Problem with todays Microsoft update

I did the monthly Microsoft update today. After doing the update on my laptop I couldn't access the internet. Everything on the local network worked fine.

After much troubleshooting I turned Zone Alarm off. Everything now works fine. I thought it was just something on my computer that wasn't set right. Then I got a call from my son and he has the same problem.

Anyone else having this problem or have a fix for it?

Hi Don,
I had the same problem today but I just turned off ADBLOCK in Fire Fox and that solved my problem. Zone Alarm is still running.

Jerry,

Which version of Firefox are you using. I've still got 2.0.0.15 on the laptop and 3.? on the desktop. Got busy and haven't done the update on the desktop yet.

Can't find ADBLOCK to turn it on or off here on the laptop.  ???  ???

I don't remember which browser my son is using and he has the same problem I do.

Don,

I'm using FF 3.0,  Ad Block is an add on that is available with 3.0.  I added it thinking it would help stop pop ups, but now that I shut it down I still am not getting any more pop ups.  My problem was that It said I was connected fine but nothing would load, not FF or my ISP. Also I didn't realize how slow it was loading until I shut it off, now the it connects easily and the net loads faster.  I didn't have this problem until I did the MS update.

It's possible that today's updates changed some system file and ZA blocked it seeing it was changed.  It should have popped up a warning, but firewalls have been known to do things without telling the user.

Turning off AdBlock is unlikely to have had any effect on your internet access.  It is designed to be used with one or more of the available filter sets, on its own, it doesn't do much beyond block those ads you tell it about.  AdBlock was also available for FF 2.  It's one of the more useful extensions.

I'm going to be offline all day but if I see other reports of this problem, I'll let you know what the cause if, once it's determined.  I've installed the updates but won't be rebooting until late this afternoon so won't know if it will affect me or not.

I installed the updates last night and all is fine today. FF 3.0 without Adblock (the windows pop-up stopper seems sufficient) and I don't use ZA.

I also installed the updates yesterday with no problems noted. I am using iRider.

Since I do not wish to turn Zone Alarm off.. (Microsoft it seems wishes to destroy ZA but considering it's many times better than the Gates special...

I did a System Restore and then re-did the update minus the "Security" upadate (the first one in the list)

I'm still trying to complain to mickey soft but their phone is off line (Clogged) and there is no provision on their web page that don't cost sixty bucks

Here's an explanation on the ZA web site.

Looks like the Windows update had to do with plugging the hole discovered in the DNS system. Several vendors were due to release security updates related to the same issue. More here.

I don't use ZA, so the update went just fine for me.

Well.. Thanks to Alaska Snow Birds

I followed this path

1: Called AT&T  Their ROBOT told me of a "System Status update" which identified the problem as the microsoft security update

2: Attempted to call Microsoft at the phone number AT&T provided... No joy, (no connection, your call did not go through)

3: Did a SYSTEM restore and then allowed all updates save the one that caused the problem

4: Got on line.. Read the message from AlaskaSnowBirds mentioning Zone alarm

5: Went to the Zone Alarm web site,  accessed LIVE chat,, Waited 12 minutes and a very nice employee code name CHAD said:

Chad: This is actually a widespread issue we are seeing this afternoon due to the latest Windows Updates. ZoneAlarm by Checkpoint is aware of this issue and working to provide a permanent solution. For the time being, you can remedy this by opening ZoneAlarm and then select Firewall on the left. Click the Main tab to the upper right and lower the Internet Zone Security from High to Medium.
Chad: Note: This is a temporary fix while we investigate the issue at hand. A permanent fix will be issued at the time we discover the resolution.

6: Thanked chad and filled out the evaluation (Very good marks)

7: Made the change he suggested (Setting internet to MEDIUM)

8: Allowed the update

9: Logged in here, no problems, and found I'm able to post this message

Thanks to Alaska for identifying the conflict and Zone Alarm to knowing what to do about it

Alaska.  I suggest you re-enable ZA with the Internet security set to MEDIUM till an update comes out

I expect this update in the next couple of days (Just personal expectation, no "inside info"

Oh, and thanks to "Chad" too

It appears that the problem lies with the 3rd party vendors that were caught unawares when MS replaced the TCP/IP stack to fix the DNS problem.  The update replaced tcpip.sys, tcpip6.sys, mswsock.dll, dnsapi.dll and afd.sys.  That pretty much is the whole stack.  I would guess the 3rd party firewalls saw those as a possible intrusion and blocked them without putting up a warning.  The browser in use doesn't matter, it would affect all TCP/IP applications as the block was in the 3rd party firewalls.

I had no problem with the update, now if I could only get the 26MB SQL Server update to take

I just read a bit more on this and it apparently only affected ZoneAlarm.  I haven't seen any mention of any other software firewalls.  A quick and easy workaround for XP users is to be sure that the Windows Firewall is enabled and disable ZA until ZA issues a fix.

Yep,

That's the only one I found too.

Ned it's even easier than that,, Just reduce ZA's internet security level to MEDIUM

That is straight from Zone Alarm.

John, that's all I did and it's working fine for me.  lou

Same here as noted above.

IT's been one pain in the ...... anatomy

ZA will fix it soon I expect an update from them before the week is out

I seriously tihnk this was an attempt to get rid of ZA my Microsoft.. Since ZA hides the computers from the net

But since I'm behind a hardware router.. I'm not too worried

Interesting that ZA has changed their advice and now strongly suggests NOT setting it to medium security but to instead either avoid or uninstall that DNS security update.

That would strike me as a very bad idea if I were running ZA considering how many hacker folk now have full info about the vulnerability that triggered the MS08-037 update and that a proper hack will not be stopped by your router but a Medium setting on ZA should not be a problem unless you surf to some really bad sites.

Newt, absolutely correct.  It's very bad advice to recommend uninstalling a security hot fix, and this one especially.  Better advice is to uninstall ZA and use a different firewall.  Most people today are connected to the internet via a router or a NATted connection of some sort and are quite well protected from outside attack.  Even the built in Windows firewall is sufficient protection against that and no software firewall is needed.  Software firewalls only protect the user from himself if he lets the malware into the computer.

ZoneAlarm issued an update today that when downloaded and installed allows you to set your Firewall Internet Zone Security back to high. It works fine now with Microsoft's Security Update KB951748.

Richard

My company dropped ZoneAlarm as our corporate personal firewall application earlier this year because of similar issues and work arounds that were less than desirable. Keep in mind, we have over 130,000 desktops, so the loss to ZA was substantial. We now use McAfee's enterprise solution. Personally, I've always preferred McAfee and have been using their security applications for over 10 years now.