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The KB951748 update is the offending piece of software, which alters files relating to Windows networking.

Zone Alarm reportedly interprets this as a malicious attack and completely blocks all internet traffic in response.

"For those of you using ZoneAlarm who installed the windows updates today, you probably already know that your internet connection has died," warns a user of the Broadband Reports forum<

"After two hours of messing around, I found an inelegant solution that will work temporarily... set the Internet Zone Security permission slider from high to medium. The connection will be restored," continues the user.

"We are investigating the issue with the MS update KB951748. For the time being we suggest you uninstall KB951748 until the issue has been resolved," says a company spokesperson on the Zone Alarm forum.

This is not the first time that Zone Alarm has fallen foul of a Microsoft update. Earlier this year Windows Vista was found to conflict with the software, prompting the removal of several key features of the program.

Because of these changes to the program it was removed from its position as our A-listed security software.