ZoneAlarm 5.1.011 is trashing attachments in downloaded newsgroup postings

Hello Gerrit,

In ZoneAlarm open the console and click on E-Mail Protection, then select the tab Attachments. Change the state of each mail attachment extension you want ZoneAlarm to pass to your e-mail client. Be advised that you will not be protected from those types of virus attachments when you change the state.

Michael

Hello Michael,

thank you for your answer. Problem is, I had this problem with ZA free, and the Attachments tab is only available in ZA Professional. I found the reference to this attachments tab in the ZA helpfile, but the helpfile didn't tell me about the Attachments tab being a ZAP feature. I uninstalled ZA free, and reinstalled it. Problem still there. Next trail & error action: I activated the ZAP 15-days trial. Now I've access to this Attachments tab. I unchecked *all* extensions. Problem gone.

What I don't know (yet) is what will happen when the 15-days trial ends and ZAP changes back to ZA free.

What this ZA feature does is changing the extensions of 'suspect' attachments in different extensions, so the attachments don't launch automatically and can only be opened when you and use ZA and indicate (in the presented dialog) that you really really want to open / execute the attachment.

One important note: I don't like programs to change the content of my emails or newsgroup postings. When the content is changed, any email/posting which has a digital signature will start of alerts because the content has changed. Worse, you can only acces the attachments when you continue to use ZA - talking about vendor lock-in. If I wanted to use another firewall, or wanted to migrate to another OS (Linux ?), then I couldn't access the attachments in old emails / newsgroup postings anymore - suck suck suck. I do not dislike this ZA feature, I hate it. Protecting users against malicious attachments should be done by antivirus software, not by a firewall.

Gerrit

The Free ZA automatically sets all critical options for the new user who knows nothing about firewalls and anti virus. As the new user gains confidence and knowledge about security threats he is offered the "Professional Version" at a reasonable cost. Protecting the user is the prime directive for ZA.

If you want more control over how ZA performs its tasks on your PC I suggest you invest in the Professional Version where you can have total control over how ZA works on your PC. Once you have the Professional Version you can find where ZA store its quarantined files and open them from there.

Michael

So you are saying that ZoneAlarm is forcing me to upgrade for a fee to get a feature that I do not want (or at least should have the REAL option of turning off - not a fake yes/no option like it really is today).

Nice. Free is free is free and shouldnt not include items which break a user's installation SO THAT I have to upgrade to get it to work for real.

I dont want to hear anything about "dummy-proofing" anything for people who "dont know". That is B/S. People who "dont know" STILL want to know why an on/off switch doesnt work. I mean, GRAY THE DARN THING OUT THEN - and then tell people that the ONLY way to turn it on or off is to upgrade. Who is the EINSTEIN of this ZoneAlarm company anyway? Was he absent the day the brains were handed out? Come on!

In other words, the option SHOULD NOT EVEN BE THERE if it isnt going to work at all **AND** its doing damage to your PC which you can NOT control. Thats worse than the AOL "give me your credit card for a free-trial" B/S. Free is free is free and I dont recall ever needing to put my hand in my pocket to get a credit card or cash or coins for FREE items. Geez.

They arent getting a nickel from me. If this is the ONLY solution to for getting this to work, then I am giving my $ to their competition. Thats what this great free nation of ours (USA) allows us to do. And it also allows companys like ZoneAlarm the ability to hang themselves!

When are companies going to realize that it is US, the consumers, which make their existance possible? And when will they actually come to grips with the fact that it is US, the consumers WHO WILL PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS IF WE WANT TO. Idiots!

Bottom-line: Dont add a feature to a FREE product that forces people to upgrade because the feature is screwing up people's PC's and the ONLY way to get this fake option box to REALLY stop messing with attachments is to PAY THEM for a "pro" version. BullSH*T! This is borderline criminal and I hope the ZoneAlarm management EINSTEINS are reading this.

Just turn off Inbound E-mail Protection.