Already a familiar name on the firewall market, ZoneAlarm from ZoneLabs has maintained the respect of a range of consumer markets. Offering one of the best free firewalls, in the form of the standard ZoneAlarm software, the Pro version (£30 inc. VAT) adds enough features to justify the asking price.

These features include the integration of virus software management, as well as monitoring email attachments for any threats that have been forwarded to you by unwary friends. Additionally, annoying online pop-up adverts can be blocked, and info seeking cookies can be regulated and blocked as necessary. A year’s worth of updates are also included in the price, to ensure the firewall stays up-to-date against the latest threats.

Installation is simple, with a step-by-step wizard walking new users through the whole process. Basic programs that require Internet access can be pre-configured during installation, reducing the need for subsequent program access confirmations. Once up and running, ZoneAlarm Pro provides alerts to all incoming and outgoing access to the Internet. Users can then choose to allow or block the detected attempts, and specify whether this decision should apply for all subsequent attempts or only the current operation. This allows for easier use, as the firewall learns which programs are safe, and blocks the rest.

When working on a network, similar safety can be maintained. When ZoneAlarm Pro detects a new network connection, it alerts users and offers the option to add the network to a 'Trusted Zone' or 'Internet Zone' list. Trusted Zones are not as strictly regulated, while Internet Zones are treated as all outside connections, and further secured as appropriate.

In tests, ZoneAlarm Pro blocked 99 percent of known attacks. Even when trying to change internal settings via the options menu, the firewall promptly alerted us to the action. This further guaranteed security against bugs that may try to disable your firewall without your knowledge.

Even if ZoneLabs only offered the Pro version of ZoneAlarm, it would still come recommended. By offering the less able, yet still highly secure, basic ZoneAlarm for free, ZoneLabs deserves the widespread acclaim it enjoys. As a trustworthy and easy to use barrier against the perils of the Internet, ZoneAlarm provides peace of mind for beginners and experts alike.

RATING 8

PRICE £25/£30 (EX/INC. VAT)
REQUIREMENTS Windows 98SE/ME/2000 Pro/XP,50MB of disk space, 128MB RAM
CONTACT www.zonelabs.com