Zone Alarm Setup – Video Tutorial

Through search engine results I have noticed that there are many of you looking for more assistance with setting up ZoneAlarm Free Firewall and whether it is safe to use.

I have been using ZoneAlarm for many years, it is simple to download and install and is used by millions worldwide, it is extremely safe.

It will set up the basic permissions for internet access and a balloon will open above the taskbar for other programs asking for permission to access the internet.  The balloon also has a ‘Remember this decision’ tickbox, so once you have granted or denied a program permission it won’t ask again.

If you are setting up a wireless network, simply open the main ZoneAlarm program from the taskbar, fist go to the Firewall Tab on the left, under the main tab change the setting for Internet Zone to High and Trusted Zone to Medium.

Then click on the Program Control Tab on the left, under the Main tab, set Program Control to Medium.  If this is your first or new installation, set it to Low (Learning Mode) for about 4 weeks.

Remember to add folders etc that you wish to share on your machine to the Shared Folders in My Computer.

The easiest way to set all of this up, especially if you are a novice, is to use Network Magic.  This will set up ZoneAlarm permissions for sharing, add printers etc to your wireless network.

If you are going to use Network Magic, download and install it on each machine that you are going to connect to a wireless network.  You will have the full version for 7 days to set everything up, before it reverts to a limited version.

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© Free PC Security 2008

Zone Alarm Install Guide – Updated & In-Depth

The following instructions only apply if you are installing Zone Alarm for the very first time. These instructions are NOT for the people who already have Zone Alarm installed on their computers, and are upgrading to the latest version.

1. Create a New Folder on your desktop and Rename it to Downloads. By doing this you will have one central location for all programs that you download. When you download any program DO NOT select ‘Run’, select ‘Save’ and when you have saved it scan it with an anti-virus program.
I recommend the use of AVG AntiVirus which I have covered in another post.

2. Click Here to download ZoneAlarm. Download it into the folder named Downloads, BUT DO NOT install it until you have followed the instructions below.

3. Once you have downloaded your version of ZoneAlarm to your Desktop Folder, disconnect from the Internet. If you use Cable or DSL Modem, disconnect it and close any other running programs apart from your basic programs to run Windows. This includes the Windows Firewall. To find out
what Applications are running go to Task Manager (Control+Alt+Delete). Look for Applications, make sure there are NO Applications running. If they are, use the End Task Button. To disable the Windows Firewall go to your Control Panel, switch it to Classic View then double click on Windows Firewall and then click the ‘Off’ button.

4. Go into your Control Panel, on top of the screen you will see Tools, click on it, then another tab will show up and click on Folder Options, in the new panel that opens click on View. Scroll down to where it says Hidden Files and Folders, put a dot or check-mark in the box that says, “Show hidden files and folders”, then REMOVE the check mark from the next two boxes that say the following,” Hide Extensions for known file types” and “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)”. Drop down to bottom
of panel and click Apply. Now go to the top of the panel and click on “Apply to All Folders”, click Yes in new window then click OK in Folder Options panel. This way all your folders will show the change. Close the control Panel.

5. Make sure you have completely removed any other vendor’s firewall product you were currently using ie: Norton, McAfee etc. Now for those of you who are installing the Zone Alarm Security Suite or Zone Alarm Anti-Virus, the very same applies, make sure you have completely removed any other anti-virus product you were currently using. If you are using AVG Anti-Virus and/or Spybot Search & Destroy you can safely ignore them. If the program has an Uninstall feature please use that, if not go to your Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs and select each item individually and select Remove. Do NOT reboot if prompted to.

You then need to ensure that there are no Registry keys or Files left behind. Click on Start, then Search or Find, and select Files. Make sure that the location box is set to search your local hard drive (usually C or All Local
Drives. XP users: set Advanced search options to search ALL files and folders! Type in Norton or Symantec etc. then wait for search to complete. If any items show up simply right click and Delete. Then double click MY COMPUTER, double click on C (if that is your main drive) and you will
have a window of Folders open. Locate the Program Files folder and double click to open it and you will then have a list of all of your Program Files. Look for any folder that has your old Firewall or Anti-Virus name on it, right click on the folder and select Delete. Once you have done this, click the Back button at the top locate and and double click on the Windows folder. This will open a panel of all of you Windows Files, scroll down to find the one named Prefetch. Double click it to open then go to the Edit Tab at the top and click on it, scroll down to Select All, left click on it and all of the files will be highlighted. Then go to File (beside Edit) click on it scroll down and select Delete. You will get a pop-up message ‘Are you sure you want to send these XXXX items to the Recycle Bin’. Click Yes, this will remove the items out of the Prefetch Folder. Now close the window to return to your desktop. Go to your Recycle Bin, right click and select Empty Recycle Bin.

Now, I will try to explain to you how to find any stray Registry Keys in your Registry. First of all backup your Registry. Go to Start, Run and type in regedit click on OK and the Registry Editor will then open. Go to the top Tabs
and click on File, scroll down until you see Export, left click it and this will open Export Registry File window. Save this file to your desktop and in the File Name box enter Registry Backup File. Click on Save and it should now
be on your desktop. Verify the file is a good copy, in the Registry Editor window click on File, select Import, in new panel where it says ‘Look in’ select desktop and then click on your saved file then click ‘Open’. Once it says it has been read in successfully, you have a good backup.

Now to edit the Registry go to the Edit Tab at the top left click it, scroll down until you see Find, left click
it, another panel will pop up, it will ask you Find What, type in Norton, Symantec, Mcafee or whatever Firewall or Anti-Virus vendor you were using before installing ZoneAlarm. After you have typed the name, make sure that there are checkmarks in all of the boxes – Should be 4 blocks, Keys, Values, Data, and Match Whole String Only – then go back to where you typed in Norton, Symantec, etc then click on ‘Find Next’. The search will locate Folders in the left panel and strings in the right pane. Ignore the right pane strings and keys values, look for the highlighted Folder in the left pane, right click on it and select ‘Delete’, click ‘Yes’ on pop-up window then hit your F3 keyboard button and it will continue to search the Registry, delete any Folders it finds in the left pane and continue until a pop-up says Finished searching through the registry. Exit the Registry Editor.

6. Now go back to your desktop to where you have downloaded and saved your copy of ZoneAlarm and install it.

7. Let ZoneAlarm configure your Program Settings. The reason for this is that there is a very good possibility
that when you manually install the Program Settings, something may not get properly installed, which may cause major problems with your installation of ZoneAlarm. Later if you decide you do not want a specific program in your Programs Control Panel, then remove it. If it is required, you will get a balloon alert about it allowing or disallowing it. That’s your decision. I have always done this and have never had a problem by letting Zone Alarm configure my settings.

8. When the installation is complete, reboot your system and connect back on to the Internet, making sure all your other programs are activated this includes ZoneAlarm and the ones that you had disabled, especially your Cable or DSL Modems. These should all automatically restart after rebooting.

9. Final step..go back to Start > Control Panel and if necessary switch it to Classic View. Locate the folder
named ‘Folder Options’ and double click it. In the ‘View’ tab go to Hidden files and folders and click the radio
button ‘Do not show hidden files and folders’ and place ticks in the following two boxes, ‘Hide extensions for known file types’ and ‘Hide protected operating system files(Recommended)’.

For additional in-depth information click here

You can find an installation tutorial here once you have completed the steps above.

ZoneAlarm will walk you through the setup when you install it.

If you have any questions please leave a comment or use the ‘Contact Me here’ at the top of this page and I will get back to you asap.

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© Free PC Security 2007

Zone Alarm Free Firewall

Install it and forget it. ZoneAlarm comes configured to
deliver “out-of the-box” safety and security. As you use
your computer and applications that access the Internet, a
bubble will open on the lower left of your screen and
ZoneAlarm asks you whether you want applications to access
the Internet. It quietly protects you……

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Zone Alarm Free Firewall

Get Into the Zone

Malware. An odd sounding word created to lump all malicious software programs, including viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, and other malevolent codes into one cause-your-computer-serious-hurt category.

In 2005, Computer Economics released a report on malware. The good news was that for the first time since 2002, the total worldwide financial losses from malware actually declined to a mere $14.2 billion. The bad news was that the nature of malware was changing from overt threats to more focused, covert attacks. This definitely is not great news for the average computer user just trying to keep up with the hundreds of malware programs that bombard us daily.

It’s not an easy task keeping malware out of your computer system. In order to accomplish this, you need a strong antivirus program. I have covered that with AVG Anti-Virus.

Now you need a good firewall to complement it. One such program that can deliver the goods is ZoneAlarm Free Firewall from Zone Labs. Zone Labs is one of the most trusted brands in Internet Security for good reason. Their product, simply put, kicks serious malware gluteus maximus.

ZoneAlarm has received more review recommendations that any other Internet-security software suite because of its superb firewall protection. It blocks pop-up ads, protects against identify theft and provides adequate spam filters that are flexible. It even beats the market leader, Norton Internet Security, which is often criticized for excessive system drag.

The bonus for the average user who cringes at the idea of setting-up one of these systems is that the interface is easier to understand and use in comparison to most if its competitors. If you choose to venture beyond the out-of-the-box default settings, and install a more elaborate filtering, know that this will require some additional time to set up on your part.

Overall, ZoneAlarm is a user-friendly, solution that will have your computer safe from Internet hazards and cyber criminals within minutes of installation and it also has an auto-update feature, very useful.

ZoneAlarm makes it easy. Unlike other personal firewalls, ZoneAlarm protects automatically from the moment it’s installed – no programming required. ZoneAlarm barricades your PC with immediate and complete port blocking. And then runs in Stealth Mode to make your PC invisible on the
Internet – if you can’t be seen, you can’t be attacked.

ZoneAlarm is a simple to use Firewall without compromising your security. A getting started tutorial explains controls and alerts to get you up and running quickly. And, to keep you confident that you’re always protected, intuitive color-coded alerts rate security risks – in real time. For basic, “no frills” firewall protection, ZoneAlarm® is the popular first step for many home PC users. And it’s still FREE for individual & non-profit use.

Install it and forget it. ZoneAlarm comes configured to deliver “out-of the-box” safety and security. As you use your computer and applications that access the Internet, a bubble will open on the lower left of your screen and ZoneAlarm asks you whether you want applications to access the Internet. It quietly protects you while logging unauthorized repelled attempts to access your computer.

Security Levels make ZoneAlarm easy to use. In just a few seconds you can decide how secure you want your system to be. In contrast to other security solutions, ZoneAlarm does not require you to learn about ports, protocols and firewall programming. Security Levels automatically configure the Firewall and eliminate the risk of improper use that comes with other products. With ZoneAlarm’s Security Levels, you get peace of mind, not confusion. ZoneAlarm makes Internet safety and security hassle-free.

Remember……either back-up your system or create a Restore Point BEFORE making any changes.

So what are you waiting for?

Click this link and download and install it.

In Depth Installation Guide Here

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© Free PC Security 2007

Fighting off Viruses

Advancements in Antivirus Software Suites

Protecting your computer from a virus is getting harder
and harder each day.  While it may border on the paranoid,
it goes without saying that you can’t leave your guard down
for one second.  Even corporate giant Microsoft has found
its own systems compromised on more than one occasion. 

Remember the “good old days”, before the advent of the
Internet and downloadable programs?  Life was simple then
in terms of computer viruses.  With the primary way in
which a virus could be transmitted being limited to floppy
disks, the ability to catch and eradicate the virus was a
lot easier.    By today’s standards, it used to take quite
a while before a virus was able to infect a computer and
slow down the system.  The antivirus software of that time
was typically able to identify and eradicate viruses before
they caused too much damage.  Additionally, computer users
were pretty savvy on how to protect themselves in terms of
scanning all floppy disks before copying them to our
desktop. 

The Internet helped change all that.  The Internet
provided a conduit by which viruses could move from host to
host with lightening speed.  No longer could a computer
user just worry about floppy disks as points of entry, but
they now had to worry about email, email attachments, peer-
to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, and software
downloads.  Today’s viruses can attack through multiple
entry points, spread without human intervention, and take
full advantage of vulnerabilities within a system or
program.  With technology advancing everyday, and the
convergence of computers with other mobile devices, the
potential of new types of threats also increase. 

Protecting Your Computer
Luckily, the advancement of antivirus software has kept
pace with current virus threats.   Antivirus software is
essential to a computer’s ability to fend off viruses and
other malicious programs.  These products are designed to
protect against the ability of a virus to enter a computer
through email, web browsers, file servers and desktops.
Additionally, these programs offer a centralized control
feature that handle deployment, configuration and updating.
A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few
simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:

1. Evaluate your current computer security system.
With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to
attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just
one antivirus software version has become outdated.  You
need to be confident that you have protected all aspects of
your computer system from the desktop to the network, and
from the gateway to the server.  Consider a more
comprehensive security system which includes several
features including antivirus, firewall, content filtering,
and intrusion detection.  This type of system will make it
more difficult for the virus to penetrate your system.

2. Only install antivirus software created by a well-
known, reputable company. 
Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you
regularly update your anti-virus software.  Become familiar
with the software’s real-time scan feature and configure it
to start automatically each time you boot your computer.
This will protect your system by automatically checking
your computer each time it is powered up. 

3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or
files no matter from where they originate.

4. Exercise caution when opening binary, Word, or Excel
documents of unknown sources especially if they were
received during an online chat or as an attachment  to an
email. 

5. Perform regular backups in case your system is
corrupted.  It may be the only way to recover your data if
infected.

Recommended Antivirus Software
There are numerous applications available to consumers.
With a little research, you can pick the program that is
right for you.  Many programs provide a trial version,
which allows you to download the program and test its
abilities.  However, be aware that some anti-virus programs
can be difficult to uninstall.  As a precaution make sure
to set up a System Restore point before installing. 

Here are a few programs, which typically receive high
marks in terms of cost, effectiveness, ease of use, and
customer service.

The Shield Pro 2005™ provides virus protection and hacker
security through ongoing support and updates. When a virus
breaks out, The Shield Pro 2005™ promises to provide a
patch within 2-3 hours and a fix for the virus within 5
hours. You can set your computer to update viruses weekly
and run a complete virus scan.

BitDefender 9 Standard provides antivirus protection, as
well as Peer-2-Peer Applications protection, full email
protection, and heuristics in a virtual environment.  This
provides a new security layer that keeps the operating
system safe from unknown viruses by detecting malicious
pieces of code for which signatures have not been released
yet.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal 5.0  program is simple to
install and use. The user only needs to choose from three
levels of protection.  It allows updates as frequently as
every hour while promising not to disrupt your computer.
The program also offers a two-tier email protection feature
and round-the-clock technical support.

PC-cillin Internet Security  combines antivirus security
and a personal firewall-for comprehensive protection
against viruses, worms, Trojans, and hackers. It also
detects and removes spyware and blocks spam. It even guards
against identity theft by blocking phishing and pharming
attacks.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a free downloadable
antivirus program that has received high marks for its
reliability.  In the past, free downloadable antivirus
programs have been viewed skeptically because of issues
relating to its reliability.  However, AVG from Grisoft,
remains one of the best-known free anti-virus programs
available.  While AVG cannot be installed on a server
operating system and there is no technical support, it
still makes a good choice for many home computer users.
The best part is that since it is free, you can try it with
no further obligation necessary.