(free) ZoneAlarm 9.2 made changes in 'server' permissions

13 years ago

WinXP on a Dell Dimension desktop

Zone Alarm and MSE acting as firewall and virus control, and I run MalwareBytes Antimalware regularly.

After a notice from CNET, I decided to upgrade to the free ZoneAlarm 9.2.

Now I notice that (although I asked for my present settings to be preserved) it has made changes in the ZA program list, putting green check-marks under "Server" for not only Trusted, but also "Internet," for the following programs:

FireFox itself

iTunes

Bonjour service (connected with iTunes?)

CLI application, command line interface, which I had never heard of before

the Microsoft Malware Protection command line utility

and Google updater

So far as I remember, when I first went to using ZA, I changed everything in the Server section to either "?" or "X," after someone here wrote of the dangers of allowing a program to act as server.

I have again changed things back to "?" or "X" for all of the above, knowing that if any of them above need permission, they can ask for it when the time comes. Generic host process for Win32 services is now the only program that has a green check-mark for both Server: Trusted and Server:Internet because originally I somehow got the impression that it needs full permission to function. If that is not the case, I will "?" or "X" that, too, for both "Server:Trusted" and "Server:Internet."

(1)Just what does the command line interface do, and would there be trouble if I disabled it for "Internet"?

(2) Does the Microsoft Malware Protection command line utility need permission for both Server:Trusted and Server:Internet in order to function properly?

(3) I don't get the difference between "Trusted" and "Internet" under "Server." I understand from previous advice given me here that it is undesirable and unnecessary for almost any program to act as a server (which I assume can be prevented by putting ? or an X under "Internet," but then, what does "Trusted" mean? What can they no longer do if they are marked "Trusted," but not "Internet"?

I will appreciate any light you can shed on this subject. Sorry this is so long.

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Comments (5)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
13 years ago
I do not allow ANYTHING server rights on zone alarm on my computers. I have not found it necessary for things to work just fine and I choose not to allow it. From my early training I was told not to give server rights. If by chance something will not work right with out it then I have to make the decision if it is a necessary item. I mark X under all instances in the server section.
I have never used MSE so can not comment on any aspects of it.
I definitely would NOT give things like google updater or itunes for heavens sakes any type of server rights. None of them for that matter.
biwako_of_abi
Original Author
13 years ago
OK. Thanks. I'm going to go and take away their permissions, and then I'll sleep better.
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just be sure if you decide to use zonealarm you get the free version not the trial version and do not get any of that added stuff. ZoneAlarm ® Firewall that should be the direct download for the free za as was stated as you go along with a firewall and it asks you to allow it to access the internet the ones you know for sure like your antivirus and your browsers you can put a check mark in the remember this box and it will no longer ask you for that one unless you do an update to the program then it will ask again and you tell it to remember again. You do not want to give server rights to anything so if the box pops up asking for server rights say no then it will pop up asking for just permission to access that one you can allow if it is something you are familiar with. If you do not recogonize the name of what is asking for permission you say no, then if you see that something you were trying to use would not open you know that was the thing that was asking for permission, so you can know to allow it next time. That generic 32 one that had you worried you MUST allow that or you can not do anything, that is a process you need to set to always allow. First time you use any program the firewall will have to ask you for permission, say your music player for example, tell it yes to permission and check the box for remember and you are done with that it will not ask you again. At first it seems daunting but once you get thorugh that initial flood of setting up what can and can not access then you rarely ever get bothered by it. What you are trying to prevent is allowing something that you are not familiar with which may be malware that got on your computer and is trying to phone home to whoever wrote the malware and it will then be sending info from your pc to that person. that is why it is very important not to just always click to allow, know what you are allowing. If you do not recognize a name copy and paste it in google and see what you find out usually you can tell right away what program it is. also with most firewalls you can click for details and it will give you info that can help tell what is asking for access. I am totally self taught and also one of the older crowd, we were all newbies at one time! but please if you do not put in a firewall DO go turn on the one you have with xp it is better than nothing, however if you put one in you must turn that xp one off you can not have 2 firewalls.
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biwako_of_abi
Original Author
13 years ago
Wow, when I went to do that just now, I found that not only had the question marks I put in been changed back to green check marks, there were a whole bunch of other programs (didn't count, but maybe 8 or so of them) now listed with two green check marks under Server! Now I'm mad! Tomorrow I think I will try to go back to the older free Zone Alarm that I had; it at least did not have the temerity to change back any changes I made!
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
13 years ago
that is very strange. Where did you get the new version from and are you sure it is the real zone alarm and not some rogue? Did you by any chance click on an email and go to a site to download this za? or did you go to the actual za download site?
that is not normal behavior for za.
biwako_of_abi
Original Author
13 years ago
I got the download from CNET, which I believe is trustworthy.

I went and took a better look at some of the explanations for ZA (had a bit of trouble getting at them) and realized that I had been unfair in some of what I wrote. ZA has switched the Program control functions in the left and right-hand panels, and I got confused.

The new version either decides for you whether a site is trustworthy, or asks you for permission when it wants to act as server.That is handled by "Smart Defense" in the left-hand panel, sometimes automatically and sometimes asking the user for permission when a program wants to act as server. The right-hand panel NOW (which used to be for server permissions) seems to be taking care of what used to be in the left panel, that is, simply to grant or refuse Access, under the headings "Trusted" and "Internet." I still don't know why there are these two items to be checked, but figure I can give green checkmarks to anything that I had checked in the left panel of the old ZA.

Sorry this is so complicated; just wanted to set things straight. In the cases where I complained that ZA had presumptuously changed my settings to green checkmarks, the items were probably things that ZA handles automatically. Things are noted as "auto" or "custom."

(free) ZoneAlarm 9.2 made changes in 'server' permissions

Comments (5)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

biwako_of_abi
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(free) ZoneAlarm 9.2 made changes in 'server' permissions

Comments (5)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

biwako_of_abiOriginal Author

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ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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