[Rant] Retards cut off my internet

[johndoe74]

Microsoft DNS Security Fix Knocks ZoneAlarm Users Offline

The vulnerability is widespread and affects products made by numerous networking and software vendors beyond Microsoft.

Users of Check Point Software's ZoneAlarm personal firewall products are reporting that a patch released Tuesday by Microsoft to fix a serious security flaw breaks their connection to the Internet.

"For those of you using ZoneAlarm who installed the Windows updates today, you probably already know that your internet connection has died," wrote user 'Winchester73', in a post Tuesday on the popular broadband forum DSLreports.com.

Numerous other forum users reported experiencing the same problem. Dozens of posters on ZoneAlarm's own user forum also reported Internet outages. "I service and administer approximately 200 privately owned computers and I have received about 20+ telephone calls from users with this problem today," wrote 'Calken'.

A spokesman for Check Point said the company planned on releasing a fix later in the day on Wednesday.

The problem began when Microsoft on Tuesday sent patch number KB951748 to Windows users. The patch is designed to plug a security vulnerability that leaves computers vulnerable to so-called DNS attacks.

The vulnerability is widespread and affects products made by numerous networking and software vendors beyond Microsoft. It was discovered by Dan Kaminsky, of the Seattle-based security firm IOActive.

Through a DNS attack, a hacker can redirect Internet users' page requests to phishing sites or other malicious pages. Various reports suggest that ZoneAlarm interprets the Microsoft patch itself as malicious code, and automatically severs the user's Internet connection in response.

Until a fix is issued, some forum users are working around the glitch by either uninstalling ZoneAlarm or the Microsoft patch. Either move, however, could leave their computers vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Edited July 13, 2008 by johndoe74

[boooggy]

can u please change the title?

thx

[johndoe74]

How do you want it changed ?

I just changed it to add [Rant] rather than my usual [Release].

I'm p***ed like hell. I've been offline the last 3-4 days trying to figure out WTF was going on. I got my router checked. I've been after my ISP to fix my connection. I just found out the fix is to turn ZoneAlarm off and Windows Firewall on after I got online using my Dad's connection (I have Sygate installed on that).

I thought other people should be aware of this if they've been having the same problem as well.

BTW, ZoneAlarm have released updated firewall software that is compatible with this "fix"

Edited July 13, 2008 by johndoe74

[CoffeeFiend]

Just curious -- why post that in the Application Add-Ons section?

Besides, it's been posted non-stop all over the 'net for the last few days, including several times here, like this post, that post, this other one, this front page news, etc. I don't think I've seen a tech site that didn't write about this already, from sites like slashdot & digg, to sites like CNET and PC Mag, portals like yahoo, and even mainstream news sites like the BBC...

[johndoe74]

cuz this is the section of the forums where I'm the most active...