ZoneAlarm® Free Antivirus + Firewall (Released)

[jamescv7]

The ultimate free Internet security solution
Layered security with a single, easy-to-use interface
Lighter, faster and easier than two separate products
Made for each other - no compatibility problems

Product Site

ZoneAlarm is making an aggressive move to attract new people to its line of security programs with what may be a first: a free antivirus program pre-packaged with a free firewall.
Available exclusively from Download.com today, ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus+Firewall 2013 (download) could very well make big waves in the free security-suite space. It's the same free firewall that ZoneAlarm has produced for years, but with basic antivirus and anti-malware tools included. It's basically ZoneAlarm Pro Antivirus+Firewall from last year, with an updated engine. And did I mention that it's free?

From Download.com Source (More Information)

 

[Deleted member 178]

Who here will vvideo-test it?

 

[NSG001]

Still see their update rate for signatures is still every 24 hours

 

[MrXidus]

Every 24 hours is ridiculous, Within the time span of 24 hours, 14000 new zero day threats will hit the wild from all over the world, Who's to say someone with ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus will get infected because they didn't have the signature to stop it assuming the prevention measures such as Advanced Download Protection in place don't stop it. I remember testing ADP against zero day threats and it allowing many to get through just fine and flagging them as "Safe".

Allow the free version to update every hour like the paid suites and I might be interested in giving it ago.

 

[pcjunklist]

If they gave the free version hourly updates there wouldn't be much need for the paid version.

Every 24 hours is ridiculous, Within the time span of 24 hours, 14000 new zero day threats will hit the wild from all over the world, Who's to say someone with ZoneAlarm Free Antivirus will get infected because they didn't have the signature to stop it assuming the prevention measures such as Advanced Download Protection in place don't stop it. I remember testing ADP against zero day threats and it allowing many to get through just fine and flagging them as "Safe".

Allow the free version to update every hour like the paid suites and I might be interested in giving it ago.

 

[MrXidus]

They need to re-think their strategies in that case, Compared with Avast's Hybrid updates and the Sonar updates in Norton.

This 24 hour update interval is an ancient method and cheap tactic that might fool novice users into wanting to get the paid versions.

 

[pcjunklist]

Isn't MSE 24 hour update cycle?

 

[jamescv7]

Well if they add some behavior monitor perhaps it could help however definition updates were must be refresh immediately.

 

[MDRockstar]

They have kaspersky engine and it include a behavior monitoring against unknown threats.
This suite also include the os firewall of zonealarm (some sort of hips)
I think it is pretty solid against zero day malware but we need tests to prove that.
However, i agree that the programm should update more often but not necessarely every hour.

 

[McLovin]

Never really tried ZoneAlarm. Last time I tried it was when I tried their free firewall.

 

[Littlebits]

It is nice to see ZoneAlarm finally release a free AV, but they are a little late in the game.

Unless it can provide features not found in other free AV's, it will pretty much go ignored by most users. I read reviews on Cnet for users are saying that it installs a toolbar on their browsers. I'm not sure what kind of toolbar or if it is good or bad.

Thanks.

 

[MrXidus]

The toolbar is most likely a PPI (Paid per install), The more users that install it, the better it is for ZoneAlarm.

Unless the toolbar actually provides worthy protection such as a web guard or phishing protection and not just a couple of buttons for email, news, weather, radio and a search engine that uses Ask. It's not worth installing, I wouldn't be surprised if it changes your home page and default search aswell.

Not about to install it to find out.

 

[Tobi]

No worries... toolbar isn't "useless" and does not use Ask. No need to install it, all you have to do is look at their website and do a little research.

 

[tapoo]

when i click to download from their site, it downloaded a only 5.54 mb file, so it must be online installation

anyone have any idea about Zonealarm antivirus engine..... its their own engine or not??

BTW, waiting for the video review.......

 

[McLovin]

when i click to download from their site, it downloaded a only 5.54 mb file, so it must be online installation

anyone have any idea about Zonealarm antivirus engine..... its their own engine or not??

BTW, waiting for the video review.......

It uses Kaspersky's engine. See this post on their forums.

 

[MrXidus]

No worries... toolbar isn't "useless" and does not use Ask. No need to install it, all you have to do is look at their website and do a little research.

I took the time to do a little browsing of their website, Many links are broken or lead to something completely different. Still I found what I was looking for, Good to know they've done exactly as I've mentioned, No information on which search engine the toolbar uses tho.

 

[jamescv7]

On some review for the paid version it does very well using the kaspersky engine alongside with the other components so assume it could do well however might be slight different.

 

[malbky]

A 24hr update cycle is poort when the product also lacks the benifit of a cloud system. Secondly the OS firewall or HIPS component is unavailable in the free version i suppose.

Whatever said ZA;s firewall is robust. Adding an AV is very good too since its a free one and from Kaspersky. But the product doesnt come close to Comodo. Even Outpost Free suite is better.

 

[malbky]

Okay here is anarticle on it. I was wrong it has OS firewall. But havent used ZA for 3years.

 

[McLovin]

A 24 hour update cycle is like have no internet and waiting for a the AV vendors to update their offline copy.