Is purchasing an all-in-one security software package (combining a firewall, antivirus, antispyware, etc.) such as Zone Alarm Security Suite the right choice for you?
Zone Alarm, by Zone Labs, comes in both free and paid versions. To read about the free Zone Alarm firewall, click here.
This article is about the paid version of Zone Alarm.
Why Is Zone Alarm Called An All In One Security Package?
Zone Alarm is an all-in-one security package. This means that one program will give you a personal firewall and antivirus protection as well as protection from adware and spyware. Unlike some packages that only take care of one aspect of Internet security, an all-in-one package like Zone Alarm handles all of it with one program.
Why Do I Need One Of Those?
If you’re looking at software packages like Zone Alarm, the question should not be “do I need a firewall?” or “do I need antivirus software?”
Anyone who has a continuous Internet connection, whether through a cable modem or DSL service, must have a firewall. And by now almost everyone is aware of how devastating a virus can be, so it’s obvious that you need up-to-date antivirus software.
The real question is whether you want to use separate programs to do each of these tasks, or whether you would prefer to take advantage of the convenience of all-in-one solutions like Zone Alarm. That’s a matter of personal preference, but many consider it a plus when highly rated programs like Zone Alarm Security Suite take care of it all.
Is Zone Alarm Better Than Their Competitors?
Zone Alarm gets consistently high reviews in techie circles. Reviewers feel that it is easy to use and provides very reliable protection.
The latest version of Zone Alarm Security Suite not only provides a firewall and virus scanner, but it also adds new features that make instant messaging secure and block undesirable websites.
Zone Alarm is known for being easy enough that a beginning or home user can install and set it up, but powerful enough for someone with more detailed requirements will be pleased with it.
What Are The Cons of Zone Alarm?
The major hole in Zone Alarm Security Suite is that it doesn’t have any component that blocks spam. Another common complaint has been that the warning messages that pop up when a program tries to access the Internet can be difficult to understand.
However, a recent change in the newest version of Zone Alarm Security Suite makes these much easier to figure out.
Summary
The free version of Zone Alarm is very popular and excellent choice. The paid version is also highly recommended if you want an all-in-one program.
