[SWLUG] Wretched microsoft

[P.G. Richardson]

> 2008/7/11 Steve Hill <steve at nexusuk.org>:
>
>> ZoneAlarm?  Fragile?  Never! :)
>> (ZoneAlarm is one of the biggest pieces of crap I have ever had the
>> misfortune to encounter..  I wiped it out from my Dad's windows machine
>> ages ago and turned on the MS firewall instead.
>
> The built-in Windows XP firewall was introduced with, what was it,
> SP1? I remember, at the time, discovering that it was the biggest
> piece of crap etc. For years ZoneAlarm was the best there was on offer
> and it might still be the case if you connect directly to the
> internet. If you're behind some form of firewall, like from a wireless
> router, it's worth ditching and going to the lighter weight MS
> offering - as members of my family have gone from dial-up and direct
> connections to NATed routers and things, I've switched over their
> firewalls one by one.

The point of using ZA at all and over Windows XP firewall is the latter
does not block outbound connections. Thus, if a user has downloaded a
trojan inadvertently and that trojan has attempted to phone home then it
will be successful through Windows XP firewall but will require approval
from ZA.

NAT router firewalls have the ability to drop outbound packets but most
have a default "allow all outbound traffic" configuration. Consequently,
unless configured it too would allow the trojan to phone home. Thus, a
combination of a router firewall and ZA tends to be a good idea for
Windows XP machines used by users rather than power users.

While the DNS flaw has been fixed by M$, it would seem that ZA does need a
further update as the M$ patch in question replaced the tcpip.sys file
among others. Thus, from my understanding some API/ABI has been broken and
needs fixing. Personally, I dont blame either M$ or ZA for this as neither
is beholden to the other and the DNS flaw seemed serious enough to warrant
such a patch.

Just my tuppence.

PGR


-- 
Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them
how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for the
sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued,
or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil. [The Laws, Plato]

You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded
perversity
 Have you ever considered a career in the church?
Bishop of Bath and Wells (Blackadder II)