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Category: Community
Forum: Chat Room
Thread: Zone Alarm sucks! |
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 15
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
I tried it out, due to the recent complaints.
It sucks! It has too many options, but still won't let you configure what you need. It pops up too many alerts, making it easy to ignore them and allow things by mistake. The interface is ugly and confusing. My recommendation: don't use Zone Alarm. I never thought I'd say this, but even the built in Windows firewall is better. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Here are some specific failings:
# During upgrades, it switches off the firewall leaving you unprotected. # It failed to recognise my antivirus software. # It crashed BOINC! # It's not smart enough to ignore localhost traffic (despite putting localhost in the trusted zone). # It blocked my IRC client without popping up an alert (despite being allowed in the program control tab). # It pops up confusing messages trying to prevent you from uninstalling it. I tried the free version and the Security Suite version. Both suck. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
It sucks! I tried the free version and the Security Suite version. Both suck. Hey, don't hold back! Tell us how you REALLY feel about Zone Alarm!  |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
I believe it was good, once. Geeks like myself take advice from other geeks before committing to a software choice (as well as trying them out for comparison myself). Five years ago, Zone Alarm was often recommended when the question of firewalls came up. Today, it is never mentioned. Now I know why - it has failed to keep up and failed to improve.
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twilyth
Master Cruncher US Joined: Mar 30, 2007 Post Count: 2130 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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According to a PC magazine review in January it's the "Best spyware-blocking app yet." See http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2087467,00.asp
----------------------------------------They noted some problems with the ZA suite, but that's why a lot of people run multiple apps. I use Spy Sweeper with ZA - which uses Sophos' heuristic detection algorithms. Plus I enable ZA's component control for additional security. You're entitle to your opinion, but until you've done the kind of exhaustive reviews they do at PC mag, you'll have to forgive us if we ignore you.   |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
I tried ZA way back when, pre SP2 and Windows Firewall, and I think I had it installed for about half a day before I uninstalled it. I can't even remember what I replaced it with, but I do remember it was a headache and I wouldn't use it again. I thought it was because it was the free edition but sounds like all versions are just as bad.
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twilyth
Master Cruncher US Joined: Mar 30, 2007 Post Count: 2130 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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All firewall sofware is a compromise between security and convenience. Ideally the software will make intelligent decisions on it's own and hopefully they're the right decision. I've used Norton and Norton 360 and they are more convenient but from what I've seen they don't seem to be as thorough. Zone Alarm can be annoying, but if you use the "auto" setting after you install, it will handle most alerts automatically, learn what type of usage is typical on your machine and then automatically reset itself to maximum after about a month.
----------------------------------------As I've said, I enable component control which raises more alarms, but I like the control it gives me - especially since a lot of malware will use system components to do they're dirty work. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
It sucks , period and out, thanks
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twilyth
Master Cruncher US Joined: Mar 30, 2007 Post Count: 2130 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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It sucks , period and out, thanks That was informative - thanks for sharing. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
According to a PC magazine review in January it's the "Best spyware-blocking app yet." See http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2087467,00.asp Actually, that review merely raises another concern: apparently the antivirus bundled with Zone Alarm is now based on Kaspersky - and Kaspersky has been a source of frequent software conflicts with crunching software. Not that I need another reason not to use it, but maybe this factoid will tip the balance for somebody. In the article, notice also the discrepancy between the editor and reader's rating. |
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