Overview: Installed ZoneAlert from Zone Labs
What is ZoneAlert:
A firewall software package. According to webopedia a firewall is "A
system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network.
Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination
of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet
users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially
intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through
the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not
meet the specified security criteria."
Installation process:
- Downloaded Pest Patrol and ran it on my laptop to make sure that my computer was already clean.
- Then I downloaded the link from ZoneAlert where I clicked on the link to download the .exe file to my desktop
- Ran the .exe file to install on my computer in the C directory under
program files.
- This was pretty much using an installation wizard and clicking next continually until it was installed. I then had to restart the computer in order for ZoneAlert to work.
- Once I had restarted the computer this image came up and prompted
me through ZoneAlert to determine what level of protection I wanted
to use ZoneAlert for.
- After I chose ZoneAlarm it proceeded to take me through a series of
screens so that I would become familiar with the product (i.e. how to
configure it and use it appropriately).
- This was good since it gave me a quick overview of ZoneAlarm and made me realize the different types of alerts that would pop up while ZoneAlarm is in use.(I will go into the different types further on in the page.) Please note ZoneAlarm starts immediately after you have rebooted your machine if you are on a 'live' connection.
- Lessons learned: 1)Firewalls might be good, but the I find the pop-up's
alerting me of the intrustions very annoying. It got to a point where
I just wanted to uninstall the program immediately. Then I realized
that I was having a lot of activity on my computer that ZoneAlarm was
keeping out. So decided to keep it on 2)Keep in mind conflicting programs.
Apparently the Cisco VPN I had installed on my computer needed to be
disabled while I was installing the product. ZoneAlarm made mention
of this when I started trying to execute the installation file.
A few of the pop-ups alarms:
How to use the software:
1.Since the software automatically starts when you reboot. These are instructions
for modifying your settings.
2.Can access ZoneAlarm two ways. One by clicking on the ZA in the bottom right of your computer or by going to the Start > Programs > Zone Lab> Zone Lab Security. Please note there is also a tutorial under Zone Lab that can be accessed to refresh one's memory of how to manage ZoneAlert if it doesn't make sense to you.
3. You can then change the levels of the of security settings on your
computer. Pretty self explanatory. Just click on the left hand tab heading
to change the levels that you want to modify. Apoligize for the size
of this image but it seemed more apt to actually see what I was talking
about. 
How to quit using the software:
If you do want to shut down ZoneAlarm you right-click on the ZoneAlarm
icon and select shutdown.
