ZoneAlarm fires up ForceField

Program creates 'virtual user' who is killed off after every browsing session

ZoneAlarm has officially unveiled its ForceField security browser plug-in following a successful beta in October.

ForceField is designed to stymie web-based attacks by creating a 'virtual user' who is 'destroyed' at the end of each browsing session.

ZoneAlarm claims that the tactic stops phishing, drive-by downloads and key-loggers sending data out onto the web.

The firm highlighted a proliferation of malicious websites, or sites that have been compromised by hackers, that take advantage of browser vulnerabilities to silently install malware.

To neutralise such treats ForceField's virtualisation forms a "bubble of security" around the web browser so that all unknown or unwanted changes from these silent installs, or downloads, are made to a virtualised file system that disappears completely once the user is finished surfing.

This also protects against any malware that might already be on the PC.

ForceField is less than 4MB in size and installs immediately without requiring a system reboot.

According to Zonealarm, the £15 product works in conjunction with any brand of antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall and security suite product. It is only available for PCs running XP and Vista.