IssViews Forum

ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 9.2
REVIEW DATE:05.24.10
by Neil J. Rubenking

The release of the original free ZoneAlarm utility in 1999 effectively created the personal firewall market. Over the years, that initial simple tool has evolved into a range of security products, with ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 ($69.99 direct, ) at the top of the food chain. Though the company never abandoned their original free utility, they did let it languish without significant updates for quite some time. ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 9.2 (free, direct) streamlines basic firewall protection and adds significant bonus features, bringing the product back to preeminence in the personal firewall realm.

Interface
ZoneAlarm's main window offers the expected overview of security status and access to configuration options. It also displays several features that aren't present in the free edition such as antivirus/antispyware protection, Download Protection, and OSFirewall (which detects malicious program behavior). Clicking one of these takes you to a Web page with more details about the paid products and an option to buy, but it's not a hard sell. The page even notes that you may already have the missing pieces, supplied by another vendor.

Solid Protection
A full-blown personal firewall should protect your computer from attack by hackers and also prevent misuse of your Internet connection by local programs—ZoneAlarm excels in both areas. It puts up maximum protection for connections in the Internet Zone—public networks, coffee-shop wireless, and such. Your local network goes in the Trusted Zone; it's still plenty secure, but you can share printers and files without hindrance. ZoneAlarm passed all of my port-scan tests and fended off all Web-based attack tests.

New ZoneAlarm is quietly effective (review)
by Seth Rosenblatt

The changes made to improve the default firewall in Windows 7 are impressive, but the newest version of the free ZoneAlarm Firewall argues that Microsoft still has a long way to go. ZoneAlarm 9.2 introduces multiple new features to one of the world's oldest computer security programs including quieter outbound protection, behavioral detection from the ZoneAlarm Internet security suite, automatic Wi-Fi security setting activation, antiphishing protection, an overhauled ZoneAlarm toolbar, and 2GB of online storage for free.

Installation

Program installation was largely a smooth experience, taking about 5 minutes. Users will have to reboot their computers after its done. Prior users of ZoneAlarm's paid security suites might encounter some odd behavior if the uninstallation process of one of those programs left remnants, but this should be the rare exception and not the rule.
ZoneAlarm Firewall Free (screenshots)

Interface

ZoneAlarm has unified its security interfaces, so users familiar with one program won't see dramatic changes in another. The left side contains navigation links; the center window is where all the action happens. As noted in the review of ZoneAlarm Extreme Security, it's not a bad design but it doesn't pop visually. The text links can be hard to read because of font choice, and although the center buttons are big, the details within could be easier to read.

Conclusion

This update of ZoneAlarm Firewall Free should make people do a double-take because of the features and low interference level from the program. It also should do wonders for ZoneAlarm's reputation, but that has more to do with whether years of substandard updates can be erased by a firewall that is the strong, silent type that users need.