30 May 2005
ZoneAlarm Security Suite Update May Cause Missed Mail
Most users of ZoneAlarm Security Suite got an update notification this morning. Many probably went ahead and installed version 5.5.094.000. The problem? This version, like the earlier 5.5.062.011 update, spontaneously turns on the product's antispam filter. The main control panel still shows "Junk E-mail Filter" set to Off, but the filter is actually sending some messages to the Zone Alarm Junk Mail folder. ADVERTISEMENT
Like many antispam products, the filter gets better at distinguishing spam from valid mail after you've used it for a while. If you normally rely on a corporate filter or another antispam product, the ZASuite filter hasn't had any opportunity to learn. When it's turned on unexpectedly, with no training, you may find that important messages are getting flagged as junk mail. On one system we found that it had diverted four PC Magazine newsletters and two important messages from individuals at Microsoft before we noticed what was happening.
We reported this problem to ZoneLabs when it happened before, in February. Fortunately the workaround ZoneLabs supplied at that time still works: If you find that ZASuite is suddenly filtering your e-mail, here's what to do. Open ZoneAlarm's main control panel and turn the Junk E-mail Filter option On. Restart Outlook, turn the filter Off, and restart Outlook again. That should restore things to normal.
Like many antispam products, the filter gets better at distinguishing spam from valid mail after you've used it for a while. If you normally rely on a corporate filter or another antispam product, the ZASuite filter hasn't had any opportunity to learn. When it's turned on unexpectedly, with no training, you may find that important messages are getting flagged as junk mail. On one system we found that it had diverted four PC Magazine newsletters and two important messages from individuals at Microsoft before we noticed what was happening.
We reported this problem to ZoneLabs when it happened before, in February. Fortunately the workaround ZoneLabs supplied at that time still works: If you find that ZASuite is suddenly filtering your e-mail, here's what to do. Open ZoneAlarm's main control panel and turn the Junk E-mail Filter option On. Restart Outlook, turn the filter Off, and restart Outlook again. That should restore things to normal.
# posted by vdodon @ 03:46 
