ZoneAlarm Pro Firewall 2012 Review

Review summary

Good points

Bad points

Our verdict

ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 features a great firewall, but that is not all that this software has to offer. It also includes several other features, most of which are quite solid. If you are looking for a software package that offers comprehensive protection, not just a firewall, ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 is for you.

Full review

Trusted as one of the most secure brands in Internet security, ZoneAlarm releases products that are usually well received by both critics and consumers. We were eager to test ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 to find out how it compares to ZoneAlarm's other popular offerings.

Setup

ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 has higher system requirements than most competing firewall software. To run the latest version of ZoneAlarm Pro, Vista and Windows 7 systems should have a 2GHz or faster processor and at least 2GB of memory. While the requirements for Windows XP systems are lower, they are still higher than average. It is recommended that XP systems running ZoneAlarm Pro have a processor faster than 1GHz and at least 1GB of memory.

While our test system barely met the recommended requirements, ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 managed to install without any issues. However, the installation took longer than average since the install wizard needed to download additional files. From start to finish, the installation took approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Firewall

ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 features an impressive firewall. It provides two-way protection, keeping both incoming and outgoing connections under control. In addition to keeping hackers out and personal information safe, ZoneAlarm's firewall stealths ports to keep systems invisible while they are connected to the Internet. With the ZoneAlarm firewall up and running, it is highly unlikely that any web-based attacks will manage to get through.

Also, by ensuring that only trusted applications are able to connect to the Internet, ZoneAlarm's OSFirewall feature detects and stops exploits that other firewalls often miss. This feature constantly monitors applications. When it detects suspicious behavior of any kind, it takes action immediately to protect users' information.

Security

For more money, users can purchase additional security features, such as an anti-virus component, but ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 already comes equipped with plenty of tools that protect users and their computers. For instance, when files are downloaded, ZoneAlarm analyzes them to determine whether or not they are malicious. Also, ZoneAlarm checks websites thoroughly and blocks those known for phishing attacks and spyware distribution.

System performance

As its system requirements indicate, ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 does use a fair amount of resources. As a result, our system did feel slightly more sluggish than usual while running ZoneAlarm.

Features

Anti-spam – Not only does this feature filter out annoying spam messages, it also filters out potential security risks. Since spam messages often contain malicious scripts and links to phishing websites, the ZoneAlarm anti-spam component protects users by ensuring that these threats never reach their inboxes.

Game mode – With a single click, this mode disables most security alerts so that users can enjoy games, movies, and other forms of entertainment without interruptions.

Identity protection – In addition to data encryption, ZoneAlarm's identity-protection services include access to daily credit reports and important credit-related alerts. Since sudden changes in credit reports are often indicative of identity theft, ZoneAlarm alerts users as soon as sudden changes are detected.

Online backup – When users need a secure place to store important files, ZoneAlarm's online-backup services are especially useful. All data uploaded through these services is encrypted with a key that only users know, so sensitive information can be backed up without worries.

Ease of use

Despite all of its features, ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 is fairly easy to use. Its firewall functions are, for the most part, automated. In fact, thanks to presets and its auto-learn mode, the ZoneAlarm firewall rarely requires users to make decisions concerning program rules and network-access restrictions. Many of the other features in this software, such as the online-backup feature, are also easy to use. However, most of them require at least a little configuration from users.

Help & support

ZoneAlarm provides their customers with comprehensive product support. On the ZoneAlarm website, for example, there is a support section that contains a knowledge base, a forum, and various tips. ZoneAlarm also offers support via live chat, which is always available.

Overall

Due to its higher-than-average system requirements, many PC users may shy away from ZoneAlarm Pro 2012; they should not. While it does run slightly slower than other firewalls, it offers far more features than most competing products. ZoneAlarm Pro 2012 is more than just a firewall; it is a comprehensive solution to several Internet-security problems.

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Overall
Setup
Firewall
Security
System performance
Features
Ease of use
Help & support