ZoneAlarm Service Agent popup

[wylbur37]

I recently got a popup that says the following ...


ZoneAlarm Service Agent
-----------------------
An Important Internet Security Update is available
(version 5.5.094.000)
Do you want to get the update now?

[Yes] [Remind me later]


My first concern was whether this was a legitimate message
from ZoneAlarm (after all, I am using a version of Zone Alarm)
or some sort of malware in disguise.
So I right-clicked the taskbar and tried to select "Close".
It wouldn't close!
I then clicked on the red "X" at the upper right corner
of the window. It still wouldn't close!
I finally had to power-off the computer and reboot,
but soon after I got online again, there it was again!

Is this thing legitimate and harmless?

How can I get it not to return?

 

[Anti_Freak_Machine]

I recently got a popup that says the following ...


ZoneAlarm Service Agent
-----------------------
An Important Internet Security Update is available
(version 5.5.094.000)
Do you want to get the update now?

[Yes] [Remind me later]


My first concern was whether this was a legitimate message
from ZoneAlarm (after all, I am using a version of Zone Alarm)
or some sort of malware in disguise.
So I right-clicked the taskbar and tried to select "Close".
It wouldn't close!
I then clicked on the red "X" at the upper right corner
of the window. It still wouldn't close!
I finally had to power-off the computer and reboot,
but soon after I got online again, there it was again!

Is this thing legitimate and harmless?

How can I get it not to return?

Dbl click your Zone Alarm Icon in your system tray, Click on "Overview"
then the 'Preferences' tab. Is 'check for updates automatically'
checked? Thats how you turn off the update message.
To figure out if it is a legit message, click the little button entitled
"Check for update" on that same screen.

 

[Bart Bailey]

How can I get it not to return?

[Overview] [Preferences] [Check for Updates]
and check the radio button for "Manually" instead of automatic.

 

[Fred Gold]

wylbur37, on 2005-08-19 at 09:20, scribbled:

I recently got a popup that says the following ...


ZoneAlarm Service Agent
-----------------------
An Important Internet Security Update is available
(version 5.5.094.000)
Do you want to get the update now?

[Yes] [Remind me later]


My first concern was whether this was a legitimate message
from ZoneAlarm (after all, I am using a version of Zone Alarm)
or some sort of malware in disguise.

Just because someone knocks at your door, it doesn't mean that they're
trying to steal your belongings!

So I right-clicked the taskbar and tried to select "Close".
It wouldn't close!
I then clicked on the red "X" at the upper right corner
of the window. It still wouldn't close!

Welcome to the Brave New World of security updates: Install now or install
later, but you won't find a "Stop bothering me with this" button.

I finally had to power-off the computer and reboot,
but soon after I got online again, there it was again!

Is this thing legitimate and harmless?

Yes. You're using Zone Alarm and it's telling you that there's an update
available. (In fact, I believe that V6 came out a few weeks ago.)

How can I get it not to return?

Are you looking for an alternative answer to "install the update"?

Cheers,
Fred.

 

[Gerry S]

wylbur37, on 2005-08-19 at 09:20, scribbled:

Yes. You're using Zone Alarm and it's telling you that there's an update
available. (In fact, I believe that V6 came out a few weeks ago.)

My current version is................

ZoneAlarm Pro version:6.0.631.003
TrueVector version:6.0.631.003
Driver version:6.0.631.003
Anti-spyware engine version:4.0.9.7
Anti-spyware signature DAT file version:01.200508.111

 

[Buffalo]

I recently got a popup that says the following ...


ZoneAlarm Service Agent
-----------------------
An Important Internet Security Update is available
(version 5.5.094.000)
Do you want to get the update now?

[Yes] [Remind me later]


My first concern was whether this was a legitimate message
from ZoneAlarm (after all, I am using a version of Zone Alarm)
or some sort of malware in disguise.
So I right-clicked the taskbar and tried to select "Close".
It wouldn't close!
I then clicked on the red "X" at the upper right corner
of the window. It still wouldn't close!
I finally had to power-off the computer and reboot,
but soon after I got online again, there it was again!

Is this thing legitimate and harmless?

How can I get it not to return?

Others answered that for you. Usually when you get a message like that, you
usually have to choose one of the two choices to get the box to go away(choose
either "Yes" or "Remind me later").
Doing a hard shutdown is rarely the best choice.
I use ZAPro also and I use the 'check for updates manually' selection located in
Overview, Preferences in the ZA Control Center.

 

[charlie R]

I recently got a popup that says the following ...


ZoneAlarm Service Agent
-----------------------
An Important Internet Security Update is available
(version 5.5.094.000)
Do you want to get the update now?

[Yes] [Remind me later]


My first concern was whether this was a legitimate message
from ZoneAlarm (after all, I am using a version of Zone Alarm)
or some sort of malware in disguise.
So I right-clicked the taskbar and tried to select "Close".
It wouldn't close!
I then clicked on the red "X" at the upper right corner
of the window. It still wouldn't close!
I finally had to power-off the computer and reboot,
but soon after I got online again, there it was again!

Is this thing legitimate and harmless?

How can I get it not to return?

Check it out at www.zonealarm.com. The link to the latest update of
ZoneAlarm Free is the latest 6. version. I'd get rid of the popup box
and follow the legit link to zonealarm.com to get the update if I were
you. I'd also run my AV and other security scanners to see what's
causing the popup.
charlie R

 

[me]

wylbur37, on 2005-08-19 at 09:20, scribbled: snip

Yes. You're using Zone Alarm and it's telling you that there's an
update available. (In fact, I believe that V6 came out a few weeks
ago.)


Are you looking for an alternative answer to "install the update"?

Since personally I do not trust any version of Zone Alarm later than
4.5.594, I turned off the option to automatically check for updates.

This prevents messages like that from coming up at all, ever.

Untill and unless somebody gives me good reason to trust versions more
recent, this will not change.

I strongly recommend that the OP (or anyone else for that matter) take the
same step to stop it from looking for updates.

 

[Lars-Erik Østerud]

me skrev:

Since personally I do not trust any version of Zone Alarm later than
4.5.594, I turned off the option to automatically check for updates.

Why don't you trust them? 4.5 is a good version, but there might be
security holes and stuff that 4.5 does not handle...

 

[Buffalo]

I recently got a popup that says the following ...


ZoneAlarm Service Agent
-----------------------
An Important Internet Security Update is available
(version 5.5.094.000)
Do you want to get the update now?

[Yes] [Remind me later]


My first concern was whether this was a legitimate message
from ZoneAlarm (after all, I am using a version of Zone Alarm)
or some sort of malware in disguise.
So I right-clicked the taskbar and tried to select "Close".
It wouldn't close!
I then clicked on the red "X" at the upper right corner
of the window. It still wouldn't close!
I finally had to power-off the computer and reboot,
but soon after I got online again, there it was again!

Is this thing legitimate and harmless?

How can I get it not to return?

Check it out at www.zonealarm.com. The link to the latest update of
ZoneAlarm Free is the latest 6. version. I'd get rid of the popup box
and follow the legit link to zonealarm.com to get the update if I were
you. I'd also run my AV and other security scanners to see what's
causing the popup.
charlie R

If wylbur37 had ZA set to automatically check for updates, that is exactly the
message (pop-up) he/she/it would get.

 

[Bart Bailey]

Since personally I do not trust any version of Zone Alarm later than
4.5.594, I turned off the option to automatically check for updates.

Same version here,
except that I originally got it as a re-branded eTrust product.

I recently evaluated the ZAPv6 but wasn't impressed with it's lack of
features and the bloat that replaced them.

 

[Bart Bailey]

me skrev:


Why don't you trust them? 4.5 is a good version, but there might be
security holes and stuff that 4.5 does not handle...

If you know of any security holes,
do let us know...
til then it's v4.5 here

 

[Kerodo]

Since personally I do not trust any version of Zone Alarm later than
4.5.594, I turned off the option to automatically check for updates.

This prevents messages like that from coming up at all, ever.

Untill and unless somebody gives me good reason to trust versions more
recent, this will not change.

I strongly recommend that the OP (or anyone else for that matter) take the
same step to stop it from looking for updates.

The new 6 is pretty good and probably the best since 4.5, so if you're
ever in the mood to try again, you might try 6. Otherwise, I don't see
any great need to upgrade either. Many people are still using 4.5.

 

[Volker Birk]

me skrev:
Why don't you trust them?

I'm not trusting Zonealarm in (or any other "Personal Firewall") at all,
because:

Zonealarm lies, when they allege, that their product would make a
PC "unvisible" in the Internet. Zonealarm is annoying the user with
popups, a user cannot deal with. Zonealarm is vulnerable to the
SelfDOS-Attack. Zonealarm cannot prevent any application from
"phoning home", because tunneling is easy. But in their advertising,
Zonelabs is assuring this. Zonealarm can be deactivated from any
Malware, which is running already, by inserting rules, because
Zonealarm has no password after installation. And if they would have
one, the malware just has to wait until the user enters it anytime.
The "ID and privacy protection" feature even is counterproductive -
it's resulting in publicizing the data, not protecting it.

This is for Zonealarm. Some "Personal Firewalls" are somewhat
less catastrophic, some (like Symantec Norton or Sygate) are even worse.

None of the "Personal Firewalls", we tested, offered more protection
then the Windows-Firewall. But most of them made a PC less secure
than a PC with the Windows-Firewall.

F'up2 comp.security.firewalls.

Yours,
VB.

 

[Bob L]

If you know of any security holes,
do let us know...
til then it's v4.5 here

Updated to 6 version, nothing but problems win 98se, uninstalled 6 and
it would not let me re-install 5.5.094, so had to do uninst /clean
which removed all references, it then let me re-install 5.5.094 and am
staying there.

 

[Nekojima Sakura]

Any comments on the effectiveness of Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal
5.0? Any problems with it of widespread note?

TIA,

NjS.

 

[me]

me skrev:


Why don't you trust them? 4.5 is a good version, but there might be
security holes and stuff that 4.5 does not handle...

Because I noticed that later versions, even if you turn off the automatic
check for updates feature, insisted on 'calling home' anyway without my
permission. I don't allow software to remain installed if it does that.

 

[Joe Fox]

The new 6 is pretty good and probably the best since 4.5, so if
you're ever in the mood to try again, you might try 6. Otherwise, I
don't see any great need to upgrade either. Many people are still
using 4.5.

If 6 behaves like 5 did and 'calls home' even though I turn automatic
check for updates off, then no. I won't bother.

 

[Ken Weiss]

Any comments on the effectiveness of Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal
5.0? Any problems with it of widespread note?

It's considered among the most effective at detecting viruses of all
A/V programs. It also has an excellent reputation for detecting other
malware. It's very powerful, and can be heavy on lesser systems.
I've been running versions of it for quite some time from Win95 days
to the present either as a backup or primary A/V. The only problems
that I've heard of come from users that didn't take the time to learn
how to configure it properly.

KW

 

[M. Trimble]

....>
Because I noticed that later versions, even if you turn off the automatic
check for updates feature, insisted on 'calling home' anyway without my
permission. I don't allow software to remain installed if it does that.

Please tell me what you base this on?

I've been running 5.50 for quite some time, and have never seen it 'phone
home' without my explicit permission.

I can say this authoritatively because I monitor my internet activity very
closely using both ZoneAlarm and a router/firewall, and have never
identified any traffic that I have not explicitly initiated.