Customer Reviews

Zonealarm Internet Security Suite [Old Version]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

After removing Symantec and installing Zonealarm my computer speeded up by a factor of at least 10.

I'm not certain why Symantec slows some computers down but leaves others going fast -
in my case it insisted on scanning every program transferred and used and on scanning every outgoing email even though I truned those features off.

I recommend Zonealarm for users with some expertise - during the initial usage you need to understand what programs to allow and what to block (look them up on Google).

I am an experienced computer professional and beta tester and ZA 7 is an unmitigated disaster. Issues clearly identified while in beta were not fixed when CheckPoint(an Israeli company which purchased ZA in 2004) released the "gold" version on Jan 15, 2007. If you do manage to get it working it uses anywhere from 80 to 170 MB of RAM! Then the so called "Kaspersky" antivirus database will corrupt. This makes Symantec products seem elegant.

It is insult to injury when the arrogant attitude of tech support adds to the frustrations. The wall of silence from CheckPoint ZoneAlarm is stunning as they have still not fixed even one of the numerous problems.

Steer clear. Try Comodo Firewall / AVG anti-virus or anything else but this.

You can read it BEFORE buying the product by looking on the ZA site. I'm going to make this hard and make you google it.
I'm not going to criticize anyone except to say IF you have a question or problem, the ZA website lists pdf file user manuals for all of the company's products. There are some compatibility probs for example with Yahoo Mail BETA. As soon as Yahoo finalizes it's mail server ZA will be compatible. Simply switch back to yahoo mail (pre beta). There are several other beta products but generally if you're having problems they can be easily fixed by adjusting the settings just like all security programs. ZA REALLY is better at what it is suppose to do than other products ONCE you have learned how to use it. Kinda like most things in the world of things that are unfamiliar.
I use the free stuff too, and recommend them for those who are on a budget - students, etc. but the ZA suite is worth the money and is more effective for those who can't afford to get mugged or pickpocketed on the info hiway. I know what you're thinking btw...but ask yourself "Is your private information, time and computer worth it to you?" If so go with Zone Alarm, learn how to use it and be safer on the net.
John Row
in1ear

While I respect some folks gripe with this programs friendliness, the reality is that this security software is Not for the average user, this product is very command-oriented, meaning that it give users different level alerts (Firewall, Suspicious Behavior, Program Access Alerts, etc.) where the user allows or denies program access to and from the internet very frequently, which can be very tedious for busy users. I'm a Certified PC Technician and it took me quite awhile to get it running properly in the background without any advisory popup interruptions, you do have to carefully configure the software to recognize all of the programs that you use frequently like IE, Outlook, Instant Messaging, ISP, etc. in the 10 different areas of the software's Control Panel.

Also, the Network Configuration Wizard, automatic VPN configuration, and other features of Zone Labs security software help you to quickly set up your network environment, which again took quite sometime, but it was up and running smoothly, as for the Spyware aspect of it, that need a bit of improvement, but generally ran and found most file hidden in the registry even though I ran Ad-aware right after and found nothing, the Anti-virus did a fairly decent scan.

I would not recommend this product to busy folks, it definitely take some configuration task-time to get it working properly on many different levels, however, I do agree that the vsmon.exe and three other associated file clients, do consume a good amount of resources behind the scenes (Check Your Task Manager Processes Tab) but so do other Internet Security Software.

The software needs about 64MB (Win2000) and 128MB (WinXP) to run it, but in reality, is better if you have at least 1 or 2GB of RAM overall to run it properly on Windows, also, this product without a doubt is for Power Users who like to tweak with settings, I personally was able to run and configure the software properly the first time and haven't touched it since, without emailing or calling their questionable Tech Support Line, Also, this product is NOT Vista compatible like it suggests.

In conclusion, if you're trying this product, don't buy the 3 license user pack, get the single PC version and be ready to do some configurations and manual reading as well, because you really need to understand basic computer networking and how vulnerable pc's really are when connected to the internet specially if you're exchanging information online, Trust me, I've tried most programs in this category of Internet Security and I think this is one of the best. I Hope this review helps you solve your problem.

A couple of years back, I subscribed to, and used, the regular ZoneAlarm firewall. After a while, I got annoyed with the program's tendency to get in my way during normal use. I tried other firewalls, but after reading some reviews about the effectiveness of those compared to ZoneAlarm, I came back, bought, and installed this Zonealarm Internet Security Suite. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten how annoying ZA is. After a couple of month of use, I once again uninstalled it. It's nice having the firewall, anti-virus, and anti-spyware stuff all in one package coming from one company. But, once I figured out that the problems I was having with Amazon and Ebay were related to configuring ZASS (for which there really wasn't a solution), I just gave up. As replacement, I downloaded Microsoft's free "Windows Defender" (anti-spyware) and am evaluating their trial version of "Windows Live OneCare" (anti-virus, firewall, etc.). For all intents and purposes, those are transparent to my computer use and don't cause any problems whatsoever.

If you don't mind being very aware of your firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus software, I do recommend Zonealarm Internet Security Suite since it's one of the most effective packages out there (at least according to the reviews I've read). But, if you just want something to work invisibly, then I'd suggest trying something else. As such, I rate this at an OK 3 stars out of 5.

I have version 6.5. Easy to install, very configurable. I selected to prevent web bugs, private headers, 3rd party cookies, and mobile objects. I also opted to turn on the little window alerts. I was amazed at how much stuff comes into my computer even when I'm doing nothing. The little window was CONSTANTLY popping up, informing of denied access when I was simply reading looking at a web site and not doing anything with the mouse or keyboard. This told me that the protection was doing its job. But many valid sites like Mapquest and Pricegrabber wouldn't work with the restrictions I had selected. So I had to manually permit those sites to work. Over time, there were more and more sites which I just couldn't enable, even though I spent quite a bit of time trying, and even though I became pretty familiary with the ZoneAlarm confiturations.

Over a period of about two months, my laptop became less and less responsive. Ultimately, it would take several minutes to boot. Also, when starting my instant messaging (ICQ and MSN), the computer would just freeze for about 30 seconds. These and other performance impacts made the laptop essentially unusable after about two months. I admit that my laptop is older. But before (and after) ZoneAlarm Pro, it ran very well.


I removed Zonealarm Pro and installed the free ZoneAlarm firewall. I'll now go purchase the major Internet Security competitor and give that a try.


Bottom line: The computer was well-protected..... So well that I couldn't use it.

I'm a heavy internet user. I used Symantec Internet Security and System Works for as long as they've been available. About 18 months ago I got a message that roughly paraphrased said "you just got a virus and there's nothing we can do about it." I ended up having to reload all my programs from scratch. Not a big deal, the data was backed up, now I ghost as well. Point is Norton wasn't doing the job. Based on reviews, I switched to Zone Alarm.

It works though it takes about a half hour to wade through setting it up. The default settings can be a nuisance, but Zone Alarm has worked flawlessly. I wish the price were lower, but as long as it works, it's well worth it.

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 am an experienced user, with a quad-core QX6700 machine and 4 megs of ram. I have been using another anti-virus program with Zone Alarm Pro for about 10 years. This year I decided to put my computers on the whole ZA Security Suite v7 package.

After installing I tried to do a full virus scan. It slowed down my machine so much, that I was barely able to close down other programs to give it full access to the computer. It lagged me so bad, I could not type a full sentence.

It chugged for 6 hours and then locked up; unable to complete the scan. During this time I couldn't use my computer as it was commandeered by this virus scan. I have not been unable to complete a full virus scan one single time.

The Firewall continues to ask for the same permissions over-and-over. It has blocked my all-in-one printer so I am now unable to print or scan. I have posted to the forums but did not find a fix.

I sent an email out to ZA Tech support, but received canned responses. ZASS v.7 should still be beta testing .. I've had nothing but problems. I purchased two licenses and now I'm singing the blues.

If you want total control over what comes in and what goes out of your computer, this is for you.

Unfortunately, YOU HAVE TO DELETE ALL SYMANTEC PRODUCTS BEFORE LOADING. If not, there is a conflict that chokes the life out of your computer... Really badly! I don't think it's a coincidence. Symantec came preloaded on my system and was even hidden all over the place in it. If you want this product to work and work well, uninstall all Norton/Symantec programs.

I'm going on no spyware, no viruses and no intrusions for 2 years. My PC is still 99% as fast as it was when I bought it thanks to this program.

Don't listen to the bad reviews. This is a great product. The ultimate protection and control over what happens with YOUR computer.