Update crashes ZoneAlarm firewall

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A bug in a Zone Labs update caused the popular ZoneAlarm firewall to crash late Thursday for about 50,000 users of ZoneAlarm Pro and ZoneAlarm Security Suite products.

"The majority of customers who experienced the crashes were in Asia, due to the fact it was morning there when the update was first made available to users who were starting up their PCs", said Gregor Freund, general manager of Zone Labs. "Around 50,000 users experienced crashes", he added. About three million people use ZoneAlarm Pro and ZoneAlarm Security Suite worldwide, according to ZoneLabs.

The faulty update was made available at around 4 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday. Zone Labs finally discovered the bug after customers began reporting crashes. The problem was replicated in Zone Labs' security lab and was fixed within five hours, according to a news posting on the Zone Labs Web site.

The bug only affected the commercial ZoneAlarm Pro and the Security suite. The free ZoneAlarm firewall does not have the Program Advisior feature, and so it was not affected.

View: Zone Labs Security Alert

Anti-Virus new features

· Advanced damage clean-up (against Spyware)
· Check new and changed files option
· HTTP, IMAP and NNTP traffic check
· ODS Scan suspend technology (when user-activity is detected)
· Startup Scan with updateable database
· Differential update (further reduction of the AV database update size)
· Script-Checker with Internet Explorer GUI plug-in
· New scan scope: Scan Critical Areas task
· Scan Startup Objects – full control of the task execution
· TheBat! plugin
· Ban-list of blocked computers by IDS subsystem (with un-block feature)

New technologies

· Proactive Defense module with history and roll-back option
· Anti-Rootkit technology
· Registry monitor with preinstalled database
· Tracking of an application’s component structure; runtime module intrusion detection
· E-Mail event notification option
· Enhanced notification settings
· GUI Skin technology

Known Bugs :

· Context sensitive help has not yet been completely implemented.
· Some subsystems may work incorrectly under Windows 9x.
· White list in Proactive defence module is not completed yet so it is possible that alerts will appear during work of non-malicious applications.
· Certain bugs regarding the Windows Server 2003 are reported.
· Self-protection module has been implemented with certain limitations.
· Licensing policy has been partially implemented.
· Incorrect work on Windows NT4 when logon under the user, entering only in USERS group.
· It is impossible to add new license key under Windows 9x.
· Incorrect registration of external plugins after first run of the product under Windows9x is reported, the problem can be fixed by OS reboot.
· Technology of incremental updates (differences) can fail in certain conditions.
· If any account have been set for a scan task (Run as) then some scan objects can be missed during scanning.
· Update through proxy server which requires plain autorization works properly only during manual update.
· Unstable work with Norton System Works: Norton Utilities 2005 at the same time.
· Links at main window and Support page does not work under Windows9x.
· Updates from the network shared folder does not work under Windows NT4

(2 replies) #1 rbet on 11 Jun 2005 - 13:35

Is this a good firewall for home use? Or is the WinXP firewall enough?

#1.1 kirk26 on 11 Jun 2005 - 13:47

Check the forums.

#1.2 ThunderRiver on 11 Jun 2005 - 14:02

Used to be wonderful, but former glory fades away with bloody hells.

#2 kirk26 on 11 Jun 2005 - 13:46

Oooops.

(4 replies) #3 gnubugu on 11 Jun 2005 - 14:38

SYGATE PERSONAL FIREWALL = Highly trusted and tuned firewall protection from a company that been in the business sector for years. Trust a company that been making hardware and software based firewalls for 20 years, and has never failed.

'nuff said

*strange to think an adware driven software firewall (zonealarm)that crashes, slows your system down, and even has virus's and worms created for it, let alone, a huge 'pay us $$ or your not gonna get a patch to fix a fux up in our software' even gets mentioned as a firewall solution for the public.*

#3.1 joshpo on 11 Jun 2005 - 16:44

Since when is ZA adware driven troll?

#3.2 PseudoRandomDragon on 11 Jun 2005 - 17:27

I tried Sygate. It sucks. I'd use Kerio or Outpost as an alternative if anything.

#3.3 rm20010 on 11 Jun 2005 - 20:05

Oh geez. The friggin free version isn't adware driven. If you think the splash screen (pops up at startup in the free version) deems the software 'adware', you're just being a misinformed fool.

My own problem with ZA so far is causing my system to lock up whenever a new game tries to connect to the Internet (for online play). Kind of hard to ALT+TAB to another window to click on the alert.

#3.4 xpgeek on 12 Jun 2005 - 00:11

Same thing is only prob I've had with it, annoys the heck out of me tho. Games have to be added to zonealarm's programs list manually before they're run.

(2 replies) #4 Kushan on 11 Jun 2005 - 14:43

I sued to use ZA then an update made it cripple your PC when too many connections were opened. I haven't found a good replacement yet, anyone got any ideas?

#4.1 Ava3ar on 11 Jun 2005 - 15:17

use a linux machine as a firewall

#4.2 rm20010 on 11 Jun 2005 - 20:08

If you have an old machine, use SmoothWall. It's a Linux-based OS that acts as a firewall.

(3 replies) #5 gnubugu on 11 Jun 2005 - 14:48

see 2 above..

http://www.sygate.com/firewall/

Download free

#5.1 Octol on 11 Jun 2005 - 22:51

ZoneAlarm has its first serious problem in years—which is diagnosed and fixed in five hours—and we should all switch to some other firewall?

That's like sending your $10,000 car to the junk yard because of a broken fan belt.

#5.2 rm20010 on 13 Jun 2005 - 02:44

That's the crappy attitude of today's computer users. If some software makes a mistake, they immediately throw it out and grab an alternative. I'd like to see them do the same to things like cars.

#5.3 Kushan on 13 Jun 2005 - 19:42

It's not the first actually, the last one it had would cripple your computer if you had too many connections open at once, That's why I changed (I couldn't solve the problem no matter how many times I reinstalled ZA or updated it, even though the update was meant to fix the problem, so I just gave up and haven't went back since).

#6 TheSarge on 11 Jun 2005 - 14:54

I use the Pro version of Sygate Personal Firewall, and it just plain kicks ass.
The free version is nearly as good as the Pro version, and it's actualy free; not a time-limeted demo or some **** like that.
Say bye-bye to ZoneAlarm.

Last edited by 89581 on 12 Jun 2005 - 02:49

#7 RADicaLMMS on 11 Jun 2005 - 15:29

I'm Using Tiny Personal Firewall. They even released a 64bit version. Always a good idea to keep Firewall and antivirus from two different separate vendors.

To be honest I'm thinking of switching to Zone Alarm. You really need know tech to use this thing. Still lets see...

#8 Jugalator on 11 Jun 2005 - 15:47

I use Kerio Personal Firewall and it has never been incompatible with anything or crashed on me so I'm a happy user of that.

Actually, ZA is the single one firewall I keep hearing most issues about, so it's really strange it's the most common one.

#9 AminoSC on 11 Jun 2005 - 15:59

I switched to Sygate Personal Firewall Pro the other night when my ZoneAlarm crashed. I'm sticking with Sygate.

#10 MajinDark on 11 Jun 2005 - 16:29

Wow, lucky me. I got rid of ZA literally 1 day before Zone Labs released this update. I'm now a McAfee Internet Security user. I've heard McAfee had a bad rap, but nothing leads me to believe that thus far.

(3 replies) #11 ripgut on 11 Jun 2005 - 18:07

I never saw the point in using Zone alarm or any software firewall. If one just gets a router, doesn't visit *fap Fap* sites, doesn't use Kazaa, uses an Antivirus and Antispyware ( MS or Adaware) then there will be no problems

#11.1 TheSarge on 12 Jun 2005 - 02:59

I hate to rain on your parade, but you need more than just hardware for your firewall. A hardware firewall doesn't protect your from a whole host of hacker attacks, including MAC spoofing, application hijacking, trojan insertions, DDoS, portscan attacks, and more.

#11.2 theyarecomingforyou on 12 Jun 2005 - 10:19

I just use good antivirus software and the Windows firewall... suits me fine.

#11.3 rm20010 on 13 Jun 2005 - 02:34

Windows Firewall can't stop programs that attempt to 'phone home'. It can't do any type of outbound blocking.

#12 whitedragon on 11 Jun 2005 - 18:33

So they made a mistake; big deal. Their response time in fixing it was great. I've been a happy user of Zone Alarm for over 4 years now, and I've not had a single problem in regards to it slowing my system down. In fact, Ive been using the Security Suite edition since it first came out, and I've not had a single virus or intrusion.

(2 replies) #13 Foub on 11 Jun 2005 - 20:32

It really never took all that much to crash ZA in the first place. You couldn't pay me to use this piece of garbage. One version would work fine and the next would cause constant BSODs and screw up your system at Boot up.

#13.1 Kestrel on 11 Jun 2005 - 23:04

Then that is your own fault - I've run ZoneAlarm or ZoneAlarm Pro on a LOT of machines and NEVER had a bluescreen or crash caused by it. In fact, no one I've EVER KNOWN has had that problem with ZAP and that's a huge number of systems.

This was the first issue I've ever had with ZoneAlarm and regardless of what the naysayers are saying, ZA still comes out on top in home firewall products.

McAfee and Norton are complete crap. Tiny Firewall is not bad. ZA is still king.

#13.2 Foub on 12 Jun 2005 - 01:00

I had tried it off and on since it first came out and it has been more trouble than it is worth. This is the ONLY firewall program that I have EVER had ANY problems with using. And just about everyone I know who has used it agrees with me as well. In fact the local computer store don't recommend it at all to ANY of their customers. It is nothing more than bloatware now.

#14 Hamsan on 11 Jun 2005 - 21:08

well i actually have reinstalled winxp because zone alram vector services failed due to this bug. i was going crazy........... never thought pro version would suffer.

#15 eilegz on 12 Jun 2005 - 02:33

well whoever use this deserve to have a pc crashing ZA its a bloated piece of software i really reccomend alternatives i personnally use agnitum outpost very lite and good, i heard that sygate its good also.

#16 cork1958 on 12 Jun 2005 - 03:27

I've used ZA free or Pro since version 2.6 or something like that. Never have I had an issue with it. I have had the True Vector lock up on me before, but that isn't a big enough reason to switch or bad mouth it.

#17 aristotle-dude on 12 Jun 2005 - 17:57

Get a hardware firewall. 'Nuff said.

#18 hardgiant on 12 Jun 2005 - 22:02

ZoneAlarm Security Suite version: 5.5.062.011

running just fine

(1 reply) #19 toadeater on 12 Jun 2005 - 23:46

Listen to the people who said Sygate is the best, because it is. It's not flashy, but it's the most stable and fastest firewall available today. If you use p2p apps and games, you need a firewall that doesn't choke or cause crashes when hundreds of connections are open.

#19.1 kirk26 on 13 Jun 2005 - 15:03

Whatever.

#20 Staind on 13 Jun 2005 - 11:00

Wierd bug.

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