ZoneAlarm updated after Microsoft's DNS patch

On Thursday, Check Point Software Technologies released updated versions of all its ZoneAlarm products, addressing an incompatibility with a patch Microsoft released earlier this week.

The fix requires ZoneAlarm users to download the latest version, 7.0.438.000, from its site. A reboot is required to complete installation.

Since Tuesday, ZoneAlarm customers have complained that access to the Internet was denied after installing MS08-037, a patch designed by Microsoft to correct a vulnerability in both the client and server Domain Name System packages within Windows. Earlier on Tuesday, a security researcher announced a massive, multi-vendor patch release to address a fundamental flaw in DNS that could allow attackers to spoof IP addresses.

Workarounds included uninstalling MS08-037, changing ZoneAlarm's settings from high to medium, or temporarily using the Windows Firewall instead.

Check Point provided no additional comments about the cause of the outage.

[aminophenol]

Ah, who to blame this time?

[ambigous]

Robert, I believe you have a typo on the version number of the fix. I've installed it earlier today and now have ZoneAlarm version 7.0.483.000. BTW for anyone who may care at this point, the specific MS update that caused this issue was KB951748 (XP Security).

[rocwoof]

I also got KB951748 applied to my Win2K installation, and ZA Internet Security Suite started blocking all outbound accesses to ordinary ports, so I went in and configured it to allow access to TCP ports 80, 443, 25, 110, and 995 (for GMail POP3 access). What a PITA!

I have ZA version 7.0.470.000, and check for updates just indicated that is the latest (for what I have at least) - wondering if I can re-set my rules back to defaults - maybe I will just boot back to Ubuntu

[genesterinsac]

Unfortunately, if you are using an older version of Zone Alarm, you are still hosed.
Microsoft needs to fix the patch! Using Win XP SP3, everything works fine WITHOUT
the MS patch. I upgraded to the latest version of the Zone Alarm firewall and the
machine WOULD NOT BOOT!!! (BSOD) Uninstall current version of Zone Alarm,
reinstall older version and I am working again (but without MS patch). I'll wait for
Microsoft to fix the problem before I patch.

[Spimby]

I just installed both the zone alarm update and the windows update. Did anyone else notice a command window popping up for just a split second after the reboot (actually, about 5 mins after the reboot). *** was that?

[xZero2007x]

lol I got owned by this so badly--or more like my home network anyways. My first thoughts when it updated and I couldn't access the internet with ANY application at all was that Windows latest patches did something. Frustrated and desperate to get on to re-live some Starcraft days with friends, I simply re-formatted and used a backup image I made with Acronis True Image 11 (highly recommended).

Then came the following morning, where I woke to the fine tune of (4) computers, including my own, with the same problem. Dug around in my settings a bit, and tried retracing the steps of Windows Updates and what exactly it installed (at this point, I wish I allowed the updates to be archived to be un-installed in hopes of trial and error), but almost gave up until I tried to kill my firewall, since it seemed like a lock-down (although ZA didn't show any signs of doing so). And there it was--the internet in its over-glorified glory. I did some tinkering around and didn't bother to look up reasons why since I was in a hurry to check something, and just lowered my ZA firewall settings from HIGH/HIGH (internet/trusted zone) to MED/HIGH, and that seemingly did the trick.

Now to find the patch... lol. But I think I will take the advice of the article and.. yeah lol.

[WilliamWO]

HERE IS THE FIX FOR THIS ISSUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All anyone has to do to alleviate this issue is download and install the latest version of ZoneAlarm. Here is a link that will tank you where you need to go. http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

Enjoy
WilliamWO

[catidakiadam]

I was one of the 'stranded' single-computer users -- who managed to recover via the Windows XP Restore procedure (which you don't mention). But, only after my 'shot-in-the-dark restore' was I able get back online to research the problem -- which is how I came to read your mini-article.

The Microsoft Manager responsible for the release of Tuesday's MS08-37 update should be made to donate a month's salary to the lowest trainee programmer in Microsoft's 'Back Up and Restore' Department -- as a striking reminder to both people that their untested software can cause a lot of unnecessary grief to thousands.

[Zonealarm_Hater]

Am I the only one that still can't connect. I've tried the new patches, sliding zonealarm to medium setting, deleted everything on my computer that says KB951748, and added the ip addresses to zonealarms zone feature, all to experience a temporary connection that dies within 5 minutes. Anybody else got other ways there problem has been fixed other than the ones given here?

[ryaninve]

Dear Bill to whom do we send the bill,after five hours of trial and error I finally went to restore and found the Email from Zone Alarm who apologised for the incovenience caused by something that was not their fault .I have better things to do with my day off than fix b-----y Microsofts bad management .Now where is that book on Open Source ,Neil Ryan