New free Zone Alarm 3.1

Update available only through product update within the program at this time. Will be released on Zonelabs website in a few days.
Ken

 

KLR--Thanks!!
Beware that if your old ZA Free offers protection against all 37 (roughly) of the original MailSafe extensions (rather than only .vbs), the new ZA Free v3.1 may wipe them out. Up to now people with the full deck kept them when they updated, even to the latest prior Free version, v2.6.326. So this would be a change. There are some lengthy discussions on this subject on other Forum Boards.
You can determine what extensions are now flagged by MailSafe in your existing version of ZA by looking in your Registry in

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT under ".z" and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ZoneLabs\ZoneAlarm\MailSafe Extensions.

 

Welshjim. Thanks for your input. Do you think I need the MailSafe feature in ZA if I have NAV2002 with Email protection? If I don't , should I disable The ZA MailSafe or keep both?
Thanks, Ken

 

KLR--It is a little like belt and suspenders. (tho not quite)
ZA really does not know if there are any viruses in an attachment. It just flags that the attachment is one of the types which could carry executables (like viruses), if you have a version of MailSafe with 35-45 file type ability.
An antivirus program can tell if an attachment actually has a virus, IF the AV program is up-to-date and has the right/up-to-date virus definitions, and IF you scan the attachment with the AV program. (Some but not all, Antivirus programs screen some email program's attachments automatically.)
So ZA is really just putting you on alert that an attachment might have a problem--giving you an extra layer of sensitivity and an opportunity to consider whether you really should open that attachment. I always scan any email attachment with my AV just to be safe. But many people do not.
So sort of up to you what to do, but no need to disable MailSafe. (Not sure I understood why you were considering that.) You won't have it (except for .vbs files) if you update to ZAFree 3.1, anyway.
There is a lengthy discussion on the pro's and con's of the new ZAFree 3.1 at
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,3915831~root=security,1~mode=flat

So far the negatives may outweigh the positives.

 

You'll find a mixture of opinions here.

 

I did some checking, before and after upgrading from v2.6.326 to 3.1 and
here's what I found listed in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\MailSafe Extensions key;

Before upgrade (37 extensions);

.ADE;.ADP;.BAS;.BAT;.CHM;.CMD;.COM;.CPL;.CRT;.EXE;
.HLP;.HTA;.INF;.INS;.ISP;.JS;.JSE;.LNK;.MDB;.MDE;.MSC;
.MSI;.MSP;.MST;.PCD;.PIF;.REG;.SCR;.SCT;.SHS;.URL;
.VB;.VBE;.VBS;.WSC;.WSF;.WSH

After upgrade (46 extensions);

All of the above plus the following;

.ASX;.DBX;.MDA;.MDZ;.NCH;.PRF;.SCF;.SHB;.WMS

I view that as an increase in protection and will keep the new version. I should mention that I chose the option of upgrading my existing version rather than wiping it clean and going with a new install of the 3.1 issue. It may be that you wouldn't get that many extensions listed if you do a clean install. I'm only guessing but since there was some discussion mentioned about losing some extensions, perhaps that's why.

The new version has added a splash screen on start-up that I would like to ditch so if anyone knows how, please speak.

 

Zephyr,

Did you try:
"C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zonealarm.exe" -nosplash -nopopup

That's what works on the 2.6.+ Versions.

I'm also wondering on these extensions, if it would be possible to export the Registry Key that you and Jim mention, then edit the key to include the additional extensions that Ver. 3.1 includes. After installation apply the edited key. I'm no Registry hacker, but this sounds feasible and certainly would be a better option than losing the original extensions.

If the original extensions were saved, as yours were, then it obviously wouldn't be necessary.

Ramona

 

Thanks Ramona,

Well of course, what's the matter for me, I vaguely remember making that little change to the old version. I guess that was before I lost the remainder of my mind.

I looked in my backup copy for last month and it had the start-up shortcut with "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zonealarm.exe" -nopopup so I just copy/pasted it in as was.

So I'll just use that. Tried it, it works. Apparently don't need the -no-splash line.

The method you suggest would probably work to preserve the list of extensions, if indeed they are being lost that way. It wouldn't be any great challenge to export and amend the key to add the new extensions without dumping the old, then import it after the clean install.

Regards.

 

Zephyr--The true test is to send yourself some executable files (other than .vbs) as email attachments, like .reg, .exe, .js, etc. Does ZA flag them in the Attach: line of the received email message? Please let us know!
On another Board, the experience seems to be that installing ZAFree3.1 removes all MailSafe protection (except .vbs), even while keeping the Registry keys. And when people uninstall v3.1 and reinstall older versions, the protection is not restored--again even though the Registry keys are there.
See three pages of discussion at
http://discussions.virtualdr.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=112624&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Ramona--No one has mentioned actually trying the Registry Export idea yet, but with the results reported on the above Board, it would seem something unknown is going on to block the obvious Registry Keys and/or that another Key is involved.

 

Ok Welshjim,

Here's what. I have GoBack, so I rolled the drive back to where I had the original 2.6.326 ver. and tried the mailing of several executable extensions, as you suggested. They all came through without being flagged. When I attempt to open them, as opposed to downloading to the Desktop, or wherever, I get a warning screen about the possibility of a virus but it isn't generated by Zone Alarm. It's the normal warning that OE issues, if you have all the proper patches.

When I review the help files of 2.6.326ver., it appears that you don't get the full MailSafe protection with the free version but would need to upgrade to the Pro version for that. I have never done that.

I'm afraid that doesn't do much to answer any questions for you but I suspect you are on the right track by assuming that restoring the Reg key will not restore the function. I think some greenbacks may be the only way to get that function and may well be needed to restore it. I would think the upgrade would allow for Pro users to maintain all their settings without further pay, but I know not.

Now I think I'll use GoBack to return to the upgraded state and leave it there. Both versions seem to be equally disfunctional in the MailSafe area.

 

Just so you know...

I just noticed another little difference, the updated version (3.1)creates a file in the Windows\temp folder, named ZLT1.TMP, while it's running. It can't be deleted unless you shut down ZA, so it's active and needed.

 

Zephyr--Thanks for reporting your results. I am sorry to hear that MailSafe has been permanently cut back to flagging only .vbs in spite of what the Registry says.
That seems to confirm what is being said on the other forum, in spite of what the CEO of ZoneLabs says.