Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009

At a Glance:  Wow, Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 is on fire! With the move to a Kaspersky antivirus engine, its OSFirewall technology that blocks spyware before it infects, and their outstanding firewall, these guys have a real winner. Be careful Norton, someone's nipping at your heels.

The Triple "E" Keys

Firewall:  What does a reviewer say about the Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 firewall? After all, they invented it. And it gets better all the time. In the old days the firewall asked you a gazillion questions about what could or couldn't send data out from the computer.

Now, they nearly leave you alone altogether. That's amazing progress in the intelligence of these products. Zone Alarm hovers at or near the top of heap consistently so it will not disappoint you. With simple slider controls, you decide  what level of security to set for the Internet, Trusted Zones, and Blocked zones.

Geeks can choose custom levels with the click of a button or two. But for most of us, setting the sliders is all you need to block intruders that would steal your private data.

Malware:  Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 found all the threats that I threw at it and properly disposed of them. With the new Kaspersky antivirus scanning engine, these guys have a very powerful suite. I like a company that knows when to hand the ball off to someone better. It just makes sense.

Install/Uninstall:  Well, this package is very easy to install and gave me no weird messages or errors. The installation program must download the files necessary for the rest of the process which took about ten minutes.

Note: This section is a little long because I really liked the install process and wanted to inform you step by step.

During installation, you're asked to choose from three levels of protection: Maximum, Auto-learn, and Minimum. If you're not a geek, choose Auto-learn. It's the best choice for most of us and is the default.

Next comes a choice to participate in DefenseNet. This is asking you if you want to share info about any malware you get with a community to help inform them. You can choose either way, but I usually decline these.

Then comes a warning not to run more than one antivirus program and a decision about whether or not to enable the antivirus module. I chose to enable it for testing obviously, but I suppose if you run a different antivirus product, it's nice to be able to decline installation of this module.

The next screen asks if you want the program to set up your programs. It's ok to do this and is the default. It has to do with firewall settings and will save you headaches later. Also, check the box to automatically configure network settings.

After that, Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 commences a scan to accomplish the setup of security for each program it finds. Following that, you must restart the computer. Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 warns you that the first restart takes longer and does more stuff but that the program gets smarter each time and delays are reduced after a few days.

After restart, and if you checked the network box, you are asked about the trust level of the network you're connected to. Make the appropriate choice and click next.

Viola! The main user screen pops up showing your firewall and antivirus/antispyware condition and you're in business.

Uninstall is just as easy and quick. Zone Alarm checks for proper permissions to uninstall it and there is a dialog that asks you if you initiated this uninstall or not. Presumably, this stops malware or limited account users from uninstalling without your knowledge. I liked this feature.

It also offers to delete any quarantined threats as you uninstall which is always a good idea.

Setup/Use:  During installation, Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite 2009 gives clear instructions to set up the program. Once running, it purrs quietly in the background doing its thing.

The user interface is the best I've seen yet. I know Norton gets high marks this year for performance, but Zone Alarm's user interface is superb by comparison in my opinion. It's very compact and well laid out compared to many others. Geeks and grandmothers alike can navigate to where they need to go and find simple controls to make any needed changes.

The program rarely asked for any input and did a fantastic job stopping threats at the door. I just don't think you can go wrong with Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 this year.

While there are other features such as parental and identity protection controls, ad blockers and others, I prefer separate programs for these features such as NetNanny, Roboform and built-in browser features like anti-phishing. More testing may win me over to the "do it all" approach but for now I like the big three for security products.

Help:  Help is plentiful with the a basic help file, user forum, phone support at $2.95 per minute, and knowledgebase.

Performance:  Zone Alarm Internet Security 2009 is a real winner in my book. Antivirus scans were rather fast, antispyware scans were even faster and system performance seemed unaffected under normal conditions.

Overall, the program performed very well in all tests and I have to say that I'm tempted to make a switch from Webroot due to Zone Alarm's superior firewall.

Value:  At 3 PCs for $50, can you really go wrong with this fantastic product?

Bottom Line:  Zone Alarm has come a long way since Al Gore invented the Internet and Zone Alarm invented the firewall to protect it. With excellent antivirus and antispyware protection added to the mix, these guys are rockin. If you like the other features they throw in, it becomes apparent that the value is solid. Kudos guys.