ZoneAlarm Pop-Up warning that I have to update or my firewall will stop working

I have the ZA free firewall that I installed on this computer a few years ago.  I've always loved their firewall and never had a problem with it.

Suddenly I am getting this really disturbing pop-up telling me that IN A FEW DAYS it will stop working and that I am forced to "upgrade."  No other information!

This REALLY ticks me off!

First of all, they give me a few DAYS notice?  How about a few MONTHS so I can have a chance to research it and prepare for it?

So I did some research and it seemed dismal.  More like a downgrade than an upgrade.  Seems the new version has far fewer user options and is really dumbed down.  There are lots of unanswered questions and I found this message not only obnoxious but leaving a lot of important questions unanswered.  I sure as heck wasn't going to press the install button after a message like that.

1. Why didn't they send out a popup until the last minute?

2. Why don't they tell you anything about what the changes will be?

3. Why doesn't the pop-up tell you something about what to expect... for example, if you have the free version will clicking the install button install the free version again or do you have to pay?

4. Is some kind of subscription required?

5. Does ZA actually have the ability to disable my current free version?  They have control over my firewall?  Do they monitor users' activity too?

I want to keep my CURRENT version of the firewall.  I don't care if it doesn't have the latest doodads or not, it's adaquate for my needs and still does the job I need it to do.  I wish there was a way to decouple it from these popups and ZA control.  If they shut it off I am DONE with them.

End of rant. 

Edited by NotoriousEXE, 24 April 2025 - 11:46 AM.

Guess say good bye. https://support.zonealarm.com/hc/en-us/articles/27625362116123-End-of-Support-for-Non-Compliant-ZoneAlarm-Products  There are reasons software has a End of Life Date.

They do not want to keep flogging a dead horse :

Thanks for the link.  Unfortunately it tells us nothing.

The article says that this transition was supposed to be completed before September 29th, 2024.  This is almost May, 2025.  What's going on?

Since this was a government mandated change ordered in the last presidential administration I wouldn't be surprised if the purpose of this mandate is to force people to go from a privacy protecting firewall to a government monitored spyware firewall.  Sounds more like communist China. Don't trust it at all.

I am keeping what I have.  If they have the ability and the nerve to actually stop it from working, I will find a replacement that doesn't comply with the authoritarian government mandate.

Edited by NotoriousEXE, 24 April 2025 - 01:07 PM.

Kaspersky was ordered out of US Market and on date it happened people woke to find Kaspersky uninstalled and some other brand installed.   So guess you wait and see.

Yes it connects to Zone Alarm / Check Point Security.

Compatible with Windows 11, 10 and 7  https://www.zonealarm.com/software/free-firewall   I found the software a bleeping nag myself.  Not used since and only for a few months around 2004 was last time.   Windows has a Firewall 10/11 can use it and WFC by Developer who sold product to Malwarebytes and now works with them : https://www.binisoft.org/wfc.php

Most Firewalls let save your settings. Back then up and see if can use with the new version.  Security is the best medicine :=}

Edited by Pkshadow, 24 April 2025 - 01:38 PM.

I investigated the Windows firewall a while back and didn't like it.  I can't recall what it was but there was a dealbreaker.  Even though I didn't like it if it wasn't for that dealbreaker I would have used it.

I think maybe the problem was that it didn't allow blocking outgoing traffic?  Something like that.  I don't remember, just remember it seemed to be a big issue.  Whatever it was it seemed like a serious shortcoming.

May have to take another look if these jerks disable my firewall.

Update:

Thanks, I just backed up the settings.

Edited by NotoriousEXE, 24 April 2025 - 01:51 PM.

What's the story on this one?  Never heard of it but it looks interesting:

Free Firewall

Will let you figure that out.  Search Term : review : evorim.com/en/free-firewall : https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=review+%3A+evorim.com%2Fen%2Ffree-firewall