Introducing ... ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2009

by Laura Yecies

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2009 is now here! Congratulations team, and thank you to all our ZA customers who helped in the beta testing to make this our safest, fastest and easiest release to date.

A new UI, improved system efficiency and core security enhancements such as a new-and-improved ID Theft prevention system, rootkit blocking and Early Boot Protection defense all come together to make things easier and more secure for you. You’re protected earlier and better. With One-Click Fix It, it’s now easier than ever to keep your ZA up-to-date against new attacks. You can read more here: http://www.checkpoint.com/press/2008/zonealarm-suite-8.html

It’s always hard to explain to people, even friends and family, what kind of effort and coordination goes into a successful launch. It’s like an orchestra playing Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances from start to finish, with all the different elements playing in concert, ebbing and flowing, building and breaking and on and on.

Rather than regurgitate product features, I thought I might give you a little insight into how a ZoneAlarm product and development lifecycle works. It all starts with our security and product experts. On an ongoing basis, these exceptionally bright and dedicated folks closely watch the threat landscape and brainstorm ways to protect you against new attacks. At the same time, we’re evaluating our current code, looking for places to tighten things up or add incremental value, either from a security or usability perspective.

Our launch scheduling is a little different than the competition. Most security companies have scheduled releases at predetermined times of year (IE a Spring and a Fall release). At ZoneAlarm, we make updates and add features as needed and as available. This reduces unneeded product launches and gives us the flexibility to keep improving the product incrementally on the fly.

So once our security and product teams decide what features are needed to strengthen security, they get to work on creating development scrums (alluding to the old rugby practice of a single team working together to advance the ball…no Hail Mary’s here!). The scrum method allows us to build components and features and be ready to release at anytime. You may or may not have noticed, but it’s not unusual for us to do a software update with minor changes or enhancements. Often, these upgrades go out with very little fanfare but have huge benefits because they can immediately protect against brand-new attacks. You just see that an update is available. We love having this flexibility and not having the rigidity of twice-a-year blowout releases.

When we do have major releases, that’s when the marketing team gets involved. It’s their job to let you know what’s in the product so you can take advantage of it, without getting scared off by some techie lingo. We spend a lot of time trying to make sure we tell our story in a way that makes it easy for you to understand the benefits of a new ZA release.

I hope that helps. We’re very excited about ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 2009. We look forward to your feedback!

Comments

[Al]

Please allow me to also add:

p.s.: One more annoyance is the trend for everyone from ZA, Google, Adobe, Office 2007 with it’s space consuming idiotic Mac-like “ribbon”—everyone wants to install a toolbar. I so detest all these toolbars. By the time everyone gets into the act, I’ll have about a one inch high viewing and working space. This absolute moronic sheer stupidity (and dumbing-down) was most evident in Office 2007’s ribbon consuming half the top of my page. Let’s dispense with the Mac-like interfaces people. Most of us want nothing to do with Mac-mentality.

- Al

[Al]

Dear Zone Alarm,

With the latest introduction of the latest Zone Alarm Security Suite (ZASS) which now introduced Zone Alarm Force Field (ZAFF), I am encountering a series of questions.

For the record, I have test boxes with N.A.V., Trend Micro, Inoculin, CA, in order to monitor effectiveness, behavior, and when in the field be more capable assisting others.

With the introduction of ZAFF (namely the Force Field) portion, I noticed the complete absence of the “Site List” under the main category of Privacy. On my 8.0xx – and for the record, I do not have any of the issues others are talking about – under the column heading of Privacy | then Main | Site List | Cache Cleaner, “Site List” appears to be noticeably absent. Or for whatever reason is not present on the box that I installed it on.

I sense that your team opted into the thinking that “we don’t need that anymore”, or perhaps “it’s too complicated”, or maybe “too much of a drill-down issue”. And therein my point, and focus.

I exhibit very prudent behavior regardless of where I’m at, on the Internet. When testing, or having clients claim that they can’t connect to this or that site—their non-technical way of describing that “it doesn’t display properly”, ZASS’ 8.0.xx rendition, allows me to actually see all of the additional garbage and tracking sites that attempt to load. Google Analytics is one of many.

Our job is to strip phishing, marketing, and other attempts to track. The sheer beauty of ZASS’ Site List was that you could drill-down individual and see exactly what all got loaded for any specific site. Clearly for some of those so-called very honest, and clean sites, it was shocking at how many “barnacles attach themselves to the ship”.

Those hosting the website clamor to be “clean”, which is a complete insidious joke. It’s akin to listening to virtually any politician claim “hi, I’m from government, and here to help you”.

With ZAFF I am not seeing that Site List, which provided me additional drill-down capabilities. Presumably, perhaps some felt it was too complicated. However, I keep all settings blocked, i.e., very tight.

NOTE that every time ZA introduces a new O/S upgrade sites like nohold.net, videomsn.com, and others all get introduced into the Site List, with loosen settings! This was NOT of my choosing. This was NOT my desire. I do NOT trust nohold.net and the other default sites you insert with generous, wide-open settings!

So with latest introduction of ZA you’ve incorporated ZAFF, and stripped me from the Site List.

Given your consistent propensity to always insert many on the site list as reduced settings levels, and now with the elimination of Site List you have essentially taken on—much like government—the desire to take care of me. I want the ability to drill down and manipulate in drill-down detailed fashion Site List—primarily so that I can block virtually everything.

For those who are still reading, some of you may be wondering why? It’s because the Internet is a big, bag, dirty, filthy place, definitely not to be trusted. Similar to banks, credit card companies—all providing you the annual opt-out. I don’t want an opt-out option. I want an opt-in option! Meaning don’t include me, unless I specifically ask you.

Consequently, when I visit various sites—mind you none of the stuff half you people go to, and then complain about later on—my stance is very straight-forward… ‘if I can’t access your site with my tighter, more secure settings, then I have no real interest in your website’.

In closing, bear in mind this final thought—for all the pontifications that emanate from these websites about protecting your security, why is it they are always requiring you to drop “your panties down to your ankles”, a moniker to describe security settings if you will, just so you can access their website?

- Al

[John]

I have used Zone Alarm over the years and I have to say their product has degenerated into making my system unworkable.

I will no longer use this app and consider the product line dead.

Thankfully this happened on the company dime. I'll continue to use other noninvasive products that actually allow me to use my system in a productive way.

[Susie]

srescan, having an issue with it on my windows xp computer.
will uninstalling and reinstalling fix this?

[TechConsumer]

Cool, it looks like it protects full-circle, so I look forward to trying out Zone Alarm.

[Andrew Robinson]

Have used ZoneAlarm for many a year, nice & esay to use product and one I recommended to friends to use.

How things change!!

Latest update has screwed up on install for two of my machines and one of a friends.
Have tried to follow the advice from the ZA forum for others affected too.

Sorry guys can't get the three machines up and running again with your advice. (Safe mode, blah blah, Unhide hidden folders, blah blah, delet items from the registry)

Just NOT good enough service. Hope you read this so someone somewhere in the ZA organistion can take note.

DONT BLAME THE PUNTER FOR NOT BEING ABLE INSTALL AND UPDATE YOUR PRODUCT.

Just look at the fire fighting which occurred at Redmound due to a crappy release and blaming the punters for not liking it.

Time left on my key but no point if I cant use it.

I am now voting with my feet and having to pay for another Internet suite from elsewhere, GOOD ONE CHECKPOINT.

Thank you and goodbye.

[aaa]

ZASS 6 was very good, ZASS 7 disastrous at start but then became good, now ZASS 8 is pure shit!
Millions of problems from windows not shuting down, missing files on instalation(even though i made a "clean install"), then corrupting windows shell.exe, viruses quarantined by ZASS 7 not being deleted while instaling ZASS 8 and so let loose to cause more chaos to my windows and i had to reinstall my XP all over again because ZASS 8 sucks and ruined my previous windows!

[JD]

Oops...eyeball trick...I mean I agree totally with Zing Zang above.

[JD]

I totally agree with franklyspeaking above. I would like to continue using ZASS but after the 8.0 fiasco no long longer trust ZL to deliver a properly tested product. I'm hoping they will clean up their act....and stay in business as a result.

[64]

ZA (Pro/SS) has been my favorite firewall since 2000 because it has offered both quick and easy configuration plus the ability to make more advanced settings when needed. The lack of Vista 64 bit support forced me to use another brand and I wish ZA would come out with a version that runs on Vista 64 (even if it is 32 bit itself).

I was in the 64 bit beta back when ZA had one for Windows XP 64, so I'm not sure why production has apparently halted on this version. 64-bit is the future and more people are adopting it (be it Vista or another OS) so a version that runs on a 64-bit OS is needed.

[Ignacio]

Purchased the new version on Ebay after years of using ZA. I miss the old GUI, frankly, with the big red button of the goodolddays and so on, but it's been a good release on a XP SP3. No problem. But one question in case any of the ZA guys read this blog: why do I had to purchase this suite and Norton Smartphone to protect my smartphone? Considering that Checkpoint IS the company that CREATED firewalls back in the 80's, what about a ZA for smartphones?

[http://www.eradicatespyware.net]

ITs an wonderful job done..
zone alarm security alone supports
against internet threats..

morever nce interface and more features as compared to antother suites..
thats nce article and job done throguh,,,

regards...

[http://www.eradicatespyware.net]

ITs an wonderful job done..
zone alarm security alone supports
against internet threats..

morever nce interface and more features as compared to antother suites..
thats nce article and job done throguh,,,

regards...

[http://www.eradicatespyware.net]

ITs an wonderful job done..
zone alarm security alone supports
against internet threats..

morever nce interface and more features as compared to antother suites..
thats nce article and job done throguh,,,

regards...

[http://www.eradicatespyware.net]

ITs an wonderful job done..
zone alarm security alone supports
against internet threats..

morever nce interface and more features as compared to antother suites..
thats nce article and job done throguh,,,

regards...

[okieinmd]

I have installed the latest (19 Oct 2008 and a few days earlier) version of Zone Alarm Free and this has been nothing but a total DISASTER!!!!!

I have used ZA-Free for years and have never had a problem, but I will NEVER install this POS again until someone can tell me they have corrected the problems.

1) Desktop totally screwed up.

2) Online backup via Mozy won't run even though it has been given permission to do so.

3) Gmail "notifier" no longer works properly

4) Problems accessing formerly available websites via IE-7 and FF.

5) Etc, Etc, Etc, ad-infitinum....

Bye, Bye Zone Alarm. Too damn bad you sold out to a company that doesn't give a damn about the folks who have long depended on your integrity even with a free version. I will recommend AGAINST this to everybody I know that is looking for a good, free firewall.

[you maid it]

8.0.059.000 Finally a good release!!

[Zing Zang]

Uninstall v8.00.20 and reinstall of v7.00.483 corrected all the performance problems mentioned in my post of 4 October @ 4.43pm. Remember once you have restored to v7 make sure you turn off automatic updates on the product preferences - options, otherwise latest release will come down again and ZASS will prompt for install. Just remember to manually update your signature files for spy and virus. I'll wait for a GA release of ZASS that's been out for a month or two and watch the posts for user acceptance before I risk it again.

[franklyspeaking]

8.059 broke my internet ..had to uninstall

[Alex Shirley]

OK 8.0.059.000 appears to have fixed a lot of issues (worth the long wait), so far so good.

NOW where are the release notes, after all this time you would think they would be up (including a list of know issues as well!).

[Zing Zang]

V8.0.20 - where to start? ZASS became corrupted on initial UPDATE install on notebook XPsp2 system. Update had permission problem and a missing .dll file. Then after uninstall and reinstall of V8 terrible performance problems as a result on both my XP systems and a lot of time wasted attempting to determine the cause. A very poor effort from ZL that has effected hundreds, probably thousands of users of this until now good product. 280 days of subscription left, plenty of time to choose an alternate product if I don't see a quality improvement from this company.

[onlinesecure]

new-and-improved ID Theft prevention system?

[Alex Shirley]

This version really sucks in XP. It's all over the forums need I say more.

[Alex Shirley]

This version really sucks in XP. It's all over the forums need I say more.

[Eduardo Garcia]

im trying out the trial, i hope its faster than 7 =)