ZoneAlarm 8.0 gets identity theft makeover

Check Point has released the latest version of its ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, featuring a heavy emphasis on defending against new-wave security threats.

While the core anti-malware, anti-spyware and anti-spam elements of the program remain, version 8.0 now includes defence against attacks on the operating system by rootkits using the OSFirewall, an Early Boot Protection system, and an overhauled Identity Protection Centre.

The identity theft protection system is one area that marks ZoneAlarm out from some of its competitors, at least if you happen to live in the identity theft global hotspot, the USA. The centrepiece of this service is daily credit monitoring of a user's credit file as held by credit agency Equifax, plus toll-free access to "identity theft specialists".

An enhanced service is also available for an additional fee, which will add to this changes to public records associated with a particular individual, monitoring for social security number abuse, and a scan of credit applications. Again, not all of these services are available outside the US.

"Because criminals are becoming more sophisticated and rendering traditional security obsolete, we focused on digging more deeply and broadly to stop attacks that by-pass other security products," said Check Point's Laura Yecies.

"We also paid close attention to the full lifecycle of PCs and of malware, making sure users are protected during the early stages or start-up, where other security software typically can fall short.  In addition, we put a great deal of emphasis on providing users with much more in-depth protection against identity theft than any other Internet security product."

Mindful perhaps that all these extra features loaded into the modern do-it-all ‘exploit and anti-malware' system hit a PC's processor, the company also touted a redesigned scan mode claimed to cut performance drag.

Keeping the software up to date without missing security updates is now easier, the company said, thanks to the built-in "1-Click Fix-it" mode that would fetch all new software without the user needing to interact with the updating process.

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite is available to new UK users for £32.95 for a single user, per annum ($49.95 in the US), or as a renewal for £16.95 for a single user, per annum.