Do You Have Zone Alarm? I Do! Ck. This Out From Cannonfire.....

[babsbunny]

Dubious About Dubai & Dubya? http://www.cannonfire.blogspot.com/2006/03/dubious-about-dubai-and-dubya-check.html

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. Babs, do a test on your Zone Alarm.

Type in words like, Sibel Edmonds, and see if the bars spike on the icon in the tray. The first couple of times I did it this morning, they did it within 5-8 seconds.

[babsbunny]

2. Where do I type these words in at?

And I thught when the icon spiked, it just meant internet traffic. I'm worried!

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Just create a post, like reply to this one. Don't send it, but type in

the words and then see what happens.

[warrior1]

4. I tried these words

Sugar, toast, Sibel Edmonds. They all spiked.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. I'll keep testing.

[babsbunny]

5. I see what you mean

but it seems to do that often, and when I put my arrow over the incon when it spikes it says "traffic". I always wondered why there was "traffic" when I'm not surfing. I really know nothing about stuff like this.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. I'm trying it with this post

So far, nothing but the ZA icon. Now here's the test. Sibel Edmunds. The bars showed up, but they didn't spike. Just thought you'd like to know.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Do the bars show up without signifying traffic?

[RC]

7. Mine did not do anything. No traffic.

I have ZoneAlarm and 3/4 of a ton of free stuff loaded and active.

[Armstead]

8. I just typed in "Pink Fluffy Bunnies" and it spiked

I did a Google search for both Pink Fluffy Bunnies and Sibel Edmonds and it spiked eqully both times.

I'm not saying Zione Alarm is 100 percent safe, but I don't think it's reading peopel's minds.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. If you googled, you're intentionally going on the internet so there will

be a spike. That's different than passive typing, which is typing without hitting the send button.

[Armstead]

14. Pink Fluffy bunnies and Sibel Edmonds

I just watched it again before I hit the send button for this and it didn't spike on Sibel Edmonds or Valarie Palme Israel or UAE or Bush.......Maybe it's hiding but my guess is that if it is spyware, it is not very discriminating.

[Duer 157099]

12. MIne doesn't spike, unless I send it (post)

Perhaps you have settings for auto-updates that check every so often? or your anti-virus software (or other software) checks for updates? I make ZA ask me for permission for EVERYTHING it does

edit to add: also, sometimes I set ZA to "turn off all internet traffic" when I'm reading or doing other things that don't require active connection, just to be sure nothing is going on in the background.

[Easy]

13. I think in this case...

...it really is paranoia ;) Some thoughts:

• If zonealarm really "phones home" about anything, why should it show it in the systray? It could transfer anything without showing it.


• If something like this is proven and becomes known, the program wouldn't be used anymore, and the company would be as good as dead


• A normal internet dialup connection causes traffic even if you don't do anything: keep-alive-packets, update checks, administrative data is being send and received all the time. Ads being reloaded in open Internet Explorer windows, automatic email checking, instant messenger (ICQ, MSN, AIM, ...) all cause traffic without the user doing anything.

I don't mean you shouldn't be suspicious about zonealarm sending home statistical data ect., something like this was suspected a while ago. But that doesn't mean it scans anything you type in and reports it home.

~Easy

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Yeah, well, Zone Alarm spiked 14 seconds after I opened your post and...

I...can...see...you....

[bvar22]

16. Invest in a Hardware Firewall/Router.

Good ones are available for +-$50.
They are also handy for easily connecting your Laptop to your Desktop or other computers in your household.

Nothing is 100%, but a Hardware Firewall/Router is a good investment.
You can also run ZoneAlarm behind your Firewall/Router is that makes you happy.

If you have concerns about your system security, log on to:
http://www.grc.com/default.htm

With your permission, they will try to get into your system, and give you a report on your vulnerabilities.
I use ZoneAlarm behind a Hardware Firewall/Router, and received 100% protected rating from them.
I have never tried ZoneAlarm only (without the Hardware Firewall).

This test will NOT expose a Designed In backdoor in the ZoneAlarm code.

Cheers.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. backdoors, backroom. It's always the same.