'built in'.

    I suppose security software companies are caving under pressure from Internet advertisers not to include ad blocking in their product by somehow subsidizing them. There were rumors of this when Symantec stopped providing ad-blocking support. But that was just rumor.

    I suppose for 'new customers', they'll never know the difference. But I know and miss the difference. I'm extremely disappointed in Check Point's decision to remove (my favorite) feature from their product line. But that is just my opinion.
     
  8. Page42

    Page42 Registered Member

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    I agree with this... but then I also run Prevx and there is almost constant contact with that application. I trust ZAP and Prevx and avast!, or else they wouldn't be on my computers.

    I have a question for the folks who have installed this ZAP upgrade... how different is it in "feel" and "look" from previous versions? A dramatic departure? Or still pretty much the same? :)
     
  9. SoCalReviews

    SoCalReviews Registered Member

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    I understand the initial feeling you have because I was also running ZASS v8 before the upgrade and then after seeing Privacy features removed I new I wanted another level of browser security. After thinking it through I simply upgraded to ZAES v9 with ForceField virtualization enabled. I would recommend you chat with the Checkpoint customer service reps if they are offering any upgrade deals for current subscription customers.

    If you want as good or better security without the old Privacy features without bothering with another ad or cookie blocking program then go the same route with ZAES v9 and then just adjust your browser's built in privacy settings to block pop ups, third party cookies (or only allow cookies for certain amount of time), java, java script, etc.. I use Firefox 3.5 and have it flush all the browser cache, cookies, web site data, etc.. when I close it.

    I like my new setup with ZAES v9 better than the old setup of ZASS v8 with the Privacy settings enabled. I no longer have to worry about the same kind of conflicts with web sites and although a script based pop up gets through once in a while it works well. The virtualization and the other Force Field features protect your machine from malicious parts of the web and you don't have to go through tedious manual configurations for Privacy settings for each and every web site you frequently visit.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2009
  10. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Not at all, 50% of my posts at ZA forum were to help users with ZA privacy problem. The technology used was old and broken for many higly interactive sites. They made a choice and preferred to concentrate on security rather than privacy. IMO this has also reduced some bloating. For my perspective they move forward with the concept of protection... i.e. no need to block something if you can isolate it from the rest of the system and render it harmless (forcefield).

    You actually don't need to buy any software, you can use free browser add-on like IE7PRO for IE, Adblocking/noscript for Firefox, etc...

    Just my 2 cents
    Fax
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2009
  11. captkirk

    captkirk Registered Member

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    Privacy control in ZA has never been a 'functional' problem for me. I'm sure that most help you've provided was from users who simply didn't take the time to learn how to configure and use it.

    I've tried the so called 'free' ad blockers and most of them, IMO don't work as well as those paid versions I've trialed.

    My roommate in college was an avid reader of Newsweek. One day I saw him cutting out all the advertisements. When I asked him why he did that he said the time spent removing the ads before he read the mag was less than the distractions introduced while reading the newsprint.

    I understand why there are ads on the Internet. I don't understand why producers of ads make them more and more obnoxious. I know they want our attention but, without naming names, I will not buy from a company that has annoying ads.

    But in light of that, if the advertisers and legislators have their way, from what I've read, Ad-Blocking software and techniques to block ads will eventually be illegal anyway. So the point of ZA removing Privacy Control eventually will be moot won’t it?
     
  12. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Yes, also... but most were on actual failure of the system and its approach (adding a script in every web page you load). It slowly became less and less compatible with modern web sites.

    The ones mentioned works very well and to be honest the ZA ad-blocking was very poor (at best).

    No, really.... far away from the reality. For ZA it was a major nuisance, both causing troubles with users and creating major headache to developers to keep it updated and running :)

    Fax
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2009
  13. Fajo

    Fajo Registered Member

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    Fax.

    Is there no longer a 15 day trial of ZA. I love to try and play with the new versions hoping to go back to ZA someday. But I sure the hell aint going to dish them 39$ before I try there ZAPro.


    Or be nice and pass me a 90 day key MAHAHAHAHA. :D
     
  14. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    o_O No trial? Why? I am not aware there is no trial anymore on ZA products.

    Cheers,
    Fax
     
  15. Fajo

    Fajo Registered Member

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    None for ZApro. at least let me know if you see one but where it used to be it is no longer...

    I dug out my old keys just to find they expired a few months back lol. So could use a trial or a temp key if you even have access to that crap. ;)
     
  16. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    There is no trial key. When you install ZA, it will recognise that you have not installed ZA and offer you the trial. If you have already tested in the past or your license has expired it will recognise it and refuse to run in trial ;) .

    In the above case use the ZA removal tool with the -rmlicense switch.
    http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/support/cpes_clean.exe

    Run the tool with the "-?" to know all the commands.

    Cheers,
    Fax
     
  17. Fajo

    Fajo Registered Member

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    Can trial something I cant download..... Its not available for download in any part of there site.. :blink:

    Hence the needing a "key" run Version 8.0 and upgrade lol.
     
  18. Zyrtec

    Zyrtec Registered Member

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  19. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Here to download any latest retail version of ZA

    The ZA removal tool shoud run even without ZA installed. If not, install 9, remove with /rmlicense switch and reinstall.
    You can also install 8, if you want, and then remove it with the license reset switch.

    Fax
     
  20. Fajo

    Fajo Registered Member

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    Sweet thanks bro.

    Also Google was not the issue what I was saying is the WEBSITE it self is not letting you get it.

    Don't know if that is intentional or if its a bug. If you go to Download/Trials on the site ZAPro is not a option ;)
     
  21. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    You're welcome! :thumb:
     
  22. mata7

    mata7 Registered Member

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    any one knows if ForceField work on win7 x64?

    thanks
     
  23. fax

    fax Registered Member

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    Yes that I know, but only from version 1.4.X onwards...

    Fax
     
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