ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 provides top-notch security
protection that is light on system resources, allowing you to work
unencumbered.
Note: ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2009 costs AU$69.95 for a
single licence for one year, and AU$93.50 for a single licence for two
years.
The improvements within Check Point ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009
are mostly under the hood, but they are nonetheless significant.
Optimising the resources for desktop and laptop Windows users is
important within a suite of tools, and long-time ZoneAlarm users will
notice the benefits almost immediately. There’s a new user interface,
but little else feature-wise. Unlike some everything-including-the-
kitchen-sink suites we’ve seen lately, ZoneAlarm still covers just the
basics, and continues to be best of breed in antivirus, anti-spam, and
firewall protection. Missing, however, is its Web 2.0 safe-browsing
protection, which Check Point has yielded to its new ForceField
product. We think that’s a mistake. The competition among Internet
Security-suite vendors is heating up. Coming soon, we expect to see
major improvements in Internet Security suites from Symantec Norton,
McAfee and Trend Micro, and so we will be adjusting our review of
ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 accordingly. Right now, current users
should be satisfied with the upgrade, and new users won’t be
disappointed, but we don’t feel comfortable awarding ZoneAlarm
Internet Security 2009 with our Editors’ Choice award yet this year.
Set up We downloaded the 44MB installation file and installed
ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 without a hitch. ZoneAlarm requires
the use of Windows 2000, XP and Vista. There is a full-function,
15-day trail version available; at the end of the trial period, the
program reverts to the free, basic ZoneAlarm firewall product.
With the install, after an initial reboot, we were asked a series of
questions to help us set up the application. The first question is in
regards to the ZoneAlarm program-control security setting, which
controls the number of message alerts you’ll see on your desktop. A
Maximum setting flags everything until ZoneAlarm “learns” which
security settings you prefer; an Auto-Learn setting starts the
learning process earlier by temporarily lowering the security
settings, resulting in fewer messages; and finally, a Minimum setting
protects you against older, known alerts but no new threats, resulting
in virtually no alerts. The default is Auto-Learn, and we left it at
that setting. Next, you’re asked to participate in DefenseNet,
ZoneAlarm’s security-threat centre where new alerts are recorded
anonymously; you can opt out, if you prefer. After that, you’ll be
asked whether you have antivirus protection and, if you don’t, whether
you want to enable protection within ZoneAlarm. For this, we advise
you to choose ZoneAlarm’s protection — not only will you then
manage everything through the ZoneAlarm interface, but you’ll receive
state-of-the-art protection from Kaspersky Anti-Virus. Finally, the
program will ask whether you want to scan your PC starting
immediately. After these questions, you’ll need to reboot once again.
Should you decide to uninstall, ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009
includes an uninstall icon in the All Programs listing —
something McAfee and Norton do not. The uninstall process is smooth,
first verifying that you want to do this, then disconnecting from the
Zone Labs servers and removing the application. Upon reboot, we found
absolutely no trace of ZoneAlarm — not in the Registry, not in
the system folders. We cannot say the same for McAfee, Norton or Trend
Micro.
Interface The new interface within ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009
is cleaner, less complicated and more modern than the previous one.
ZoneAlarm’s interface remains the high bar for design, at once
communicating plenty of information without a lot of clutter or silly
icons. Gone are the tabs used in the past, replaced with an enhanced
left-hand navigation. For example, under Program Control, there’s an
overview link of security settings, a tab for individual-program
access, and a tab for component access. We like the ease of
customisation here, letting us to allow, block or ask with each
program. Other firewalls make us jump through hoops or create
complicated rule sets to tweak a given application.
Features It’s all here. ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 includes all
the security tools you need to keep not only your desktop PC secure,
but also your personal identity safe while surfing online. Boot time
is much faster in this latest version, as are the individual scans for
antivirus (using the Kaspersky Anti-Virus engine) and anti-spyware
(Check Point’s own engine). The suite includes spam protection from
SonicWall, and, of course, Check Point’s award-winning firewall.
There’s also a game mode, so that security scans and non-priority
notices are suspended while you are playing your favourite online
games — still a rarity among Internet-security suites. What’s
new are four antivirus scan modes (so the program won’t interrupt your
workflow), improved performance throughout and free credit-monitoring
reports.
Unlike other suites we’ve reviewed, ZoneAlarm has less noise; that is,
it produces fewer alerts for applications already running on our
desktop. That’s because Zone Labs maintains a rather large database of
legitimate applications and compares the signature of what’s on your
system with those in its database. For the most part, ZoneAlarm only
flagged unusual activity, which is what you want a good firewall to
do. For example, ZoneAlarm notified us of a user who persistently
attempted to scan our wireless laptop, then allowed us to block that
user. Other firewalls we’ve reviewed only recorded these attempts in
their logs; it’s up to you to review the logs and take action.
A real-world identity-theft program was announced with version 6.5 and
has been tweaked yet again in the 2009 version. This year ZoneAlarm
has branded its own Identity Fraud Protection Center, offering helpful
how-to’s on what is Identity Fraud and how to prevent it, including a
new service to monitor activity on your credit report. There is also a
service that helps you, should you become a victim, with personal
assistance. No other Internet Security suite includes real-world
security protection like ZoneAlarm. We think the ZoneAlarm suite’s
focus on identity theft in this version more than justifies the cost
of the Pro version or suite.
Also, most vendors have opted out of including parental controls (or
calling them such). ZoneAlarm includes a Parental Control feature in
its left-hand column. While you don’t have to have children in the
house to want to filter websites and email content, it’s refreshing to
see that ZoneAlarm continues to include it within its suite under a
recognisable name.
But, all is not yet perfect within ZoneAlarm. The suite lacks
antiphishing protection and safe-surfing tools. For that, Check Point
is directing users to its ForceField product. For now, look for
special offers that allow you to buy ZoneAlarm Internet Security and
ForceField as a bundle. In the future, aspects of ForceField may be
combined with ZoneAlarm Internet Security, but Check Point was vague
on those plans.
Also missing from the ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 are features
found in other Internet Security suites that back up and shred data
files.
Performance For antivirus protection, ZoneAlarm has again partnered
with Kaspersky. We did not specifically test the antivirus engine
within ZoneAlarm, but cite test results for the stand-alone version of
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009. In third-party, independent antivirus
testing using live viruses, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 scored in the
upper ranks, although not always at the top position. On the CNET
iTunes test, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 came in way above the test
system at 275 seconds — three seconds longer than last year’s
result and seven seconds more than the test system. On the CNET
Microsoft Office test, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 finished last at
1,584 seconds, requiring 66 more seconds to complete this year
compared with last year. In a test scanning a single folder with
compressed and media files, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 had better
results, completing this test in 256 seconds, or roughly half the time
it took last year (521 seconds). Although, in terms of boot speed,
Kaspersky took longer this year (33.84 seconds) versus last year
(29.77 seconds).
In our annual anti-spyware testing, ZoneAlarm Pro 7 fell from the top
in our spring 2007 test to the middle. CNET labs conducts three
separate tests using spyware found to be bundled within free
applications rejected by CNET Downloads (as part of its software
policies, CNET Downloads does not host applications containing known
spyware). In the first test, active detection, ZoneAlarm Pro 7
detected a favourable 90 per cent of the spyware; however, in the
second, on-demand test, ZoneAlarm Pro 7 detected 30 per cent of the
spyware; and in the final, removal test, ZoneAlarm Pro 7 removed all
traces for only 30 per cent of the spyware, which lowered the anti-
spyware product’s overall score. For the 2009 release, the anti-
spyware stand-alone will no longer be offered, but incorporated into
ZoneAlarm Pro and ZoneAlarm Internet Security.
Support Included with the purchase of Check Point ZoneAlarm Internet
Security 2009 is one year of software updates and both email- and
keyword-based virtual support, along with access to a well-attended
user forum.
ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 lacks printed documentation, and this
year also lacks an informative flash tutorial seen in past releases.
The built-in help file is excellent, thorough and very specific,
effectively balancing detail and clarity. And the ZoneAlarm online
knowledge-base is good as well.
Conclusion ZoneAlarm Internet Security 2009 provides top-notch
fundamental security protection that is light on system resources,
allowing you to work unencumbered.
ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 provides the perfect balance
between best-of-breed security protection and ease of use, providing
the home user with superior protection that’s light on system
resources.
ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware is the least expensive paid antispyware option
we reviewed, and also one of the very best.
Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2007 was hard to install and
produced several noticeable glitches that distracted us from the
benefits of the suite.
CA Internet Security Suite 2007 feels like a pasted-together trial
version of what CA offers in terms of consumer protection. The suite
fails to integrate and lacks antiphishing, antirootkit, and basic IM
protection found elsewhere.
DO NOT INSTALL THIS SOFTWARE! Check out their user forum and you’ll
lose count of the number of posting about crashes, lockouts, slow
shutdown and everything else. CheckPoint knows that this version is
trashed and is recommending uninstalling and reinstalling Version 7
but that is a total nightmare and not something for the novice user
because it requires editing the registry. It has been almost a month
and there is no fix. You have been warned!
You dig your Windows Mobile device, but you’ll love it more when it’s
loaded up with free software for entertainment, security and work.
Find the best and brightest free downloads for your faithful handheld.
You can’t beat the price. For a good, basic internet security suite,
we recommend Trend Micro Internet Security 2009.
Norton Internet Security 2009 hits all the right security notes and
its superior protection technologies might even win back some jaded
anti-Symantec folks. We take you on a tour.
It’s that time of year again, with security companies releasing their
2009 range. This gallery gives you an insight into Trend Micro’s
offering.
Stand-alone antivirus applications were dangerous because they could
not adequately protect users and so created a false sense of security,
according to the top malware expert at Trend Micro. However, the
company continues to sell its stand-alone antivirus app because of
‘customer demand’.
Norton Internet Security 2009 hits all the right security notes and
its superior protection technologies might even win back some jaded
anti-Symantec folks, though the lack of adequate technical support may
continue to frustrate.
This spyware scanner and removal tool does the job, but enabling some
functions may cause slight slowdowns and it has a few bugs in Vista.
Late last week Trend Micro released its Internet Security 2009 and
Internet Security Pro 2009 products, touting enhanced performance,
features and better end-user education.
You dig your Windows Mobile device, but you’ll love it more when it’s
loaded up with free software for entertainment, security and work.
Find the best and brightest free downloads for your faithful handheld.
It’s that time of year again, with security companies releasing their
2009 range. This gallery gives you an insight into Trend Micro’s
offering.
If your PC doesn’t have virus protection, you’re playing with fire.
Jason Parker picks his three favourite antivirus utilities–and one’s
even free!
Latest QuickTime security updates address security issues that affect
Mac and Windows users of the Apple media player.
It’s not all that straightforward to completely uninstall software on
a Mac, so we’ve rounded up four apps whose purpose is to extricate
those unwanted apps and leftover files from your hard drive.
A new worm is spreading via Facebook and MySpace, turning victims’
computers into zombies on a botnet, according to security specialists
Kaspersky Lab.
WinZip is popular as it comes pre-installed on many Windows PCs, but
here are three recommended alternative file compression programs.
The free spyware-removal program from Lavasoft is currently one of the
most popular on CNET.com.au’s Downloads, but after downloading it,
many users can be confused by the process of getting started. This
guide will walk you through the normal installation, set-up and use of
Ad-Aware.
See a product on CNET.com.au that you want? Add it to your wishlist
and send a hint to your friends and family.
Win a Wii Fit – Tell WD what colour fits your personality. First 200
answers get a Rubiks Cube!
Search Engine News 