Complaints are coming in that the Check Point software is using the same technique of scaring people into using its products as cyber scammers.
For a while the FBI has been hunting for the scalps of those outfits which use scare tactics to strong-arm PC users into buying rogue antimalware products by claiming you have a virus.
Now it seems that Check Point which makes the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, is doing the same thing.
ZoneAlarm punters report that they've been presented with a warning dialog that claims, "Global Virus Alert / Your PC may be in danger!... Threat Name: ZeuS.Zbot.aoaq ... is a new Trojan virus that steals banking passwords and financial account data."
The advert said that ZoneAlarm Free Firewall provides basic protection, but this new threat requires additional security. While it is true that ZeuS.Zbot is a very real threat, apparently even ZoneAlarm can't kick it off your machine.
But ZoneAlarm doesn't check to see if you're running an antivirus product, much less verify if the antivirus product detects ZeuS. So what this marketing own goal is doing is telling you to upgrade to the firewall that may or may not detect future ZeuS.Zbot variants' activities.
The official ZoneAlarm Twitter account spewed this pablum: "As a security vendor, we proactively let our customers know about newly discovered viruses so their PCs stay protected."
Yeah right.
ZoneAlarm firewall gear getting complaints
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Nick Farell
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