 Feature
Set
Your financial data and password lists are
stored inside your computer, but a novice hacker with the right
tools could easily get into your system to copy these without
detection. How do you keep prying eyes locked out and your
private data locked in?
ZoneAlarm Pro has an option called myVAULT;
here you can enter any personal information you'd like
protected. You can also enter a list of trusted sites that you
will allow access to this private data—such as your bank
website. If another source attempts access or transmit MyVAULT
data,
ZoneAlarm Pro will block access.
We tested this feature by creating a test
bank account number and password in MyVAULT. Then we tried to
send that data in an email.
ZoneAlarm Pro detected the attempt
to send the sensitive data and blocked the transmission.
Two bonus features in
ZoneAlarm Pro include
the ability to block viruses using your current virus software
and offer email protection.
ZoneAlarm Pro will
incorporate your current anti-virus software into the firewall,
allowing you to use the anti-virus product of your choice. If
you don't already have anti-virus protection, CheckPoint has the
ZoneAlarm Internet
Security Suite including bundling anti-virus, firewall and
spyware protection.
Not many firewall programs include email
protection, but
ZoneAlarm Pro uses a feature called Mailsafe to
protect you from receiving or sending attachments that may be
infected with a virus by email. Most people worry only about
incoming viruses, but nothing is more distressing than learning
a virus has sent itself to all the people in your email address
book.
You can customize settings within each
section, with the exception of the anti-virus section, to tailor
ZoneAlarm Pro to your configuration. You can also create a safe
list of senders' addresses, allowing
ZoneAlarm Pro to act as an
email filter. This is an excellent bonus when you consider that
trojans and viruses often enter your computer by email.
Ease
Of Use
We rate how easy a program is to use from a
computer novice perspective. We ask, "If I'm a beginner, would I
be able to understand and use the options in this program
quickly, without questions?"
ZoneAlarm Pro does exactly that. The
well-designed control panel explains and displays available
choices simply. Each field (such as program control) offers a
brief description of the main choice and then shows other
choices available. New users are not overloaded with irrelevant
information.
There is some difficulty associated with
ZoneAlarm Pro when troubleshooting connection issues. Say, for
example, you can’t connect to the net with MSN Messenger. It can
be difficult to find which option to change due to the sheer
multitude of options and features to contend with.
Ease
Of Installation
ZoneAlarm Pro’s installation was a breeze.
Their SmartDefense Advisor makes most of the configuration
choices concerning the programs you run on your system without
having to wait for a training or learning period. This not only
saves time, but makes the installation more simple than many
other firewall products.
Reliability
We tested
ZoneAlarm Pro's ability to
protect a computer systems vulnerable open ports. An open port
is a small doorway in your computer system that allows data to
enter and leave. When you use a chat program online, for
instance, your computer opens four ports to allow data to flow
back and forth.
ZoneAlarm Pro was effective at protecting and
closing ports. It passed the trojan test with flying
colors too; no trojan programs made it past the firewall.
Help/Support
ZoneAlarm Pro's documentation is well
organized, making it easy to find answers fast. Learning to use
the different fields and options that
ZoneAlarm Pro offers is
simple since this software is designed for a novice to
understand.
ZoneAlarm Pro has
instant chat support available online as well. This allows you
to enter a question. The support staff then guides you to the
correct answer. Premium phone
support is also available for a fee.
Awards
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