Entered CNET Catalog: 10/23/2004
SKU: CNETZONEALARMPRO55
Manufacturer: Zone Labs, Inc.
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/09/2004
ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 is available via a boxed CD or for purchase online with a renewable one-year download license for $49.95. Our 6.4MB installation file took less than two minutes to download via a broadband cable connection, but dial-up users should allow for more time.
With your purchase, you'll receive a lengthy key code to unlock the full product. After launching the installer, a wizard directs the installation and initial product setup, which takes less than five minutes. Installation is quick and unobtrusive, though the online product registration does request your name and e-mail address, along with answers to a few optional survey questions. If you're running the free trial version, the Pro version and its features expire after 15 days, but fear not, the stripped-down free version, called ZoneAlarm, continues to keep you protected thereafter. A brief tutorial launches automatically to guide you through the program's basics, but experienced users can easily opt out. Overall, the experience is much friendlier than that of Norton Personal Firewall or McAfee Personal Firewall Plus.
Simplicity is ZoneAlarm Pro's strength. For example, the software won't overwhelm you with complex menus or convoluted information dialogs. Just double-click the ZAP icon in your Windows system tray to launch the ZoneAlarm interface. The main display shows the program's status and offers convenient access to features listed vertically along the dialog's left side. You control each feature by adjusting various sliders, while you can make more specific adjustments through a series of horizontal tabs. This interface format makes it easy to find your way around the program.
ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 is fully compliant with Microsoft Windows XP SP2. The default security settings strike a balance between security and convenience. ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 separates your firewall security into Trusted, Internet, and Blocked zones. For example, PCs on the home LAN or known safe locations in cyberspace may be trusted to share access with your PC, while ZAP controls outside access to your PC (or blocks it outright). ZAP requests and assigns permissions for each program the first time you use them after installation. As you might expect, each zone's individual security settings are completely customizable within ZAP, so advanced users can tailor security to their particular taste and environment. Security pros will also welcome the Expert Rules feature, which allows you to write your own exacting security settings based on specific IP addresses.
Features within ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 include antivirus monitoring to warn when any detected antivirus software is outdated. (While the Pro version includes Computer Associates EZ Antivirus software, the free version, ZoneAlarm, does not and simply checks for and works cooperatively with any previously installed antivirus utilities.) ZAP's MailSafe feature provides e-mail-attachment protection, which stops viruses and worms from spreading, while other features manage cookies to block incoming spyware, block pop-up advertising, and lock down your personal ID to prevent sensitive information from being sent out from your PC. ZoneAlarm Pro also enhances its automatic protection against advanced hacking techniques, with Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) avoidance and intrusion detection and prevention--two notable features that Norton Personal Firewall 2005 and McAfee Personal Firewall Plus do not include.
ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 passed our informal tests with flying colors. We tested our ZAP installation against Steve Gibson's ShieldsUp tool; the test reported all but the http/https ports either closed or stealthed (hidden), which was the expected result.
Zone Labs supports ZoneAlarm Pro 5.5 with a comprehensive service Web site. The site covers new technical advisories, technical notes, FAQs, unofficial forum access, a comprehensive knowledge base, and contact information for the customer service department. Unfortunately, Zone Labs doesn't offer free live technical support, not even via chat or e-mail. You simply cannot reach a live person for technical assistance unless you pay a premium telephone support fee of $2.95 per minute, available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. By comparison, Symantec and McAfee both charge similar fees for their telephone technical support.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
9/10
A great product!!!
Pros: Firewall is awsome. Has different settings for different things.
Cons: Its a full 60 bucks. If you look long and hard you can find a key generator though.
User Rating: 
8/10
Good product but don't let your subscription expire.
Pros: When ZA Pro is operational I have never had a breach from the internet.
Cons: If you fail to renew your subscription, some of the options are disabled.
User Rating: 
10/10
excellent protection
Pros: very powerful, yet easy to use and modify
Cons: updates need to be downloaded as setup files
User Rating: 
7/10
Great firewall with good extras
Pros: Most secure of the popular firewalls; popup, cookie, and even banner ad blockers
Cons: Performance hog, glitchy web experience, the usual annual renewal fee for updates
Since then, popup blocking has become easier to find, and more programs are coming onto the scene. None-the-less, I've found that this one does it just fine, and has been on the front lines against spyware and adware.
It's good for beginners and experts alike, though its interface for a newbie may take some getting used to. For a beginner, it can be self-configured, but an expert can use it to control access of individual programs, to track down specific intruders (even showing their IP address), and to custom set how and which web ads, cookies, active X controls, and the like can load.
The main drawback to some might be its performance-hogging; it can add ten seconds of startup time on a high end system, and up to a minute on systems over three years old. I've also encountered web page display problems. (While it's running, web pages with animated gifs often only show the first frame. Stardock's Wincustomize site is not able to display screenshots, and on many BBS forums, I find my logins sometimes buggy, or my list of read versus unread posts acting erratic.)
I'd like to see these glitches fixed, but at least I can sleep better at night with a broadband connection and a computer always on, running Seti@home.
User Rating: 10/10
"ZoneAlarm Security Suite" is the best !!!!
Pros: Too much to say... This is the product @ it's best !!!!
Cons: No cons from my side
I can tell you all readers that this is the best firewall which i have experienced.....
Irate it ahead of all firewall products including Norton's personal firewall also.
It's very easy to use, friendly GUI 'nexcellent performance !!!
From my side, this is the world's best firewall..
Thank you ZoneLabs for such a brilliant product !!!!
User Rating: 9/10
Phew; my system is fast again
Pros: less system invasive; meaning my system runs faster
Cons: none I can think of
I switched over to ZoneAlarm after reading the reviews and couldn't be happier. My system runs much quicker now and I have't had any problems with viruses or other malware.
The only frustration is that when I go to image search in google, I have to first turn off the proxy avoidance filter in ZoneAlarm. A minor nuisance.
Overall, very pleased.
User Rating: 9/10
A fine product
Pros: Excellent firewall, quality and effective antivirus
Cons: No significant cons
The only nag I have about it is that the virus scanner sometimes seems to have a life of its own, and does not always want to keep a regular schedule. Still, the suite installed without incident and has run without error for several months now. I have not used tech support, so I can't comment on this aspect. I will say that if they can read or speak English in any kind of passable fashion, they are already ahead of Symantec.
User Rating: 9/10
Installs flawlessly, runs perfectly, Feature rich product
Pros: Easy Install, Feature rich, No slowdown to computer
Cons: Makes you feel too secure maybe
User Rating: 
2/10
VSMon.exe is a memory hog
Pros: Firewall does block ports. AV does scan for viruses
Cons: Support is extremely poor
1) Nothing. Absolutely nothing in the help file about how to do a 'clean' uninstall. One that doesn't leave all those little VS***.dll's in your Windows sys directories. The online support is ABYSMAL. One would think that a company of this caliber would have a knowledge base you could search through. If there is I have yet to find it. All there is are the user forums--which are short on help and long on complaints.
2) I miss being able to block Java, javascript, activex, etc., on a site by site basis. If there's a way to do this in ZA I haven't found it yet. It's either on or its off.
3) They use Cerberian for web-filtering. I don't care how good they are supposed to be. Web-filtering for me has always been hit or miss. Miss when your kids are online is almost certain doom. That's what I like about the security levels in Norton. My kids could only see the sites I had previewed.
4) The logs are almost useless.
5) I actually have a lower percentage of system resources available after installing ZA as compared to Norton. Go figure. And I uninstalled Norton because it was slow.
6) The install was glitchy. The setup program must have 'redetected' my network connection 3 or 4 times after setup--even though my ip address never changed. It got horked twice on install and I have to bomb out manually to fix it (no I didn't have any other programs running).
This biggest pisser for me is the poor support. Plenty of links pop right out there for 'pay support' though. Not that Norton's support was great. But at least it was relatively easy to find work arounds on program issues and they actually have--Egads!--a knowledge base to search.
This is the 2nd time I feel I've been burned by CNET reviews. It will be the last time for sure.
User Rating: 10/10
ZoneAlarm pro 5.5 best firewall on the market.
Pros: i'll never use another firewall again. haven't found another one that will compare to it.
Cons: i haven't found any cons about zonealarm.
User Rating: 10/10
Absolutely Fabulous
Pros: Better than previous, easy use, wonderfdul
Cons: none, no flaws
User Rating: 10/10
fantastic product
Pros: simple effective
Cons: gives lots of warnings unless alert feature is turned off
User Rating: 9/10
A must have to any Windows user
Pros: Fast, streamlined, minimal browsing delays
Cons: No way to force it to start as a Windows kernel service
User Rating: 8/10
Great Product Bundle
Pros: Good internet security and scanning
Cons: Slows down certain programs...significantly
User Rating: 
5/10
older versions better before 5.5.062.011
Pros: no problems with older version
Cons: bugs in newer version
User Rating: 10/10
A must have for broadband users.
Pros: Easy to install, use, and update...and it works.
Cons: None...but I would recommend additional security programs.
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome firewall!
Pros: Outclasses other firewalls even from big named manufacturers
Cons: Can conflict with routers such as the Netgear WGT624.
ZoneAlarm's interface is highly comprehensive, and alert messages are easily understood. However one complaint is that it can conflict with other firewalls. Overall, this is a must have for safe internet usage.
User Rating: 9/10
Easy to install, easy to use and stops the hackers at the door.
Pros: Easy to add personal information protection and many other protection choices are a simple click.
Cons: Many alert pop-ups don't have additional explanations available. Lack of live email support.
User Rating: 9/10
I have tried alot of firewall protection But Zone Alarm Pro realy stood out from the rest.
Pros: Protects your PC from many bugs that come from the internet such as Adware, Spyware and Virusses.
Cons: It can slow down system startup by a few seconds aprox 5-10 seconds.
It has an extreamly simple atractive interface. advanced security settings ect.
User Rating: 5/10
Capable, but cumbersome
Pros: Very capable system. I especially like how it even blocks ads on websites.
Cons: Significant performance drag. Lots of pop-up warnings for insignificant things when using standard setup.
