ZoneAlarm antivirus + firewall 2012 review
Anti-virus and firewall constitute the basic first line defense against external threats. Of the many providers that offer integrated security suite solutions, Zone Alarm’s new Antivirus + Firewall 2012 stands out.
Zone Alarm Antivirus+Firewall 2012 offers all that firewalls and anti-virus do; block malware and other intrusion attempts, scan the system for virus, Trojans and other worms, and more. It also offers additional facilities such as anti-phisling backup, credit monitoring, and more.
Features
ZoneAlarm Antivirus + Firewall 2012 comes with some of the most sophisticated security measures there are to offer, providing round-the-clock security to both the computer system and network. The tool also helps users protect their privacy and identity online and even let them schedule data back-ups.
The antivirus and anti-spyware engine is fully capable of detecting and removing viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, worms, bots and other malicious threats to the system. ZoneAlarm provides kernel level virus protection in order to protect the operating system. The anti-virus also comes with provisions to allow users to customize their security scans based on their requirements. The tool’s virus signature database keeps getting updated constantly, providing users protection against the most recent viruses that sometimes escape the net of other similar anti-virus tools.
ZoneAlarm comes with a sophisticated two-way firewall which has been designed to protect the system from threats both inbound and outbound and at the same time making the computer invisible to hackers online.
The software also offers a highly affective web security system which includes an advanced download scanner which automatically scans the downloads for malicious content in a protected environment. The anti-phishing mechanism protects the users from phishing website that conspire to steal user’s personal data.
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What’s new in version 2012
• New behavioral anti-virus catches attacks missed by traditional anti-virus systems.
• New antivirus utilizes ZoneAlarm DefenseNet, a cloud-based service that detects over 50,000 new applications and threats daily, to silently stop new attacks.
• Additional antivirus enhancements include Advanced Disinfection (if needed, automatically locks down and reboots infested PC to clean and return to normal), Advanced Virus Removal and Virus Pre-scan (detects viruses during installation to prevent early infection).
• New user-friendly design: Easy for all levels of users, confirms protection at a glance. Runs automatically, is easy to customize and provides instant access to support and 24/7 live chat.
• Now also includes online backup with 2GB free storage space.
System Requirements for ZoneAlarm Antivirus:
Microsoft Windows Vista SP2 Business / Home Premium / Ultimate:
• 32-bit / 64-bit, 2 GB RAM
• 2 GHz or faster processor
• 250MB of available hard-disk space
Microsoft Windows, XP SP2 or SP3 Home / Professional
• 32-bit, 1GB RAM
• 1 GHz or faster processor
• 250MB of available hard-disk space
Additional feature-level requirements:
Additional requirements are available for browser security, spam filtering, hard-drive encryption, and parental controls.
Successful Installation, Mostly
During installation ZoneAlarm now performs a scan for active malware. If it finds problems it eliminates them, reboots, and then completes the installation. This feature kicked in for over half of my malware-infested test systems, making installation smooth sailing.
Unfortunately, malware on two of the test systems terminated the installer every time it launched, so it never got a chance to run that preinstall scan. Unlike Panda Antivirus Pro 2012 ($49.99/year direct for three licenses, 3 stars), ZoneAlarm can’t install in Safe Mode under Windows XP (my security testbed is a combination of Windows XP and Window 7). I used a rescue CD to solve install problems with Panda and with G Data AntiVirus 2012 ($29.95 direct, 3.5 stars). ZoneAlarm is arranging to offer a rescue CD, but not in time to aid my testing.
Check Point tech support supplied a Kaspersky-built tool called AVZ Antiviral Toolkit that cleaned up the two problem systems sufficiently to allow installation of the full ZoneAlarm product, but getting to that point took quite some time.
Effectiveness:
One of the many features that we like is how ZoneAlarm scans downloads. When you request a download it will check the content against millions of known threats and perform a heuristic check. If the program cannot tell if it is safe, it scans the contents of the file in a protected environment separate from your system.
Help & Support:
ZoneAlarm’s chat support is responsive and helpful. We used this feature multiple times and always received quick and relevant information. ZoneAlarm also provides free email support. The ZoneAlarm web site provides a searchable knowledgebase, tutorials and user forums.
Conclusion
ZoneAlarm Antivirus + Firewall 2012 has combined the functions of both anti-virus and firewall software, with antivirus and anti-spyware protection, advanced firewall, advanced download protection, phishing protection, backup, and credit monitoring. It is simple and easy to navigate, which suits all level of users. Unlike some other firewall software, I barely see any pop-up notification after the usage of 1 month. I would say ZoneAlarm Antivirus + Firewall 2012 suits the small/mid budget user who are looking for both anti-virus & firewall protection, which only costs you $29.95. If you are currently using an anti-virus software from other company, you can consider to get the ZoneAlarm Pro Firewall to protect your computer from unauthorized intrusion.
