| I started getting the emails and calls from friends and | | | | section. Move the slider from "High" to "Med." |
| clients last week. "Yipes, I can't get on the Internet! I | | | | (medium) |
| have wasted all day (night) trying but nothing works. | | | | 4.Click on the "X" in the upper right corner to |
| What's the problem?" | | | | minimize ZoneAlarm. |
| To be honest I didn't have a clue myself, until one | | | | This will work until you get the time to download and |
| friend called and said that of her 3 computers that | | | | install the newest version of your ZoneAlarm product. |
| had web access (all have ZoneAlarm installed) the | | | | Now when you install the new update make sure you |
| one that missing a Windows update still worked. | | | | check "Upgrade" not "Clean Install" or you will have |
| After some research we confirmed that the newest | | | | to go through the slow process of ZoneAlarm |
| Windows update had "broken" the current version of | | | | "learning" which programs to let through all over again. |
| ZoneAlarm. ZoneAlarm Free (ZA) is arguably one of | | | | So how did this happen? Is ZoneLabs going belly up? |
| the most downloaded personal firewall programs on | | | | Nah...what went on behind the scenes is that several |
| the planet. I use it and personally recommend it to | | | | months ago a computer security researcher |
| just about everyone I know. So this "glitch" was a | | | | accidentally discovered a major, major error in the |
| huge pain in the tuckus. | | | | actual structure of the Internet. Seems he found a |
| Later in the week, the boys at ZoneLabs (the | | | | way that someone could trick every computer into |
| makers of ZA) released a press statement, detailing | | | | going to a bogus website, even if you go to a |
| their workarounds. Seems the update killed all of | | | | browser and type in the "correct" URL or web |
| ZoneLabs product line from their ever popular firewall | | | | address. |
| to their premium security suite. | | | | This meant that if you opened your web browser |
| The press release states, "Microsoft Update | | | | and typed in " your computer and everyone else's |
| KB951748 is known to cause sudden loss of internet | | | | could have been redirected to a fake eBay site. |
| access for ZoneAlarm users on Windows XP/2000. | | | | That's right ALL the computers in the world! Ain't |
| Windows Vista users are not affected. Platforms | | | | that a kick in the teeth? So the top über-geeks |
| Affected: ZoneAlarm Free, ZoneAlarm Pro, | | | | in the world have been working in secret to correct |
| ZoneAlarm AntiVirus, ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware, and | | | | the problem. Most of the major players were |
| ZoneAlarm Security Suite". | | | | involved and released updates this month. |
| What you need to do now... | | | | If by chance, you have not installed the latest |
| As a temporary workaround: | | | | operating system update, you should. Because now |
| 1. Double-click on the "Z" ZoneAlarm icon in the lower | | | | that the "cat is out of the bag" there is no doubt |
| right of your screen. | | | | some enterprising young hacker will try and make |
| 2. After the program opens, click "Firewall" on the | | | | use this "flaw in the fabric of the web" to lead you |
| menu bar on the left side. | | | | to a fake and dangerous website. |
| 3. You should see the "Internet Zone Security" | | | | |