ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7

Check Point's ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 continues to innovate, this time dropping its long-standing relationship with CA Antivirus and partnering instead with excellent Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6. Kaspersky, along with the equally excellent MailFrontier Anti-Spam application, make ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 somewhat invincible against its competition. But security vendors have taken notice, in particular Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2007, which adds some very cool new cutting-edge technology to its latest release (which we think may be a few years out of reach to be useful for many users). None of the other Internet security suites we've reviewed can match the balance of overall ease of use and security-product integration found within ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7.

Setup

We downloaded the 32MB installation file and installed ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 without a hitch. After a reboot, we were asked a series of questions to help us set up the application. The first question concerns the ZoneAlarm program control security setting, which controls the number of message alerts you'll see on your desktop. A Maximum setting flags everything until ZoneAlarm 'learns' which security settings you prefer; an Auto-Learn setting starts the learning process earlier by temporarily lowering the security settings, resulting in fewer messages; and finally, a Minimum setting protects you against older, known alerts but no new threats, resulting in virtually no alerts. The default is Auto-Learn, and we left it at that setting.

Next, you're asked to participate in DefenseNet, ZoneAlarm's security threat centre where new alerts are recorded anonymously; you can opt out, if you prefer. After that, you'll be asked whether you have antivirus protection and, if you don't, whether you want to enable protection within ZoneAlarm. For this, we say choose ZoneAlarm's protection — not only will you manage everything through the ZoneAlarm interface, but you'll receive state-of-the-art protection from Kaspersky Anti-Virus. Finally, the program will ask whether you want to scan your PC starting immediately. After these questions, you'll need to reboot once again.

Upon our second reboot, we were invited to view a three minute flash tutorial on how to use the suite. Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 also offers a tutorial, but Trend Micro's is a static Web page. ZoneAlarm walks the new user through with a lively video.

Should you decide to uninstall, ZoneAlarm includes an uninstall icon in the All Programs listing — something McAfee and Norton do not. The uninstall process is smooth, first verifying that you want to do this, then disconnecting from the Zone Labs servers and removing the application. Upon reboot, we found absolutely no trace of ZoneAlarm — not in the registry, not in the system folders. We cannot say the same for McAfee, Norton or Trend Micro.

Interface

The PR material says there's a new interface in ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7, but all we saw was that the logo had changed, with the parent company, Check Point, much more prominent. Gone are the orange and red colours, replaced with a more sophisticated slate grey. ZoneAlarm's interface remains the high bar for design, at once communicating plenty of information without a lot of clutter or silly icons. Features are always visible along the left-hand navigation, and the right-hand window changes to displays additional tabs of associated information. For example, under Program Control, there's an overview tab of security settings, a tab for individual program access and a tab for component access. We like the ease of customisation here, allowing you to allow, block or ask with each program. Other firewalls make you jump through hoops or create complicated rule sets to tweak a given application.

Features

It's all here. ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 includes all the security tools you need to keep not only your desktop PC secure, but also keep your personal identity safe while surfing online. What's new is the partnership with Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6, but also there's a new autolearn system that helps you configure the firewall quicker, as well as a feature that configures security settings for applications that are already installed.

Unlike other suites we've reviewed, ZoneAlarm has fewer alerts for applications already running on the desktop. That's because Zone Labs maintains a rather large database of legitimate applications and compares the signature of what's on your system with those in its database. For the most part, ZoneAlarm only flags unusual activity, which is what you want a good firewall to do. For example, ZoneAlarm notified us of a user who persistently attempted to scan our wireless notebook, and then allowed us to block that user. Other firewalls we've reviewed only recorded these attempts in their logs.

Improved features within ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 include better anti-spyware protection and better protection of a user's real-world protection from identity theft (the latter feature is only available to US customers). The anti-spyware protection is Zone Labs' own, not partnered content, and it continues to improve.

Also, most vendors have opted out of including parental controls (or calling them such). ZoneAlarm includes a Parental Control feature in its left-hand column. While you don't have to have children in the house to want to filter Web sites and email content, it's refreshing to see that ZoneAlarm continues to include this within its suite under a recognisable name.

But all is not yet perfect within ZoneAlarm. The program includes anti-phishing protection, but we think it's a little unconventional. Instead of a toolbar that checks sites visited, ZoneAlarm maintains a list of trusted sites, some provided by ZoneAlarm and some custom sites you can add. The trusted sites tab can also tell you if the trusted site is transmitting your personal information via clear text. Other suites we've reviewed offer toolbars for Firefox and IE that checked the validity of the site before allowing access. Anti-phishing technology is an emerging technology, and it'll be interesting to see what methodology becomes dominant in the coming year.

Missing from the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 are features that back up and shred data files. Perhaps we'll see these in the next version.

Performance
For antivirus protection, ZoneAlarm partnered with Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6, which scored well in (ZDNet sister site) CNET Labs' performance tests and scored exceptionally well in third-party, independent antivirus testing using live viruses. On our iTunes test, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 was first, with a fast 174 seconds, just 12 seconds above our test system. On our Sorensen Squeeze test, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 was second, with 256 seconds, just 15 seconds more than our test system. For scanning a single folder with files, Kaspersky came in the middle of the pack, requiring 160 seconds. And in boot speed, Kaspersky came in third, with a respectable 62 seconds. To find out how these tests are conducted, see CNET Labs' How we test: software: antivirus page. In terms of protecting your PC, we cite results from two leading independent antivirus testing organisations. In the latest test results from AV-Comparatives.org, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 earned an Advanced + (highest) rating, catching 99 percent of all malware tested. And from CheckVir.com, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 was one of eight products to earn its Standard (or highest) rating.

Support

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 comes with one year of software updates and both email- and keyword-based virtual support, along with access to a well-attended user forum. Phone support is not available to UK customers. There's no printed documentation, but we found the new flash tutorial to be more informative than past efforts. The built-in help file is also excellent, thorough, and very specific, effectively balancing detail and clarity. The ZoneAlarm online forums are active, too, with users worldwide eager and willing to answer your questions — something that Norton and McAfee don't offer.

Conclusion

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 7 provides the perfect balance between best-of-breed security protection and ease of use, delivering protection that's light on system resources, allowing you to work unencumbered.

Images