ZoneAlarm Anti-ransomware (windows)

[simmerskool]

I ran into curious SNAFU with ZA anti-ransomware on my win10_vm. I was interested in ZAAR for mac after @Trident started a thread

New Update - Announcing ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware for Mac (BETA)

ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware for Mac, although touted as Anti-Ransomware solution, includes the following features: Online and Offline Reputation: Blocks all sorts of malware by using fuzzy hashes. Even malware for other platforms such as Windows, Linux, ARM and Android. Anti-Phishing, including...

malwaretips.com

I decided against installing ZAAR on my mac_mini (for today) then realized I had a VM perfect for ZAAR, or so I thought. win10_vm running MS Defender and ZA firewall (free). I assumed ZAAR would be a perfect addition, but it literally would NOT install or even run. Could not figure what was blocking its installation. I got a system popup saying "windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." I logged in as admin, moved (copied) zaarsetup.exe to admin desktop, checked the file permission = full access, etc... I even disabled MS Defender with same result. I do not recall that ever happening in most recent past several decades! It just occurred to me that perhaps ZA firewall was blocking ZAAR, but don't have a clear idea why that would be, but it's the only thing I did not try, ie, disabling or uninstalling ZA firewall. Seems unlikely that it was somehow blocked by VMware. The setup file has a good hash per Virustotal.
Clueless, ideas welcome.

 

[Trident]

Let me say this about that... certain aspects of ZAAR installation were not that clearly represented, although I think Checkpoint is excellent, some of their verbiage is fuzzy IMO at least during the trial and purchase process. I have no regrets about installing ZAAR, overall I like it. I bought it.
BUT the main screen for ZAAR does say "Web Secure | Anti-Phishing... You are protected" (green checkmark) I guess anti-phishing is not zero phishing
Harmony is my daily driver

I don’t think they have adapted the UI for the different products, but online on the product pages, anti-phishing is not mentioned, whilst on Extreme Security and Pro Antivirus it is. Yeah, some of their wording is less than excellent. You just gotta accept them like that

Also, 0 help files to consult. No AV removal tool (they are now working on both). And the Google ranking icons that are in Harmony are not in ZA.

Btw does your extension say Check Point Harmony?

 

[simmerskool]

Btw does your extension say Check Point Harmony?

Just scrolling over the ZAAR extension on firefox "Harmony Web Protection" | when I click the extension it says ZoneAlarm Web Secure
When you first open a browser after ZAAR installation it opens a Harmony Web Protection webpage with EULA-like notice disclaimer language & user needs to click ["confirm"] in that browser.

 

[TuxTalk]

ZoneAlarm Extension

This is the AntiPhising part in ZA

 

[simmerskool]

ZoneAlarm Extension



View attachment 284272

View attachment 284273


This is the AntiPhising part in ZA

View attachment 284274

...on my ZA AR only, not Next Gen av, I have anti-phishing, safe browsing & content filtering, but NOT threat extraction nor threat emulation.

 

[TuxTalk]

ZA Extreme is really a good one when searching for a real good AV.

App Review - ZoneAlarm Extreme Security Next Gen 2024 - With Malware Tests

ZoneAlarm emulation detects stuff like phishing pdf documents, simple PowerShell keyloggers and many others. Stuff that nobody else would detect. At the same time, anti-phishing with real time analysis blocks more pages than big brands like Norton ever will. Components like Anti-Bot and...

malwaretips.com

 

[simmerskool]

Its one of the few standalone AR products still available. A backup for the Microsoft Defender AR Controlled Folder module.

The price is more than reasonable and you can protect up to 3 PCs.

I just double checked the purchase email from ZA and it does say 3 pc for 1 year $13.95 USD, but I tried to use same license code on another VM last night and it was NOT accepted. I have not contacted ZA yet, but will. (but not that much $$ for concern -- but I just recalled a Superman movie where the villain was stealing 1 penny electronically from more or less everyone, Superman III iirc (1983)(I could be wrong about that -- but not about my lic code failing last night on 2d VM)

 

[NormanF]

I had a problem validating my licence key when the Zone Alarm server went down. Couldn't reinstall AR at the time. After it came back up, I was able to reinstall it and get the licence key successfully activated.

 

[simmerskool]

I had a problem validating my licence key when the Zone Alarm server went down. Couldn't reinstall AR at the time. After it came back up, I was able to reinstall it and get the licence key successfully activated.

I did not realize I had 3 pc licenses until later this morning, so I bought another lic and used it. So I should now have 4 unused. Let me see what ZA says... I may give those 4 away, seems like a good app.

 

[Trident]

I did not realize I had 3 pc licenses until later this morning, so I bought another lic and used it. So I should now have 4 unused. Let me see what ZA says... I may give those 4 away, seems like a good app.

They can refund you for the one you bought now, as to the activation, not sure. They will need to take care of that.

 

[simmerskool]

@Jengo important correction to above post 24: I clicked on Safe Browsing under Web Secure AND in that window Threat Extraction & Threat Emulation are there and both are green enabled. so ZAARng is even better than I thought! On this VM I have it installed and running with ESET Nod32, no issues, no slowdown, so far. Same on VM with Defender

 

[simmerskool]

I had a problem validating my licence key when the Zone Alarm server went down. Couldn't reinstall AR at the time. After it came back up, I was able to reinstall it and get the licence key successfully activated.

How did you know / could you tell / that "the Zone Alarm server went down"? ZA support replied that my AR license is for 3 devices, but had no explanation for "Activation Failure Invalid OTP" when I tried on 2d device -- and I just tried again to install on a 2d device and got the same thing again. I just sent a capture snip-it to them. Seems unlikely their server is down & down.

 

[Trident]

How did you know / could you tell / that "the Zone Alarm server went down"? ZA support replied that my AR license is for 3 devices, but had no explanation for "Activation Failure Invalid OTP" when I tried on 2d device -- and I just tried again to install on a 2d device and got the same thing again. I just sent a capture snip-it to them. Seems unlikely their server is down & down.

There is no server that is down. Not sure if something else, maybe a firewall or something is rendering the server inaccessible? No idea.

I would say clean remove all leftovers, install again and see if it accepts the code.

 

[simmerskool]

There is no server that is down. Not sure if something else, maybe a firewall or something is rendering the server inaccessible? No idea.

I would say clean remove all leftovers, install again and see if it accepts the code.

tried all the normal stuff with 3 different tech via their chat help. they have now "escalated" (their word) and I'll hear more by email. So this license activation on 2d device has now failed on two different devices here. Spooky stuff...

 

[I Walk MY Way]

Just got 2 year lic for 3 pcs
Happy bunny

 

[simmerskool]

Just got 2 year lic for 3 pcs
Happy bunny

Please let us (me) know your experience installing your license code / activation on 2d & 3d devices. I'm in limbo waiting for ZA escalated support email as my activation fails although ZA confirms my license is good & active.

 

[I Walk MY Way]

@ simmerskool
My activation on all 3 pcs went fine no problems.