Zone Alarm and antivirus

[Steph]

I'm using ZA free firewall and avast (free) as my anti-virus. Today ZA needed updating, which I did, but now it keeps nagging me that a security update is overdue. The program itself is up to date but it says antivirus is available but not installed (the firewall and identity/data modules are shown as protected).

As I'm using avast with automatic updates, would it be ok to install the ZA antivirus but maybe just use it as an on-demand scan or isn't it possible to configure it like this? Or would even installing the ZA antivirus conflict with avast?

Advice appreciated

Thank you

Steph

[DonnaB]

Hi Steph,

Sounds like ZA is nagging you to get their ZA Antivirus. ZA AV uses the Kaspersky antivirus engine, and from what I read here in post #6 it only updates once per day where as Avast has been know to be updated several times per day. I find that comforting to say the least.

I've never been a big fan of ZA (anything) due to the reviews and opinions of the experts in threads I've read for research in my training. If you google "What is the best free Firewall", Comodo is always on top and ZA lingers somewhere at #3 or below.

If you do decide to try ZA Antivirus, I would completely uninstall Avast to prevent any residual files from interfering. If you aren't happy with it you can always reinstall Avast.

Let's see what the others have to say.

[zep516]

Hi Steph,

Or would even installing the ZA antivirus conflict with avast?

"The primary concern with using more than one anti-virus program is due to conflicts that can arise when they are running in real-time mode simultaneously. However, even when one of them is disabled for use as a stand-alone scanner, it can affect the other. Anti-virus software components insert themselves into the operating systems core and using more than one can cause instability, crash your computer, slow performance and waste system resources. When actively running in the background while connected to the Internet, they both may try to update their definition databases at the same time. As the programs compete for resources required to download the necessary files this often can result in sluggish system performance or unresponsive behavior."

is it bad to run multiple antivirus programs?

If you do decide to try ZA Antivirus, I would completely uninstall Avast to prevent any residual files from interfering. If you aren't happy with it you can always reinstall Avast.

Good advice from DonnaB

Joe

[Steph]

Hi Donna and Joe, thank you both for replying - good advice as always

I take the point about two a-vs - I knew it wasn't a good idea to have two installed and running at the same time but I thought I could get round the nagging problem by installing ZA's but just not using it - guess that would have been too easy!

It keeps on nagging me that a security update is overdue (it means the a-v component as the rest of the program is up to date). Stupid really, as lots of people have separate anti-virus. I'm sure this wasn't part of ZA before, I would have noticed!

Hmm ... what to do? So far I've been happy enough with ZA (just used to it, I guess) but I think I'll check out Comodo. As recommendations for security programs change over time as programs improve or not, this would be a good time to ask what would be a good suite of (free) programs to use alongside Comodo? I'm presently using Avast as antivirus protection (automatic updates) and also use Emsisoft A2Squared, Malwarebytes, Spyware Blaster and SuperAntispyware on manual updates and then regularly scan with each.

Thank you.

Steph

[zep516]

keeps on nagging me that a security update is overdue

The issue is discussed HERE

This is a known bug in the Free Firewall version 10.2.57 and 10.2.64

The Free firewall has the option to install AV now with a click of a button.

But after 7 days you start getting this popup because we are checking if you done an Av update or not when we should not IF you haven't installed AV.

So ignore this. We will fix it soon in an update.

DonnaB may answer your other questions for you.

[MrDarn]

if i was being nagged constantly to get something i did not want from a program i installed to protect me from just that sort of thing, i'd be thinking carefully about what that program offers in the first place, how much i could trust it, and if there is an alternative out there.

the worst part is this "protection" is bullying you, and you are almost giving into the bullying by installing software you don't want, just to shut it up.

Food for thought....

[Steph]

Good point Mr Darn, hadn't quite thought of it like that, food for thought indeed!

According to the last link Joe posted above it looks as if it's a bug that ZA say will be fixed with an update - we'll see.

In the meantime, I think I'm going to try Comodo as it appears to be a better firewall and perhaps change my other protection software if necessary, as per my last post. Any suggestions for the programs that would give a good overall level of protection that work well together appreciated.

Steph