XP autoupdate messed with ZoneAlarm firewall

[DoubtingMS]

I have two computers using XP Pro. Both have the Automatic updates setting
turned on. Yesterday my laptop downloaded the update and on reboot, I no
longer had any access to the internet unless I turned off my firewall. Today
the desktop did its' thing - same result. The firewall's permissions in both
cases are still set, but something in the update changed my XP settings. Can
someone please tell me what setting to change back?

 

[Leonard Grey]

Error Message After You Install a Windows Internet Explorer 7 Update
From Windows Update or From Microsoft Update: "Webpage cannot be displayed"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942818

You need to find out how to tell your firewall to grant internet access
to the updated version of Internet Explorer. (Directions are probably in
your user manual or Help file.)

P.S. Before installing software you should disable your security
software (except for your firewall).

 

[DoubtingMS]

Nope - it's a crossup between XP and Zone Alarm and has nothing to do with
IE7. Zone Alarm is recommending removing MS update KB951748 due to the volume
of complaints.

http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=Official&message.id=6

This is very frustrating. Who needs the hassle?

----------------------

 

[Leonard Grey]

That's why I no longer use Zone Alarm.

 

[DoubtingMS]

LOL -- now that's ironic.

That's why I no longer use Zone Alarm.

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

Zone Alarm has fixed their problem, and has new downloads of ZA available.

: Nope - it's a crossup between XP and Zone Alarm and has nothing to do with
: IE7. Zone Alarm is recommending removing MS update KB951748 due to the
volume
: of complaints.
:
:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=Official&message.id=6
:
: This is very frustrating. Who needs the hassle?
:
: ----------------------
:
: "Leonard Grey" wrote:
:
: > Error Message After You Install a Windows Internet Explorer 7 Update
: > From Windows Update or From Microsoft Update: "Webpage cannot be
displayed"
: > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942818
: >
: > You need to find out how to tell your firewall to grant internet access
: > to the updated version of Internet Explorer. (Directions are probably in
: > your user manual or Help file.)
: >
: > P.S. Before installing software you should disable your security
: > software (except for your firewall).
: >
: > ---
: > Leonard Grey
: > Errare humanum est
: >
: > DoubtingMS wrote:
: > > I have two computers using XP Pro. Both have the Automatic updates
setting
: > > turned on. Yesterday my laptop downloaded the update and on reboot, I
no
: > > longer had any access to the internet unless I turned off my firewall.
Today
: > > the desktop did its' thing - same result. The firewall's permissions
in both
: > > cases are still set, but something in the update changed my XP
settings. Can
: > > someone please tell me what setting to change back?
: >

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Nope - it's a crossup between XP and Zone Alarm and has nothing to do with
IE7. Zone Alarm is recommending removing MS update KB951748 due to the volume
of complaints.

http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=Official&message.id=6

That's a very poor recommendation, since KB951748 is an important
security update. A far better choice is to replace ZA with the Windows
firewall.

But neither is necessary now, since ZA has released new versions which
apparently work correctly. Read here:
http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAcce
ssIssue.html
or http://tinyurl.com/6ceewk

 

[Erik Vastmasd]

That's a very poor recommendation, since KB951748 is an important
security update. A far better choice is to replace ZA with the Windows
firewall.

For many people who are on broadband and using a router, the router will
give them inward protection and the Windows firewall won't give them any
outward protection.

A better recommendation would surely be to replace ZA with a free
firewall that provided better outgoing protection.

Until recently I was using Kerio 2.1.5 on one computer.
It's light weight and free.
<http://www.filewatcher.com/m/kerio-pf-2.1.5-en-win.exe.2170516.0.0.html>

On a second computer I was running Sygate Personal Firewall 5.6.2808
(8.8 MB) from <http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=sygate>

Sygate is free but asks for an email address for which
(e-mail address removed) would suffice because it doesn't check and then
won't ask again.

Just for the moment I'm running the Sygate firewall on both computers
but try them both, I'd recommend either.

If you choose to install either of those disable Windows firewall first.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

For many people who are on broadband and using a router, the router will
give them inward protection and the Windows firewall won't give them any
outward protection.

I used to recommend ZA because of its outward protection. I've become
convinced however, that outward protection is an illusion. Once one of
the nasties gets into your computer, it can essentially do whatever it
wants, including circumventing the firewall. So the extra protection
that a firewall that monitors outbound traffic provides is more
apparent than real.

A better recommendation would surely be to replace ZA with a free
firewall that provided better outgoing protection.

I don't agree.

 

[Erik Vastmasd]

I used to recommend ZA because of its outward protection. I've become
convinced however, that outward protection is an illusion. Once one of
the nasties gets into your computer, it can essentially do whatever it
wants, including circumventing the firewall. So the extra protection
that a firewall that monitors outbound traffic provides is more
apparent than real.


I don't agree.

Fair enough, so we agree to disagree.

 

[slcpropguy]

Hey Doubting,

I had the same problem, and discovered a short term easy solution. I
changed the settings on Zone Alarm from "High" to "Medium" and the internet
worked just like it used to.

After reading this thread, I'm still going to try to update the zone alarm
though.

 

[zed]

I have had a simular problem, and can only access with the firewall
disabled..IT at work suggested I delete Zone alarm or PC tools, whichever I
was using and only use windows firewall...problem is that I can not re-enable
windows firewall,... I'm locked out.
3 years ago an on-line microsoft support agent took over my machine and
fixed this very same problem, but never told me what it was..I was part of a
reporting group after that , but never found out why I had the problem....
Any suggestions???

Zed