Your opinion about ZoneAlarm products

R2D2

Level 6
Verified
Well-known
Aug 7, 2017
267
ZoneAlarm products were top-of-the-heap once upon a time. My favourite was the ZA Pro firewall back in the days when Windows did not come with a built in firewall.

ZA's AV uses the Kaspersky engine but sadly their subscription prices don't really encourage buyers to sign up. There are better and possibly cheaper options out there including products from Kaspersky, Norton, Bitdefender, McAfee, Emsisoft, Webroot, etc.
 

roger_m

Level 41
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,014
I started using the free version of just the firewall yesterday. I tried Windows Firewall Control first, but it didn't seem to offer the features I need, as it seems it will block outgoing connections for any software unless you manually whitelist it. I avoided Comodo, as wanted just a firewall without any HIPS.

I'm liking it a lot so far, as it is only a firewall, without extras I don't need. I'm using the default configuration and not received alerts yet when software makes an outgoing connection. I'm a but surprised by this, as I thought I would receive alerts for at least some software, such as some of the PUPs I use.
 

L S

Level 5
Verified
Well-known
Jul 16, 2014
215
I started using the free version of just the firewall yesterday. I tried Windows Firewall Control first, but it didn't seem to offer the features I need, as it seems it will block outgoing connections for any software unless you manually whitelist it. I avoided Comodo, as wanted just a firewall without any HIPS.

I'm liking it a lot so far, as it is only a firewall, without extras I don't need. I'm using the default configuration and not received alerts yet when software makes an outgoing connection. I'm a but surprised by this, as I thought I would receive alerts for at least some software, such as some of the PUPs I use.
- You can configure Comodo Firewall how you like - HIPS OFF or ON - Default or Not , have many features for you to menage the way how you want - (maybe by the cruelsister settings). ....... Don't give up too easy from Comodo Firewall. ....... :) - Just a Tip - :)
 

roger_m

Level 41
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Top Poster
Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,014
- You can configure Comodo Firewall how you like - HIPS OFF or ON - Default or Not , have many features for you to menage the way how you want - (maybe by the cruelsister settings). ....... Don't give up too easy from Comodo Firewall. ....... :) - Just a Tip - :)
But, based from what I read somewhere, it will not disable it completely. Anyway, I am going to try Comodo now on one of my test computers.

ZoneAlarm is causing an issue with Panda. When I'm doing heavy downloading, I'm getting 10% (and sometimes much higher) CPU showing in Task Manager from the System process. Process Explorer tells me that it is a process from Panda that using the CPU time. I never had that issue before installing ZoneAlarm. So I am going to have to replace ZA with Comodo or something else anyway.

Also, I'm quite surprised that ZA has not prompted me even once when a program wants to access the internet. I haven't launched anything malicious, but have run plenty of PUPs, and ZA has remained silent.
 

roger_m

Level 41
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Top Poster
Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,014
I've installed Comodo Firewall now and it is working well so far. It installed without a hitch on my test computer, but would always get stick part way through the install on my main computer. I even let is set for around 40 minutes the first time, before giving upon it. However, after a number of times trying to install it, I was able to get it to finish install it by terminating one of the Windows Installer tasks in Task Manager.

After the required reboot, I just had to tweak a few things, and enabling it prompt, instead of automatically allowing outgoing connections. I guess the installer not completing running by itself had lead to this not being enabled, as it was enabled by default on my other computer.

Now that I've disabled the components I have no use for, such as HIPS, it seems to be working just as a firewall, which is what I want.
 

FrFc1908

Level 20
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jul 28, 2016
950
But, based from what I read somewhere, it will not disable it completely. Anyway, I am going to try Comodo now on one of my test computers.

ZoneAlarm is causing an issue with Panda. When I'm doing heavy downloading, I'm getting 10% (and sometimes much higher) CPU showing in Task Manager from the System process. Process Explorer tells me that it is a process from Panda that using the CPU time. I never had that issue before installing ZoneAlarm. So I am going to have to replace ZA with Comodo or something else anyway.

Also, I'm quite surprised that ZA has not prompted me even once when a program wants to access the internet. I haven't launched anything malicious, but have run plenty of PUPs, and ZA has remained silent.

zoneaalarm firewall is supossed to work with windows defender only! atleast that whas metioned by one of their devs on their forum. treid za with avast and qihoo but za did not like both of them , got multiple bsods.....so maybe this is the case with panda also?
 

roger_m

Level 41
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Top Poster
Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,014
@Trickster This is from the ZoneAlarm website:
ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 2017 is compatible with MS Windows Defender, and is also compatible with all other antivirus solutions.
So, in theory at least, it should work with other antiviruses. But in any case, aside from the problems installing it, Comodo is working just fine as a replacement, so I did not lose anything by ditching ZA.
 
T

The paranoid one

ZoneAlarm is great, but if you use P2P software, this should not be your first choice. It automatically hides ports and is not annoying being its excellent effectiveness, but it is a bit heavy and as well says @Trickster, with some antivirus, creates BSOD.
If you install ZoneAlarm free antivirus + Voodooshield, you will have a very good defense in your computer, although the truth, for normal use, I think it would be better to use WFC + the antivirus that you like + Voodooshield. I am now using a free combo composed by WFC + Bitdefender free + VoodooShield free and my computer works better than when I had installed ZoneAlarm
 

roger_m

Level 41
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,014
@roger_m : comodo firewall with cruelsisters settings is a way better choice and lighter , you can even ditch panda free with this setup ;)
I just had a look at one of her videos about configuring Comodo. It looks interesting, but I'm not sure if that configuration will suit my needs. I only want to prompted when Panda or Comodo detects a virus or when Comodo detects that a new program is trying to access the internet. I find Panda to be extremely light.

I regularly install software, and I only want to be prompted if a virus is found or if the software needs to connect to the internet.
 

gery79

Level 12
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jun 21, 2011
566
i used ZA some years ago but now it is huge resource hog . very prisy and not the same thing anymore . their antivirus is really heavy and although it is the sdk of kaspersky it is just not enough. I think if they used avira or avast it would have been even better .
 
Last edited by a moderator:

L S

Level 5
Verified
Well-known
Jul 16, 2014
215
But, based from what I read somewhere, it will not disable it completely. Anyway, I am going to try Comodo now on one of my test computers.

ZoneAlarm is causing an issue with Panda. When I'm doing heavy downloading, I'm getting 10% (and sometimes much higher) CPU showing in Task Manager from the System process. Process Explorer tells me that it is a process from Panda that using the CPU time. I never had that issue before installing ZoneAlarm. So I am going to have to replace ZA with Comodo or something else anyway.

Also, I'm quite surprised that ZA has not prompted me even once when a program wants to access the internet. I haven't launched anything malicious, but have run plenty of PUPs, and ZA has remained silent.
Here - Maybe This Video Will Help You With Comodo Firewall (with cruelsister settings) .......
....... & Maybe it's Good Idea to Replace Panda with Something Else. - Good Luck ! :)
 

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