Windows Update Breaks ZoneAlarm

If you use the combination of Microsoft Windows and ZoneAlarm, the Microsoft Windows update released yesterday (KB951748) will cause a conflict with ZoneAlarm which will prevent users from connecting to the Internet.

The Microsoft update makes changes to the way that your computer handles DNS requests and ZoneAlarm does not recognize those changes and therefore blocks traffic.  Here is a thread on ZoneAlarm’s forum that goes into detail.

Do not completely disable your firewall!  That is never a good idea, especially these days.  Here are some other options:

• Lower your Internet Zone Security setting from “High” to “Medium”.  This will allow you to access the Internet after applying the Microsoft patch.  This is a temporary fix until ZoneAlarm releases an update.
• If you want to turn off ZoneAlarm, make sure you at least enable your Windows Firewall.
• Uninstall ZoneAlarm and install another Firewall from a different software vendor (ie. Norton or McAffee).
• Alternatively, as the Macintosh Camp will gleefully shout, “Get a Mac and stop worrying with updates to Windows every month.” 😀

I shy away from the last option because I like running commonly used software on my computer and playing some pretty cool games 🙂 .