http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9986625-57.html Severity: High (Loss of Internet Access)

"At issue is the Microsoft Update KB951748 (MS08-037) from Microsoft, which addresses the flaw in DNS made public on Tuesday by security researcher Dan Kaminsky. For ZoneAlarm customers who have automatic update selected for Windows Updates, and whose ZoneAlarm Internet security level is set to "high," they will experience a loss of Internet connectivity upon reboot.

ZoneAlarm users without automatic update may wish to wait to install the update until the matter is resolved. For those who have already installed the patch, Check Point recommends users remove Microsoft Update KB951748 from their systems. Detailed instructions for doing this can be found here:


(http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html).

Another option is to lower the ZoneAlarm Internet security setting to "medium," although Check Point doesn't recommend that."


NOTE: This applies to MS Windows 2000/XP only. I know because I had to deal with my Wife's system and my own system at home. Lucky for me the issue does not affect Vista machines (so I could find the current fixes). The website above offers Two Options: 1. Reduce the Security Level 2. Remove the MS Security Patch. (I have found that it is not really possible to remove, so I have a third solution: Disable Zonealarm... Just close it, and the Default Windows Firewall should startup, if it is not running already.) To insure it is running if you have a currently patched system (currently up to date with all security patches etc.), you can check in the Control Panel.

*Click the Start Button (lower left corner), then Settings, Control Panel, then Security Center, then check to see if the Windows Firewall is running*. The Security Center should pop up by itself if there is a problem (i.e. No Firewall running, because you shutdown the Zonealarm firewall... in which case you start up the Windows Firewall).


You will need to do this each time you reboot, or restart the computer (unless you can disable the startup of ZoneAlarm in the settings...to complicated for most people). Zonelabs (CheckPoint) hopes to have a fix out for ZoneAlarm soon, so this may be a way to get around the issue for a few days. (Untill the fix is out).

Thank you God for providing my ways.
Two days ago, a Microsoftie update went haywire and wanted to reinstall itself repeatedly, so I got tired of it, and disabled the Softie auto-update.

May the noobs at MS learn to think properly, for if I would have ever screwed up any project that you guys do, I would have been fired instead of laureated.

My ZoneAlarm Pro will never be brought down or compromised. Amen.

Oh and thank you John for the warning =)

What is ZoneAlarm?


Is that a firewall like Norton Symantec?

It is the best Firewall (for Home users)

The Pro version also includes Anti-virus and anti-spyware.

A year ago Check Point bought the firm. Check Point is the #1 manufacturer of Business grade firewalls.

I don't use either of them. I disabled windows update for good and use black ice firewall.

Zonealarm is the company that took over from the last company and if you have auto update it should have been the last security update and it recommends you remove it

my computer did an autoupdate last night ::::scared::::

This is just funny.

I loaded up zonealarm on advice from my bro after battling with a virus. This was just a few days ago. Then all of a sudden I had the exact problems you guys are talking about. No internet. So I uninstalled zonealarm and all is good now. I hope I don't get a virus.

You are better off if you have a better firewall than the default one Windows 2000/XP provides. But any firewall is
better than no firewall. Zonealarm should be corrected soon (if Microsoft does not update their patch). I would
re-install Zonealarm when this issue is corrected, rather than continuing to use the built in Windows Firewall.

BTW do you have an Anti-Virus (A/V) product installed? If not I can recommend www.free-av.com, they have
a free one that is very good, and it has almost daily updates (Virus' are released daily and so are the updates).

Another free product to have is called SpyBot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html.
It will help to protect and remove malware from your PC. It finds and removes virus/trojans/adware etc.
(read the documentation on the website to see how to use it.)

If you have a piece of malware you cannot remove try Hijackthis: http://www.download.com/Trend-Micro-Hijack...353.html?hhTest
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html... There is also a tutorial to help you
understand and repair your machine (hunt for and remove malware). As well as how to
post a logfile of the issues it finds so that others can help you remove/repair malware
that has done things on your machine. Very very very good advice. And free!!!
(At least the version from majorgeeks.com, not sure about Trend-Micro.)

So if you finally do get everything removed and repaired. You should do the following to help
prevent further issues;

1. Ensure you have Microsoft Automatic Updates working and you have current updates installed.
Run this from Internet Explorer (i.e. ensure IE is running)
Click on tools
Then click on windows update (This starts the autoupdate process manually...so you can check
for any missing updates).

2. Ensure you have a Good Software firewall running (www.zonelabs.com offers ZoneAlarm for free)
(Zonealarm will update itself to the latest versions if you let it.)

3. Ensure you have a good Anti-Virus program running (www.free-av.com offers a free A/V program).
Also ensure that you update this often (daily if possible... it can be set to do this automatically)

4. If you have a high speed connection (Broadband), you should have a hardware firewall also.
Having a DSL/Cable router provides you with the hardware firewall, you do not need a wireless
router to provide this. In fact a wired router usually offers one to four extra ports protected by
the built-in router. It converts your broadband connection from the IP address assisgned by
your Internet Service Provider (ISP), into a set of private IP addresses that cannot be routed
over the Internet. (Usually 192.168.xxx.xxx)

If interest is shown I can list other free products to help you work on your PC.

It looks like there is now a fix for the issue

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...n/ms08-037.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953230
Note: These MS Links just point to this ZoneAlarm Link (but if you need more info...)

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pre...ccessIssue.html
Recommended Actions -

Download and install the latest versions which solve the loss of internet access problem here (English only):

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite <li>ZoneAlarm Pro <li>ZoneAlarm Antivirus <li>ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware <li>ZoneAlarm Basic Firewall

This is what happened to me:

I uninstalled the update. Turned my computer off. Turned it back on and got a message to add a person to my Yahoo Messenger. I ignored that and immediately my modem shut down; no signal, nothing.

I had to reinstall my modem and reinstall the update. That makes me believe since y'all are not registered Microsoft workers in a Microsoft office that you have no right to say what you have and you do not know what you are saying.

I do have an antivirus. I use Norton Corporate edition. and I also have hijak this installed, but for the most part I don't know what to erase or not.

Thanks for all the useful input.

Sorry about your issues, but perhaps you missed this section in the Microsoft Bulletins.

Support
•Customers in the U.S. and Canada can receive technical support from Microsoft Product Support Services at 1-866-PCSAFETY. There is no charge for support calls that are associated with security updates.