Do I need ZoneAlarm in addition to Norton Antivirus, or is one of them preferable?
by 
Anonymous
ANSWERS: 3
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They both serve different functions in protecting your PC. Zone Alarm (new version pending) is a FIREWALL. This is a virtual wall which stands between you and the internet. It primarily stops any attempt to access your PC by an outside user. It also stops and program on your PC initiating a connection with this same malicious user. This is not related to viruses, per se. A virus is a program which is 'innocently' delivered to your PC, possibly through a firewall, which subsequently launches an attack on the PC and/or attempts to replicate itself (usually today via email). An ANTIVIRUS program, like Norton, is designed to identify any viruses that are on your PC or in memory, and prevent them from replicating or doing your machine damage. To be secure, you will need both a firewall and an antivirus package. A quick caveat, you must make sure that your antivirus product is regularly updated, and run; and remember that software firewalls (such as Zone Alarm) have weaknesses...which is why a hardware firewall built into your router/modem is more preferable.
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YOU COULD ALSO USE "EZ FIREWALL" WHICH MICROSOFT SHIPS FREE OF COST ALONG WITH ITS UPDATE CD'S . AFTER THE INTIAL TRIAL PERIOD YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE THE "LITE " VERSION WHICH IS PROBALY AS GOOD AS ZONE ALARM.
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Both would be preferable as they both do two different things. Norton Antivirus protects your computer from viruses, trojans, and worms. ZoneAlarm is a firewall and prevents hackers from attacking your computer. It also prevents programs from gaining unauthorised access to the Internet.
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