ZoneAlarm firewall resorts to scare tactics!

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Alert : Your PC may be in danger! Risk: High. Get protection now! Buy XXX! Sounds familiar? These are how most scareware alerts are worded! Scareware are those software with malafide intent, that scare you into buying their products.

UPDATE: ZoneAlarm tries to explain reasons for popup message.

za scare alert ZoneAlarm firewall resorts to scare tactics!

But now it appears that even legit security software makers are turning aggressive and pushing out such scare messages onto their free version users!

Zone Alarm free version firewall users are surprised and angry to see that the firewall they have trusted for so long is now following scareware tactics and pushing such messages on to them!

Users of its free firewall version are being warned about ZeuS.Zbot.aoaq, even if their PC’s have not been infected with this malware!

While the company intends to simply warn its free version users of new threats, the alert message has been worded in such a way that it gives the impression that the user’s computer may actually be infected with it!

There is an thread by ‘Angry with ZA’, at the ZoneAlarm forums which is actively discussing this issue!

Says Grey Duck: I’m very disappointed with ZA for sending out the bogus scare regarding ZeuS.Zbot.aoaq. Any more of these childish marking ploys will cause me to uninstall ZA and get my firewall protection from someone else…First ZA sends out a scareware popup as a marketing ploy and now they’re deleting or closing any posts on the forum mentioning it.

Guru says: This is just information about a new virus. There is no indication that your system is infected. Ignore it.

bobble says : The only way I’ve been able to eliminate it (this phish) is to uninstall zone alarm free.

It is rather disappointing and distressing to see a company like Zone Alarm resorting to such scareware tactics!

What do you think of such tactics? Would you still stick with Zone Alarm Free Firewall or suggest that users switch over to another free firewall!

Thanks for the RT, Corrine!

Posted by on , in Category Security with Tags
Anand aka HappyAndyK is an end-user Windows enthusiast, a Microsoft MVP in Windows Desktop Experience since 2007, and the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, TheGeeksClub.com & WinVistaClub.com. Creating a System Restore Point before trying out a new software or a tweak is always recommended.

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  • John

    there are lots of freeware firewalls around. drop ZA and try another one. it’s very disappointing that a company like ZA would stoop to this. I for one will never use ZA again.

  • Norm

    I stopped using ZA years ago when it refused to play nice with my Mail Server. IMO ZA has been heading downhill ever since. So this really does not surprise me at all.

  • TheBigOldDog

    despicable. I’ll never trust, buy, nor recommend their products ever again.

  • AHinMaine

    Uninstalled immediately myself as well. Currently giving Online Armor a go.

  • Randall H

    I have been a user of the Zonealarm free firewall since its inception. I have recommended it and put it on hundreds of computers. But when a client calls me up and tells me that they are being hit with scare-ware that I put on their computer, that is where I draw the line. No more. It’s really a shame too. There is truly no need for this type of marketing. Once trust is lost, it doesn’t come back easily. Maybe never! If you don’t want to have users actually using your free firewall, maybe you shouldn’t make one. At least that’s honest.
    Farewell Zonealarm

  • hackerman1

    why use ZoneAlarm ?
    i tested the firewall (ZA-PRO) for leaks recently, the results were not good.
    want a REALLY good firewall for FREE ?
    then get Online Armour !
    it passes Comodo´s Leak Test (CLT), it got a 100% score (340 points) when i tested it.

  • SpudGie

    Wow! Zone Alarm was one of my favorite but now dropping it like a hot tomato! Ouch! That’s hot!!! Going to give Comodo Firewall a try.

  • peep

    I will never ever gonna recommend or use ZA again… What are they thinking? Are they really this desperate?… by the way COMODO is a great firewall but if you have deepfreeze installed dont boot it frozen when COMODO is in your start up coz it gave me a BSOD… GOOD THING I HAVE ACRONIS TrueImage..

  • FraserBell

    ZA, once one of the very best, has been going downhill (including the Pro version) ever since it was sold to Check Point. When that began, and problems started cropping up as a result, I moved all my clients away from it to other products.

    -Gerry
    Fraser-Bell Info Tech
    Calgary AB Canada
    and
    Green Lake BC Canada

  • Stephen

    ZoneAlarm remains a good firewall IMHO…
    For ZoneAlarm Firewall Users… Spurious Scare Tactics…
    This IS a FALSE alert by and from NEW owners of ZoneAlarm.
    This does NOT affect your firewall… IGNORE THE FAKE WARNING!

    Many more companies and even governments are resorting to Scare Tactics as their bottom lines turn red…

    Hard Times affect everyone differently…
    But now it appears that even legit security software makers are turning aggressive and pushing out such scare messages onto their free version users!

    No Worries! Life itself is a temporary assignment…

  • Billy

    This is just wrong! I would make the switch to another product and say goodbye to this one.

    I personally have started using Online Armor and I cannot be more pleased with it features, usability and performance. Prior to OA I used Comodo Firewall in the past but had a few issues with it and made a switch. So far I really like the Online Armor product. It runs great with my Win 7 64bit machine and works in harmony with Avast Pro 5 Antivirus.

    OA is easy to install and easy to configure but yet still is very powerful. I’d rate it a 9 outta 10 and recommend it.

  • Bazfan

    I unistalled ZA Firewall after getting there Anti Virus. It was far to aggressive, to a point i had to reinstall windows. Im now using MS essentials and Comodo FW. Looks like ZA is going to be uninstalled on a lot of PC’s now. Thats Pie in the face for them.