Firewalls-Get ZONED! (And You'll Have No Cause For Alarm)
Written: Oct 05 '00 (Updated Oct 31 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Free firewall protection for commoners!
Cons: NONE
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| bkwrm69's Full Review: Zone Alarm |
Zone Alarm, from ZoneLabs, is a wonderful solution for those worried about their security while surfing the internet. This utility is a free download that monitors all internet activity. The only catch to using this program at no cost is that it is only available for personal and non-profit use(which excludes certain government and educational agencies). If you are one of the two categories excluded, you can purchase a copy of this program and then take a tax deduction! So, in a sense, it will still be free.
This firewall protection is highly recommended by PC Magazine, PC World, ZD Net, and is a CNet Editor's Choice. In other words, a lot of big, high-tech, "computer people" love this program.
ZoneAlarm will shield your computer from hackers. It makes it invisible to others even though you are on the 'net'. If criminals can't detect you, then they cannot do any harm. Some of the features of the program are as follows:
Lock- setting allows you to set a time limit for internet activity and to block access automatically if you leave your computer unattended, starting from 0 to 100 minutes. I programmed my internet lock to activate when my screensaver comes on, at 15 minutes. You can disable this feature at any time. You can control which applications you want to be able to pass through this lock and which local or internet servers can access your computer.
Security- You can set the level of security on local and internet servers from low, medium, or high, to block unsafe activity. MailSafe is included here, and will stop e-mail viruses before they can do damage to your computer. You may also choose to quarantine your e-mail attachments.
Alerts- ZoneAlarm will keep a log of all attempts to peek into your computer. This feature shows exactly how many bytes were received and sent. You can have the program show a pop-up window every time someone is trying to probe you, but this happens often, so I would suggest turning this option off.
Programs- This menu is where you configure which applications can access the internet. You may allow or disallow certain servers or programs to pass through the Lock. You can delete a program you no longer have or use by right clicking on it.
Configure- Sets the ZoneAlarm toolbar on top of the screen, or leaves it on the bottom, it is your choice. Check for updates here automatically, and change any registration information any time at this setting.
Help- This section will take you to the online manual, giving you instructions on how to use this program; and, to FAQ you may have about ZoneAlarm and the company, the latest news, or support if you have difficulties.
There is also a STOP button to shut off all internet activity in just one click, if you feel you are in dire straits. A panel of green and red bars constantly shows the activity flowing through your computer.
ZoneAlarm 2.1 will work with Windows 95/98/NT/2000. Download size is 1.6MB. If you modem speed is 56K, your download will take about 4 minutes, and will install itself in your toolbar and set itself to run on start-up. Test the system after installing by going to a security evaluation site like Steve Gibson's ShieldsUp! at www.GRC.com, or www.anonymizer.com
You will be amazed at how much probing goes on while you surf the internet! I recommend installing ZoneAlarm for all internet users with dial-up access, and more urgently for those with cable or DSL, because of the "always on" vulnerability.
The business version of ZoneAlarm 2.1 is available for $19.95, and also a 1.6 MB download.
You can go one step further in protecting yourself if you purchase the new ZoneAlarm Pro 1.0, which is compatible with all cable and DSL users, for novices and networks, businesses large and small. Added features include Password Protection, Custom Alerts and Logging Control, advanced Application Controls, and Restricted Zones for blocking IP addresses. Download for 1 computer is $39.95, and up to 100 computers will cost $2700.
Don't wait! Stay safe from spies, thieves, and hackers! Go to www.zonelabs.com (if you type in www.zonealarm.com, like I did, don't worry. It will still get you to the website.)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
bkwrm69
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Location: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 5 members
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