The problem with Zone Alarm

The problem with Zone Alarm is that it was purchased and is now owned by Check Point, an Israeli outfit suspected of being in the espionage racket for Mossad.

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd

If you want to trust an application with such suspicious ownership that is supposed to be protecting your computer, and that ALSO stays in contact with home base at all times, that's your perogative.

You can select not to allow the program to send usage statistics though.

Or do you mean something else?

• elaich :

Go put your tinfoil hat on elaich they're watching you.

Jason

Yeah.

Check Point also owns more enterprise firewall market share than anyone else. Be very afraid. Or paranoid, as applicable.

Jason wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com:

I guess your the type who would also probably claim that Real Networks doesn't use RealPlayer as spyware. No reason for me to worry, as I wouldn't use ZA to begin with.

• elaich :

No your just being overly paronid. You said it's owned by a company suspected of dealing with Mossad. Key word there is suspected, and even if they have dealt with Mossad that's still no good reason not to use a product.

Jason

NO PARANOIA - NO SECURITY

ELAICH, I'm with you brother 100%!

Taking a moment's reflection, Jason mused: | | No your just being overly paronid. You said it's owned by a company | suspected of dealing with Mossad. Key word there is suspected, and | even if they have dealt with Mossad that's still no good reason not | to use a product.

Indeed. People likely use products every day from companies that have had dealings with their country's respective security agencies. It's not surprising that the top Isreali security company has consulted with the Isreali security division is it? After all, they are both in the same business to some degree.

The following article appeared in Security Pro News (today I believe). I paste it below :

Title: "Busted: Israelis Arrested For Industrial Espionage"

"It all began with Israeli author, Ammon Jacont, suspecting his ex-son-in-law of spying on his computer and distributing unpublished works on the Internet. The ensuing police investigation unraveled a much larger case of industrial espionage that indicated blue chip Israeli companies.

The gag order was lifted Monday by Israeli courts and 22 people have been arrested at the conclusion of a six month investigation. The alleged offenders are suspected of using Trojan horse software to spy on their competition.

Security firm, 2bSecure led police to a server that held loads of secrets from top Israeli companies.

The trade secrets were mostly about corporate strategies and were obtained with Trojan software sold by Michael Ha'efrati to private detectives Modi'in Ezrahi, Krochmal Zyika, and Pelosoff-Balil, who then relayed the information to clients.

Corporate entities, YES satellite TV and mobile carriers Pele-Phone and Cellcom have been indicated as three of those clients.

As for those spied upon, the list includes Hewlett-Packard, Ace Hardware, Strauss-Elite food group, ad agencies Shalmor-Avnon-Amichav and Reuveni-Pridan, PR agency Rani Rahav, water-cooler maker Tami 4, Shekem Electric, Ace Buy & Build, Mayanot Eden, and Malam Systems.

"It's getting bigger every day," said Nir Nateev, head of the police computer and cyber crime department in Tel Aviv. "In the end, there will be dozens involved."

The alleged Trojan horse creator, Israeli Michael Ha'efrati, 41, who is currently living in London, was arrested with his wife, Ruth Brier-Ha'efrati. Israel is expected to ask for extradition.

Some spy software versions posed as a package of confidential documents delivered through email. Once installed the program recorded keystrokes, collected documents and emailed the data back to the London registered server.

The potential consequences, because of the scope of companies involved, including subsidiaries of giant Bezeq, are potentially devastating as it may cause many international firms to be leery of doing business in Israel.

"People don't like to invest in countries where companies do some very unethical things," said Sever Plocker, a leading Israeli economic commentator. "I think it is bad for Israel, bad for the image of Israel and nothing to be proud about."