Microsoft Update & Zone Alarm 7.0

[MowGreen [MVP]]

Did you read what the Moderator on the Zone Alarm Forum posted ?
Do you understand that Zone Alarm is at fault for not recognizing the
differing file sizes and checksums ?
There is NO issue with the update except on systems with Zone Alarm
installed. Does that tell you anything ?

The fix posted by Old Sod works and does not lower Security, as opposed
to those who recommend setting ZA's security level to Medium are doing.
Read his post and see how the issue is resolved.
End of story.
Next !


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

:

No, the issue is caused by Zone Alarm, as explained by a moderator in
the ZA Forum:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=cfg&message.id=52727

If the windows update changed the usual needed files for networking/internet, then the ZA will not
see the changes and continue to use the previously known files and ignore the newer files. Even though
the file names and locations are still the same from before, now the file size and checksums no longer
match.

This is wholly *** Checkpoint's fault ***, not Microsoft's.
Resetting the ZA database in Safe Mode is the recommended fix. Please
click the ZA Forum URL for the entire fix.
Setting security to "Medium" is not good practice.


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


Stephanie wrote:

 

[Anthony Buckland]

You claim it's Microsoft's fault. I claim it's Checkpoint's fault.
...

Not at all. I'm just looking at the time line, which has
the latest (so far as I know) ZoneAlarm release in use
for at least over a month, whereas the Microsoft update we're
talking about just came out. The fault may well lie in
the ZoneAlarm code, but Microsoft's prerelease testing
should have included all the most popular antivirus
products, and a warning should have accompanied the
update description. I'm not saying Microsoft necessarily
need to modify their update, just that they should warn
their users if that update should be avoided by some
of those users until the maker of the product they're
using modifies _its_ product.

IMHO.

 

[Anthony Buckland]

Did you read what the Moderator on the Zone Alarm Forum posted ?
Do you understand that Zone Alarm is at fault for not recognizing the
differing file sizes and checksums ?
There is NO issue with the update except on systems with Zone Alarm
installed. Does that tell you anything ?

...

I appreciate your consistency, MG, but what it tells a number
of us is that Microsoft issued an update safe on only
some systems, namely those whose users had not opted to
use ZoneAlarm as their AV. If it had been safe only on all
machines except Dells, or all machines without WordPerfect
installed, or all systems which use Outlook Express for
mail, would you still say there was no issue?

 

[DEFENDER01]

;3150788']I've installed it to 4 different XP versions ... Home, Pro
and
MediaCenter with no issue.
Perhaps a rebuild of the winsock stack would resolve the issue ?

BTW, Mike Nash is now affiliated with a company that just came out wit

a firewall. The free version is he
http://tinyurl.com/34d8b4

Knowing Mike, I ***highly*** doubt that any product he would be
associated with has as many issues as Zone Alarm has with updating
Windows. ZA has gone waaayyy downhill since Checkpoint acquired it.

Just my 2¢

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



R. McCarty wrote:
-
The issue is with KB951748. It's advisable to unselect it as part o
the
5 updates available today or uninstall if already applied. ( IF you
PC
is using Zone Alarm ).

Cannot say if the hotfix causes issues on PC's that do not have Zone
Alarm installed.

"swassociates" (e-mail address removed) wrote in messag

-
I've experienced the same problem. I also posted the problem on the
ZoneAlarm
website.




:

-
Just a little info. Be careful of today's Microsoft Updates o
machines
that are using Zone Alarm Free ( Version 7.0.462 ) after rebooting the
Zone Alarm client will block almost every web access with an alert.
Still investigating and trying the newer 7.0.473 version to see if it
will
rectify the situation.

Thanks for the thumbs up on online Armor.
after installing the new Microsoft update i was no longer able to g
online.

zonalarm has not been good lately and i have now downloaded onlin
Armor.
this seems to be a great Firewall

Many thanks for the info.
Clive

 

[Joan Archer]

It didn't on mine as I use Online Armor for my firewall alongside XP Home
SP3, all updates installed without a problem, the same can't be said of my
husbands machine as that has Zone Alarm Pro and had the problems so I just
uninstalled that update for now.

 

[Unknown]

Your logic is faulty. Xp is an operating system and anyone who develops a
program (any program) to run with that OS has the responsibility to make it
compatible. Is it Microsoft's responsibility to test the thousands and
thousands of programs
developed by others for compatibility?

 

[Richard A. King]

I have soreted this problem by removing Zone Alarm and installing the free
version of Online Armor as recommended by MowGreen in this thread

 

[MowGreen [MVP]]

You're mowst welcome, Clive. The issue that KB951748 addresses is *not*
trivial. Sadly, the bad gUyZ will be exploiting it when they can either
reverse engineer the update or, when specific details are released.
Here's an interesting read by the person who has been investigating it:
http://www.doxpara.com/?p=1162

There's a DNS checker that one can use to see if having the update
applied mitigates the issue.

BTW, I doubt that the Mike Nash associated with Online Armor is the same
Mike Nash that I'm familiar with. The latter is the VP of Windows
Product Management.


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

;3150788']I've installed it to 4 different XP versions ... Home, Pro,
and
MediaCenter with no issue.
Perhaps a rebuild of the winsock stack would resolve the issue ?

BTW, Mike Nash is now affiliated with a company that just came out with

a firewall. The free version is he
http://tinyurl.com/34d8b4

Knowing Mike, I ***highly*** doubt that any product he would be
associated with has as many issues as Zone Alarm has with updating
Windows. ZA has gone waaayyy downhill since Checkpoint acquired it.

Just my 2¢

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



R. McCarty wrote:
-
The issue is with KB951748. It's advisable to unselect it as part of
the
5 updates available today or uninstall if already applied. ( IF your
PC
is using Zone Alarm ).

Cannot say if the hotfix causes issues on PC's that do not have Zone
Alarm installed.

"swassociates" (e-mail address removed) wrote in message

-
I've experienced the same problem. I also posted the problem on the
ZoneAlarm
website.




:

-
Just a little info. Be careful of today's Microsoft Updates on
machines
that are using Zone Alarm Free ( Version 7.0.462 ) after rebooting the
Zone Alarm client will block almost every web access with an alert.
Still investigating and trying the newer 7.0.473 version to see if it
will
rectify the situation.

Thanks for the thumbs up on online Armor.
after installing the new Microsoft update i was no longer able to go
online.

zonalarm has not been good lately and i have now downloaded online
Armor.
this seems to be a great Firewall

Many thanks for the info.
Clive.

 

[whosbest54]

Just a little info. Be careful of today's Microsoft Updates on machines
that are using Zone Alarm Free ( Version 7.0.462 ) after rebooting the
Zone Alarm client will block almost every web access with an alert.
Still investigating and trying the newer 7.0.473 version to see if it will
rectify the situation.

The official temp workarounds from ZA are here:

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

whosbest54
--
The flamewars are over...if you want it.

Unofficial rec.audio.opinion Usenet Group Brief User Guide:
http://www.geocities.com/whosbest54/

Unofficial rec.music.beatles Usenet Group Brief User Guide:
http://www.geocities.com/whosbest54/rmb.html

 

[Anthony Buckland]

Your logic is faulty. Xp is an operating system and anyone who develops a
program (any program) to run with that OS has the responsibility to make
it compatible. ...

The reason people buy an operating system is to provide an environment
in which they can run applications which do actual work. An OS has no
other reason for existence, and if it fails to provide the desired
environment
it isn't doing its job. Once people develop applications to run with an OS,
and have achieved compatibility, they should be able to expect the OS not
to change so as to redefine that compatibility and to require that they
modify their application accordingly. They should expect to spend their
money on making their application compatible with a new OS, such as
Vista, but they shouldn't, ideally anyway, have to waste it on recovering
compatibility after a change in an existing OS, such as XP.

A side issue, but not an insignificant one, is the damage to the
reputation of a product which a situation like the current one can
cause. Just look at the trashing of ZoneAlarm in some responses
in the threads in this group, and at the reports by some users of
following advice to switch to another product. Which works for now.
What happens if another MS update yanks the floor from under _it_?

 

[Unknown]

Answered inline

The reason people buy an operating system is to provide an environment
in which they can run applications which do actual work. An OS has no
other reason for existence, and if it fails to provide the desired
environment
it isn't doing its job.

You fail to recognize that the OS was released first. Now someone else wants
to run their progam (non compatible)
and they blame the OS. Combine that with all the virus' being developed that
the OS must make changes to for
security.


Once people develop applications to run with an OS,

and have achieved compatibility, they should be able to expect the OS not
to change so as to redefine that compatibility and to require that they
modify their application accordingly.

How about security changes??? Do you honestly believe anyone who develops an
OS
can foresee all the security problems??

They should expect to spend their

money on making their application compatible with a new OS, such as
Vista, but they shouldn't, ideally anyway, have to waste it on recovering
compatibility after a change in an existing OS, such as XP.

I'm sure if you have a better idea on correcting security problems Microsoft
will listen to you.

A side issue, but not an insignificant one, is the damage to the
reputation of a product which a situation like the current one can
cause. Just look at the trashing of ZoneAlarm in some responses
in the threads in this group, and at the reports by some users of
following advice to switch to another product. Which works for now.
What happens if another MS update yanks the floor from under _it_?

That is an unfortunate part of doing business.
Do you remember the tire problem on Ford Explorers?
What happened to the tire company?
Ask yourself, what you would have done or would do if you were CEO of
Microsoft.

 

[John]

Does Online Armor (free version) notify us whenever something tries to
access the internet? (In other words) does it check outbound connection or
does it allow all outbound connection?

I've installed it to 4 different XP versions ... Home, Pro, and
MediaCenter with no issue.
Perhaps a rebuild of the winsock stack would resolve the issue ?

BTW, Mike Nash is now affiliated with a company that just came out with a
firewall. The free version is here:
http://www.tallemu.com/free-firewall-protection-software.html

Knowing Mike, I ***highly*** doubt that any product he would be associated
with has as many issues as Zone Alarm has with updating Windows. ZA has
gone waaayyy downhill since Checkpoint acquired it.

Just my 2¢

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

The issue is with KB951748. It's advisable to unselect it as part of the
5 updates available today or uninstall if already applied. ( IF your PC
is using Zone Alarm ).

Cannot say if the hotfix causes issues on PC's that do not have Zone
Alarm installed.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

See related conversations in this forum:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board?board.id=cfg

Keep an eye on this thread:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=cfg&message.id=52785

Although the fix here should work:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=cfg&message.id=52727

I strongly disagree with this advice:
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

Perhaps a better firewall is what's needed?
http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

YES!

Does Online Armor (free version) notify us whenever something tries to
access the internet? (In other words) does it check outbound connection or
does it allow all outbound connection?

I've installed it to 4 different XP versions ... Home, Pro, and
MediaCenter with no issue.
Perhaps a rebuild of the winsock stack would resolve the issue ?

BTW, Mike Nash is now affiliated with a company that just came out with a
firewall. The free version is here:
http://www.tallemu.com/free-firewall-protection-software.html

Knowing Mike, I ***highly*** doubt that any product he would be
associated
with has as many issues as Zone Alarm has with updating Windows. ZA has
gone waaayyy downhill since Checkpoint acquired it.

Just my 2¢

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

The issue is with KB951748. It's advisable to unselect it as part of the
5 updates available today or uninstall if already applied. ( IF your PC
is using Zone Alarm ).

Cannot say if the hotfix causes issues on PC's that do not have Zone
Alarm installed.


I've experienced the same problem. I also posted the problem on the
ZoneAlarm
website.




:


Just a little info. Be careful of today's Microsoft Updates on
machines
that are using Zone Alarm Free ( Version 7.0.462 ) after rebooting the
Zone Alarm client will block almost every web access with an alert.
Still investigating and trying the newer 7.0.473 version to see if it
will
rectify the situation.

 

[Joan Archer]

Yes it does, even better when you have the paid version you get a lot more
features <g>

--
Joan Archer
http://www.freewebs.com/crossstitcher
http://lachsoft.com/photogallery

Does Online Armor (free version) notify us whenever something tries to
access the internet? (In other words) does it check outbound connection or
does it allow all outbound connection?

I've installed it to 4 different XP versions ... Home, Pro, and
MediaCenter with no issue.
Perhaps a rebuild of the winsock stack would resolve the issue ?

BTW, Mike Nash is now affiliated with a company that just came out with a
firewall. The free version is here:
http://www.tallemu.com/free-firewall-protection-software.html

Knowing Mike, I ***highly*** doubt that any product he would be
associated with has as many issues as Zone Alarm has with updating
Windows. ZA has gone waaayyy downhill since Checkpoint acquired it.

Just my 2¢

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

The issue is with KB951748. It's advisable to unselect it as part of the
5 updates available today or uninstall if already applied. ( IF your PC
is using Zone Alarm ).

Cannot say if the hotfix causes issues on PC's that do not have Zone
Alarm installed.


I've experienced the same problem. I also posted the problem on the
ZoneAlarm
website.




:


Just a little info. Be careful of today's Microsoft Updates on machines
that are using Zone Alarm Free ( Version 7.0.462 ) after rebooting the
Zone Alarm client will block almost every web access with an alert.
Still investigating and trying the newer 7.0.473 version to see if it
will
rectify the situation.

 

[John]

I suppose that's yes, it does notify us.
Cool. I'll give it a try.

YES!

Does Online Armor (free version) notify us whenever something tries to
access the internet? (In other words) does it check outbound connection
or
does it allow all outbound connection?

I've installed it to 4 different XP versions ... Home, Pro, and
MediaCenter with no issue.
Perhaps a rebuild of the winsock stack would resolve the issue ?

BTW, Mike Nash is now affiliated with a company that just came out with
a
firewall. The free version is here:
http://www.tallemu.com/free-firewall-protection-software.html

Knowing Mike, I ***highly*** doubt that any product he would be
associated
with has as many issues as Zone Alarm has with updating Windows. ZA has
gone waaayyy downhill since Checkpoint acquired it.

Just my 2¢

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



R. McCarty wrote:

The issue is with KB951748. It's advisable to unselect it as part of
the
5 updates available today or uninstall if already applied. ( IF your PC
is using Zone Alarm ).

Cannot say if the hotfix causes issues on PC's that do not have Zone
Alarm installed.

message

I've experienced the same problem. I also posted the problem on the
ZoneAlarm
website.




:


Just a little info. Be careful of today's Microsoft Updates on
machines
that are using Zone Alarm Free ( Version 7.0.462 ) after rebooting
the
Zone Alarm client will block almost every web access with an alert.
Still investigating and trying the newer 7.0.473 version to see if it
will
rectify the situation.

 

[debbienc]

I too am having problems with this update. I have installed it on 2
computers, and each time I have to uninstall it, because I cannot connect to
the internet. My Zone Alarm is not telling me that anything is trying to
access the internet. It just says "this page cannot be displayed" when I try
to connect to the internet.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Resolution [was Workaround] for Sudden Loss of Internet Access Problem
(revised multiple times since release on 08 July 2008)
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

NB: Do NOT use Option #2 if at all possible! The vulnerability addressed by
KB951748 *is* a big deal! See
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/07/patch_the_entire_internet_tues_1.html

Want to consider other, more highly-rated firewalls?
http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php

 

[Stephen S.]

The latest version of Zonealarm, 7.0.483.000, solves the problem.

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

 

[hwjgage]

No, the issue is caused byZoneAlarm, as explained by a moderator in
the ZA Forum:http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=cfg&message...

If the windowsupdatechanged the usual needed files for networking/internet, then the ZA will not
see the changes and continue to use the previously known files and ignore the newer files. Even though
the file names and locations are still the same from before, now the file size and checksums no longer
match.

This is wholly *** Checkpoint's fault ***, notMicrosoft's.
Resetting the ZA database in Safe Mode is the recommended fix. Please
click the ZA Forum URL for the entire fix.
Setting security to "Medium" is not good practice.

MowGreen  [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
  *-343-*  FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

"Anthony Buckland" wrote:

I reported this problem earlier on another forum.  The problem is with the
UpdateKB951748 and not ZoneAlarm.  As mention, Internet coonection is
re-established on a firewall setting of Medium.  Uninstalling theupdate
allows you to reset ZA to the highest setting.

I had thisupdateas a notification (yellow shield) in tray.  Since it
wouldn't go away, I had to go to theUpdatesite and select 'do not show this
update' to get rid of it.

Will reset for theupdateonce the problem with ZA is fixed.  I would be
interested to know if thisupdateaffected other firewalls.

Ron- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I've already tried the ZA fix described in the forum and it didn't
work. Has anybody else tried it?