Customer Reviews

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite - 3 Users [Old Version]

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I am very computer savvy and in fact also have worked extensively in security framework/development/network security.
I have investigated and used almost all the market prevalent so-called *suites* and in my humble opinion, I think this is the best.
Why? -> Let's take Mcfee : Product-wise - excellent but the quirks in it, really kills. If you set the privacy advisor to protect some information from leaking out, no matter what, it keeps asking you for permission. Very, very frustrating. It's the SAME problem with Norton.
Norton -> Worst of the lot .. extremely slow and it's spyware protection is useless.

So, the good points of ZoneAlarm -> Very, very powerful firewall. Protects at network, then programs trying to access the Internet/Intranet (Trusted Zone) and finally registry-changes (OS-Firewall). So much so, I have VPN and if you're able to understand how, you can use the Expert Rules section to enable it, without a hitch.

Anti-virus -> Very, very good. I purposely installed and run in a machine, having a rootkit (the infamous Sony rootkit); it found it. Norton/Mcfee -> nada.

Anit-spyware -> Good but could have been better. Support for Netcape/Mozilla(firefox) is not present. Also, my advice is to have 1 more spyware blocker along with the product (my take is Spyware Doctor)

Email/Spam -> Very, very good. But junk-filtering causes some marked delay in opening the mail-box and the 3rd. party product they use: MailFrontier uses up some memory. My advice, if your ISP has a blocker rely on that and in-bound protection disable.

Identity protection/etc. -> Now, this is a pleasant surprise. These blokes have done a really terrific job there. TO TOP IT, ONCE UPGRADE IS DONE, IT SEEMS THAT SUBSCRIBERS ARE OFFERED A FREE IDENTITY PROTECTION PROGRAM ENROLLMENT FOR C.CARDS,SSN, ETC.!!!!

Parental controls/controls on timings of Internet -> All there and works!

The only comparable market consumer product : F-secure Internet Suite.

Caveats and suggestions: I hope someone from Zonealarm also reads this. The protection for common chat-services are very, very weak. Only covers few of the many in use today. Google-Talk/Skype are not covered.
Over time, the program and component list grows tremendously, which causes a significant boot-time delay, when computer starts up. I have to manual go and delete the expired entries every once in a while (file not exist anymore). Believe me, it's no joke to go through the component section!
For this I take 1 whole point, as it's pretty frustrating!!

The email protection should be improved upon immediately to reduce the processor-hogging MailFrontier process. A nice feature which is used interenally by Zonealarm is they scan the whole mail-box and create a list of emails I have ever received/sent mails to. It would be great if the same can be made into an exportable report option, for consumers to just export and then add to their own address book emails they might have missed adding, but just replied back earlier.
The spyware program definitely needs some more work.

Other than these, it also cleans up some MRUs/etc. (but it's an elementary cleanup). A word about this particular version and Zonealarm in general; when purchasing don't worry too much 'bout the version,etc. If you've purchased a brand new license, you can upgrade to their latest from the software, etc. Yep -> There's another caveat, their upgrade is rather strange, makes up download the whole bloody software again (around 22 Mb.) and these choose upgrade/clean install! Finally, it's not automatic, it's manual upgrade. (Note : Virus/spyware upgrades are automatic).

A note to all - do keep program-control/firewall to MEDIUM intially and then switch to HIGH; that way this product learns usage and configures itself accordingly.

This is a great product from an established company that needs more recognition. It's major problem is that it's a security suite and security suties are imperfect.

The reviews for security suite software always seem the same to me. A user reports that installing the security suite made his computer break or caused it to lose performance. He called and tried to get help and couldn't get a hold of anyone. When he does get through he gets advice to the effect of "format your hard drive". Then during reinstallation the same thing happens all over again. It's a mad nightmare scenario that will happen sooner or later to you with every security suite.

Zone alarm won't save you from this scenario. The problem is that no security suite will, they all have terrible support and make some computers crazy. You have to accept that. Zone alarm has a great message board thoguh and I suggest you use it when the time comes. It's really random chance if the default configuration will effect the performance of your machine. You can try all the vendors if you want since they all have trial software and take whcih oen causes you "the least" problems. That's not the best security move but you're be.

What this product DOES offer is the best firewall teamed up with some good virus protection and decent spyware removal. It gives you the most amount of options with regards to the firewall and virus scanning of allt the suites. Norton and McAffe have been moving away from this level of control while Zone Alarm seems genuinely interested in giving you the power to protect your system.

This product offers the best firewall you can get. The firewall is the heart of any secuirty package so this is pivotal. Do you want to keep hackers out in the first place or do you wnat to let them in and then try to clean up the mess afterwards? The clean up after the fact is painful and arduous and if the hacker is determined then nearly impossible to do.

Zone Alarm has the most experience with firealls and it shows. When personal software firewalls were a thing for paranoid hackers these guys were the best and in many ways nothing has changed. Thier firewall is still excellent but it still has the steepest learning curve. It was meant for power users and only in the last few years could I consider recomending it to an average user.

Norton and Mcaffe both slapped this feature onto their products and in some ways it still shows. Norton's is probably the easiest to use. However it's been painfully easy in the past to accidentally make your system completely vulnerable without you knowing with Norton. It's also a huge resource hog generally speaking.

Zone Alarm decent virus protection. Not as good as Kapernssky (easily the best but it comes at a premium) but roughly equal to McAffe. I believe Zone Alarm licensed their anti-virus detection engine from Computer Associates and as such it does a good job. It's significantly better then Norton's performance both in terms of performance, accuracy and options.

Zone Alarm offers spyware detection and removal. This should be a feature that all security suties offer but last time I checked they did not. It's not as good as AdAware but then again you should downlaod that for free anyway. In fact you probably should no matter what package you buy. The great thing about spyware scanners is you can never have too many. They don't conflict with each other nearly as badly as multiple firewalls and virus scanners would.

Oh as a tip you might want to consider a root kit detector too. No packaged security solution deals with this security threat at all. Look up rootkit reavealer on the net. I think by this year or the next this will be part of the primary mode of attack against XP.

Before I bought this product, I went to ZoneAlarm's (ZA) website for the 15-day trial version. I had been using Norton Internet Security (NIS) and Trend Micro for quite a few years but grew tired to slow machine performance and huge files taking up hard drive space. The latest NIS 2007 is 330MB (minus parental control). ZA take 50+ percent less space and runs twice as fast. Before I installed ZA, I had to make sure that all remnants of my old NIS were removed. That meant cleaning up the registry, directories, etc. If you don't, you might encounter serious problems. That also applies to previous versions of ZA. I also went to ZA's website and downloaded their 270-page manual and visited their user forum to get an idea of what I kind of problems others were encountering during the installation process. The above process was longer than the actual installation.

I also made sure I was disconnected from my wireless network before the installation. The installation was straight-forward and relatively quick. Yes--I had to reboot a couple of times, because ZA was trying to update the program's spyware & antivirus definition files. It does ask you do reboot so it can finish removing the old files. If you don't reboot, you might risk corrupting certain files. After the reboot, I connected my wireless network and ZA detected it and asked me what kind of network it was. It then started asking me what programs I wanted to give access to the internet. That can be difficult for a novice, but ZA allows you to view program details (i.e., filename, directory location, etc.) so you can decide for yourself. NIS doesn't even do that for you. ZA allows you to go back later and change the configuration if you want. That's was it. I was surfing in no time.

I used ZA for about a week before I decided to purchase 4 licenses and install them on a laptop & three desktops. All my installations were flawless. This program really improved my computer performance and made it easy for me to configure my MSN/Yahoo Messenger, Logitech webcam, Outlook Express and Outlook 2003. The junk-mail filters work on all computers--each having three POP mail accounts (set up in Outlook Express & Outlook 2003). The junk-mail filter works better in the program than NIS.

The tabs in ZA are set up in such a way that it makes it easy for people to scroll through the options quickly and set up whatever configuration you want. Even when I uninstalled the trial version--I didn't run into any problems installing the boxed version as long as I removed the directories and cleaned the registry. Keep in mind--when you use the uninstall feature in any computer program--IT WILL STILL LEAVE A LOT OF STUFF ON YOUR COMPUTER. It later turned out that the trial version and boxed version are the same. All I had to do with the other three computers was add the license key (in the already installed trial version) and that was it. No uninstalling/reinstalling required.

Bottom line--this is a very good program. The user guide on their website is very extensive and should be carefully reviewed prior to installation. I'm really happy I went with ZA.

I downloaded the trial version of this software from the Zonelabs website without any problems. I have been using this program for approximately one month without any difficulties, glitches, irritations, or troubles. I tried other major utilities such as Mcafee and Norton. Both are pricey and worn-out. Norton was drastically slowing down my computer. I also experimented with Panda Security Suite and Pc-cillin. I did not experience any major issues as some users suggest and report. I decided to go with ZoneAlarm Security Suite due to good reviews and recommendations by various computer experts...

People who knock on Zone Alarms firewall...well, they know nothing about firewalls. Zone Alarm features the best software firewall available. You can research and find out more on sites such as PCMAG, PCWORLD, CNET, etc...

If you use a hardware firewall (which everyone should), and complement it with Zone Alarm's firewall, you will basically have enough frontline protection to keep out everyone but God himself. This is the #1 software firewall on the market hands down. I agree with some people on here...it is geared more towards power users, but it is still pretty easy to install. But, I definately would use it in conjucntion with a hardware firewall.

Zone Alarm also features a OSFirewall. This firewall protects your system at its core. It monitors any changes to your system files. Not many competing firewall products have this.

People who knock on the Anti-Virus engine are either using the old version of Zone Alarm which ran the CA virus engine or they simple don't know anything about anti-virus engines. The 2007 Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite teams up with Kaspersky's anti-virus engine. ZA ditched the CA engine (thank god), and now has teamed up with the #1 anti-virus engine out there. Again, read reviews and articles about Kaspersky on PCMAG, PCWORLD, and CNET.

I agree that the Anti-Spyware engine is one of the weaker components of this suite. I would personally recommend using Webroot's Spy Sweeper in conjunction with ZA.

The Anti-Spam filter is pretty good. I used to use Bitdefender Plus v10. I find ZA's anti-spam feature to better eliminate annoying spam.

The suite itself does not use as much resources as Norton's or McAfee's. People who complain about it crashing their systems or grinding them to a halt need to seriously look into upgrading components on their machines rather than blame the Zone Alarm software. I have an AMD 3200 64 bit processor with 1GB of RAM, and I don't even see a hiccup running ZA.

The best feature of all is probably the price. I think it cost me $45 at Office Depot. This includes 3 installations. For the security features in this suite compared to Norton's or McAfee...you simply can't get a better value.

I even failed to mention the Identity Theft Protection on here...I have yet to really explore that feature, but considering I have had my ID stolen before from a hacker...this is a much needed feature for me.

In conclusion...I believe this is the best overall Security Suite out on the market today. Best performace and best value. Should it be the only thing you install to protect your system? Hell No! Team it up with a Linksys hardware firewall router and a top notch anti-spyware software program such as Webroot's Spy Sweeper, and you'll have all the protection you'll ever need.

jho

I started using Zone Labs products dating back to 2003, starting with its free firewall software to the Zone Alarm Pro and eventually updated and upgraded to the Zone Alarm Security Suite a couple of years ago. Overall, it is still one of the better security suite software programs on the market, although this is not saying much (the degeneration of quality in security suite software from major software companies is seemingly getting worse with each year). Nevertheless, it is still much better than either McAfee or Norton's 2007 security suite programs, which I've tested at work and home.

If you are someone who believes that you must or would prefer having a security suite software program, Zone Alarm remains a good choice, but it is one that comes with caveats and a need for some understanding.

Strengths::

Probably the best feature of Zone Alarm, and what it's best known for, is its firewall. It also provides excellent email, IM, and has at least adequate anti-virus and anti-spyware capability (you should be advised to have an anti-spyware backup for any security suite software).

Weaknesses::

It seems like with each newer version of Zone Alarm security suite, my computer gets a little slower on start-up, CPU usage, and it is now beginning to delve into the realm of more frequent scans and very interruptive updates. This has always been a problem with Zone Alarm, because it is not a program for beginners. If you're looking for a security suite program you can install and just leave to its own devices to care for your computer, Zone Alarm products are not for you.

ZASS is only as good as you allow it to be. That means you must configure the product upon installation. If you don't, you're going to be on the receiving end of a lot of warning screens. As a result, ZASS won't be able to apply all of its protections for your computer and software. This means that you must familiarize yourself with the program, allow it to configure your level of expertise, and by all means go into the ZA on your toolbar and frequently look at its features after the tutorial. The better you are at using this program, the easier it will be for you to navigate using your computer while ZASS is protecting it.

Recommendation::

Admittedly, I stopped using ZASS recently for my work computer, because of its aforementioned problems, although I still use it happily on my PC at home. The speed at which my work computer operates now is much improved, and for the most part I believe my computer is probably as safe as my home computer (minus Zone Alarm's excellent firewall).

If I have any advice, it is to ask yourself what your priorities are for your computer. If you are not basing your computer on speed of usage, but security above all else, and you're someone that is willing to surrender a little speed to maintain your security needs, then you are likely best suited for Zone Alarm. As noted, it is still far superior as a program to either McAfee or Norton's newest security suite software, and it is likely the best in providing overall security for your computer. Still, I can't stress enough that you need to acquaint yourself with this program, particularly after installation.

I have no reason to think that Zone Alarm does not do an excellent job in protecting against viruses and other security problem. I have had it for close to two years and have had no significant security issues. However, for a lay user it is difficult to customize it so that it doesn't block things you don't want blocked or send repeated alerts on harmless connections to the internet. When I purchased an upgrade version this year, I had difficulty installing it; a necessary file seemed to be missing. Fortunately it was a problem many other users had had and it was easy to find the solution on the web. In short, seems like a fine product, but can be somewhat tricky for a person with no desire to play around with technical adjustments on their computer.

After beta testing ZL Security Suite v7 for a few months I ordered the released verion last week. The box says it is the 2007 version, however, it was not, it was version 6.5.737.000. Here is info from the ZL user forum to upgrade to v7 (free).

"Q; I just bought ZASS 2007, but after installation is says I have version 6.5.737.000 Did i do something wrong or did they ship me an old version?

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition
Product Name: ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite
Software Version: 6.5

A: That is the latest boxed version. You can download the latest release from this link.

http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/information/zass/releaseHistory.html

If you have already installed version 6.5.737.000 make sure you select clean uninstall when you go to install version 7."

Product info now says I have v7 and is performing well. I used NAV for years then switched to McAfee a year ago. ZASS is much easier to use and takes less user intervention and maintenance. I have it installed on 6 PCs.

THE COST VS NORTON
I used Norton Internet Security for 2005 and 2006 because it was so inexpensive. Of course you get what you pay for. Norton offered a 3-user pack for $20-50. ZoneAlarm was ~$150 for a one user license. This year ZA changed their marketing strategy offering a $50 3-user license. I jumped on this offer.

THE PERFORMANCE VS NORTON
Norton is a very pervasive program. It takes a massive amount of computing resources to runs NA. Also it slows internet connectivity significantly. ZA on the other hand is virtually invisible to the user. I rarely notice that it is there. In addition ZA offers identity protection by saving your passwords and personal info in its "myVault". Once the data are entered, ZA will monitor all internet programs and ensure that this info is not sent over unsecure connections without your permission. NA has nothing close to this feature. For the experienced user, the program access manager in NA is seriously deficient. The dialog for adjusting program access is 3 lines tall so you have to scroll forever to get to a specific program to change internet access.

SUMMARY
Not even a contest at this price. At $50 for a 3-user pack of ZoneAlarm, I will never buy Norton Internet Security again. I would not install Norton on my system again even if it were free.

I purchased the newest version of Zonealarm Internet Security Suite (2007)after I learned that my computer had 1000's of spyware on it despite my using free spyware, antivirus, and firewall programs. I bought this program as well as Spysweeper's antispam software (2007) and needless to say my computer is free of anything that can cause my computer to slow down to a non functional crawl, freeze up, or be invaded by unwanted hackers' innovation. No more shall I use the free 'helps' available despite their claims for success. I'd gladly pay (now) the annual licenses for Zonealarm to keep my computer healthy.

I had read all of the critics (both positive and negative) about this product and other similar manufacturers products, and I concluded that there is not one single product that exists that pleases 100% of the people 100% of the time. So having used Zonealarm before in the past, considering its pros and cons with this software, being familiar with its format, and considering what my computing needs are, this is truly an excellent product as is the Spysweeper program. The only drawback, thus a 4 star rating, is that the installation was a bit of a hassle being installed onto Windows XP, until I learned from Microsoft's website how to get around the problem.

The reason I purchased Spysweeper's anti-spyware software, is because it was recommended to me as the #1 means to combatting against spyware. So I have it, like an addendum to a book, to doubly keep certain my computer will always be clean from spyware. Since this was my primary problem, I most likely overreacted. I suspect Zonealarm Suite is good enough as it has all of the needed programs to protect my computer. For when I run the spysweeper program weekly, it tells me that my computer is 100% free of any spyware. Thus I can conclude that Zonealarm is doing what it was designed to do.

As far as speed, my computer runs probably a little slower only because Zone alarm is constantly running 'behind the scenes' keeping my computer free of the [...] that is on the Internet. Since its installation, about 2 months now, it has blocked thousands of spyware, adware, and viral attempts. I am willing to have a bit of an operation slow down for that kind of peace of mind!