Just over a month ago I bought a new computer, and connected it up via the router I had been using changing nothing in my programmes such as AVG and ZoneAlarm apart from updating them.

After a few days I noticed that a stream of messages were being blocked in ZA Firewall. It appears that these are all coming from my computer and directed at hs2.zonelabs.com, which is the server that helps the computer keep its services up to date.

I have sent this problem to ZA technical support, the ZA forum and another forum. The only information I have had to confirm the route, and the only suggestion - to change the Update option from automatic to manual which didn't work.

The computer seems to be functioning perfectly normally, but I would still like to find out why this is happening.

Ronald

Zone Labs FAQ

Why Zone Labs software contacts Zone Labs?

This information I'm just passing on from the company. It seems this question is popping up again. So they put out a release explaining things.

Q: Why does Zone Labs software contact Zone Labs?

A: The ZoneAlarm family of products offers a number of features and services that enhance your security by providing specific information about threats, configurations, and programs. To enable these services, ZoneAlarm security products communicate periodically with Zone Labs servers. Of course, this communication is done on an "opt in" basis; it is your choice to decide to take advance of these features and services.

Zone Labs is committed to your privacy, and never collects any personally identifiable information about our users. Any information that does come to Zone Labs servers is used in aggregate form. For Zone Labs' full legal statement on privacy, please refer to http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/privacy.jsp The information that is exchanged with the servers below is stripped of identifying data, and is not saved.

Each one of these features and services is voluntary; you can easily choose not to use any or all of them.

Following is a list of the servers that your client might contact, and the functionality they provide.

cm2.zonelabs.com assists in the functioning of various services including the AlertAdvisor, antivirus updates, and antivirus monitoring.

hs2.zonelabs.com helps your client keep its services up to date.

ls2.zonelabs.com manages information relating to program configuration.

pa2.zonelabs.com manages the Program Advisor functionality.

ps2.zonelabs.com helps with updates to services and client functionality.

update.zonelabs.com supports the "Check for Update" functionality.

register.zonelabs.com handles product registration.

Thank you for this. It does explain what is going on which is useful to know. What it doesn't explain is why my computer is blocking a valuable source of information, nor how to unblock it.

Any further ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Ronald

I believe there was a fault like this in an older version of ZA.
Do you have the newest version, 5.5.094.000?
Under Preferences, are you sharing security settings with Zone Labs?

I do have the latest version. I have left the Backup and Restore security buttons alone.

After posting last night I had the idea of putting the ZA site into the trusted zone, and so far this seems to have worked - no entries for the last twelve hours.

Ronald

There have been no blocked messages for thirty-six hours, so it seems definite that putting the target address into the trusted zone has worked.

Many thanks for putting me on the right track.

Ronald

I'm glad you got it solved, Ronald. You're welcome.