ZoneAlarm with AntiVirus 6.0.667.0 and CCleaner

[pudelein]

A new version of ZoneAlarm with Antivirus (ZAV) was announced this morning: version 6.0.667.0. Unlike the previous version (6.0.631.003), it now protects itself against CCleaner (and presumably similar programs) by not allowing it to mess with ZaLog.txt!

A tentative solution is to make CCleaner a "Trusted" application. This seems to allow CCleaner to clean out the file in question. Apparently ZA Plus, Pro, and Security Suite all have this feature. I have no idea whether ZA free has similar "ideas".

 

I do not know whether the restriction applies to old ZA logs, which are mostly the ones needing removal. It does not apply to tvDebug.log, at least when it is dealt with by a .bat file as discussed elsewhere in this forum.

 

Thought folks would be interested in this situation!

 

Added note: Making CCleaner a "Trusted" or even a "Supertrusted" application does not allow it to delete the ZAlog.txt file.

Edited September 8, 2005 by pudelein

[seamaiden]

Try running CCleaner in Safe mode to delete those ZoneAlarm entries.

[Tia Dawn]

all I know is I have tried it in safe mode and it will not work I have tried to manually remove the file and it locked even in safe mode and the size is getting larger any Ideas any one????

[pudelein]

It has been a long time since I wrote the first post above! I suppose you are referring to the file tvDebug.log which can grow enormous over time. I control mine as follows: I use a folder C:\Program Files\Local to house personal executables. You can use any folder in your PATH instead. I attach a script, tvDebug.txt, which I use. It explicitly refers to my folder, but is easily edited for any other. Rename it to tvDebug.bat, edit as necessary. You will also need a zero-length file in the same folder named "tvDebug.log". Create this by opening Notepad and then storing its blank contents under this name.

 

I run the script at startup every time I boot the machine. My tvDebug.log is never very large; currently less than 10 kB. Good luck!

tvDebug.txt

tvDebug.txt

[NewScience]

It has been a long time since I wrote the first post above! I suppose you are referring to the file tvDebug.log which can grow enormous over time. I control mine as follows: I use a folder C:\Program Files\Local to house personal executables. You can use any folder in your PATH instead. I attach a script, tvDebug.txt, which I use. It explicitly refers to my folder, but is easily edited for any other. Rename it to tvDebug.bat, edit as necessary. You will also need a zero-length file in the same folder named "tvDebug.log". Create this by opening Notepad and then storing its blank contents under this name.

 

I run the script at startup every time I boot the machine. My tvDebug.log is never very large; currently less than 10 kB. Good luck!

 

I also had this problem. Can't you just turn the Logging Option off? The other option is to go into Services, stop ZoneAlarm, then run CCleaner, then turn ZoneAlarm back on. You may also have to Close ZoneAlarm done from the System Tray (the client portion).

 

I ran into this problem when I tried to delete ZoneAlarm Client from the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. You can't do it if you set it as a ZoneAlarm feature to Startup at reboot. Once I unset that, rebooted, I had no problem deleting the item from Run.

[SkyKing]

Folks,

 

I have a little different wrinkle on this - I don't want CCleaner to even try to delete my zalog.txt file. That file is used by some other products, notably MyNetWatchman (www.mynetwatchman.com) which uses the log to see if there is a pattern of attempts at hacking. Other similar products operate similarly and use that information for a reason.

 

I'm not associated with them other than to use their service on one of our computers. Their service (free) is basically like a neighborhood watch. Everybody that uses their service has a little application that uploads these log files to their servers for analysis of the files for patterns. If you have got some goof trying to hack people's computers MyNetWatchMan send a notice to the ISP hosting the hacker and gets them shut down. If we delete the log file we remove the information needed to perform that function. In fact, I can't imagine why every firewall developer out there doesn't provide this service...

 

In any case, I have recommended Ccleaner to many, many, friends, family, and business associates. I also recommend Zone Alarm. Therefore I am creating a minor conflict because Ccleaner is always highlighting that it has found the zalog.txt, and then that it can't remove it. Here's a suggestion - how about Ccleaner having the ability to recognize ZA installations and give you the option to ignore the log?

 

Can anyone tell me how to implement this without having to have the author add it as a selectable feature? So far I've simply ignored it, but it would seem that since ZA is ubiquitous it would be smart to add the option for Ccleaner to simply ignore it. Doing so would keep from freaking people out.

 

Thanks,

 

Phil

[Lappen]

 

I have a little different wrinkle on this - I don't want CCleaner to even try to delete my zalog.txt file.

 

In any case, I have recommended Ccleaner to many, many, friends, family, and business associates. I also recommend Zone Alarm. Therefore I am creating a minor conflict because Ccleaner is always highlighting that it has found the zalog.txt, and then that it can't remove it. Here's a suggestion - how about Ccleaner having the ability to recognize ZA installations and give you the option to ignore the log?

 

Can anyone tell me how to implement this without having to have the author add it as a selectable feature? So far I've simply ignored it, but it would seem that since ZA is ubiquitous it would be smart to add the option for Ccleaner to simply ignore it. Doing so would keep from freaking people out.

 

 

 

Tell the users that you recomend CCleaner to to uncheck the option to clean ZA logs

 

[pudelein]

This thread is still rolling, apparently! I have a more permanent, though nontrivial, solution to the issue of ZoneAlarm logs being cleared (or not!) by CCleaner. My initial issues (cf OP) were solved by the simple expedient of dumping ZAV and retreating to ZAFree, using AVGFree as antivirus. Worked fine for awhile, but at some ZA 6.5 release, resource consumption became intolerable. I have now also dumped ZAFree and will not use ZA products in future, as long as an alternative is available.

 

My current firewall choice is Comodo Personal Firewall (Google it!). Currently version 2.3.3.33Beta. This is also free. It is rule-based, which makes it a little geeky for some, but the product is well-designed and the support is prompt and effective. It does log things it wants to log, but the user controls the maximum log size, so CCleaner can leave it untouched withut issues. The current Beta should appear as a stable release fairly soon; check their forum.

 

CPF Rocks!

[SkyKing]

Lappen,

 

You are the man! Wow, I hadn't looked for that in the Internet section, so thanks for pointing it out.

 

Thanks,

 

Phil