Computer Control/Monitoring Software?

[onewhippedpuppy]

My in-law's kids have managed to royally f-up their computer, so after buying a new computer they've asked me to find some way to prevent it from happening again. I need to find some software that will restrict them from installing any programs on the computer, as well as possibly monitor/control what they are doing online. Anyone used a program that they are particularly happy with?

[id10t]

Linux does a good job of that on my daughters computer...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I agree - if you set up the access restrictions & permissions on Linux, it's pretty bulletproof.

There are also use/application logs.

Remember, most computer issues facing people today existed in some way, shape or form 30 years ago and have already been solved by UNIX, which Linux is closely based on. Windows actually does very little that is new.

[SlowToady]

Use the ACLs in Windows properly. The NT line is also pretty bulletproof if you know how to set it up

*ACL == Access Control List

[JavaBrewer]

Easy to setup restricted accounts for the kiddos on Widoz & prolly on Mac too.

[mikester]

Yeah, most XP home users setup their accounts with Admin rights. If you setup a restricted account it can't install any software - not even plugins.


Oh, and I'm a Unix/Linux/Mac user forced to use Windows at work - but for what you're asking Windows can and does do it just fine.

[onewhippedpuppy]

So just play with settings for user accounts and the firewall and I'm good to go? Sweet.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I think XP is NT-based so should be relatively hard to hack. I know the "user account" settings in Win95/98 were virtually useless. Passwords were stored in a text file that could easily be opened by someone who knew what they were doing. NT is the "real deal" and encrypts user/pw data. 2000 was based on this and I think XP is also, so you should be okay with XP if it's set up properly.

I love how it's taken Microsoft 20 years of being "the standard" to catch up to where UNIX was 30 years ago.

[stomachmonkey]

For the kids you may want to try K9 Web Control. http://www.k9webprotection.com/

It's free for home use.

It's a web based "firewall, content filter"

Works by categorizing sites and since it's an online database it automatically updates the filter list.

Combine it with user accounts and your 99% covered

[Mule]

Hide internet explorer. Install
Firefox
Thunderbird
Winpatrol
Avast Anti-Virus
Registry Fix
AVG Anti-Spyware

Set kid up as users, (no install privileges) you should be bullet proof, (almost).

[SlowToady]

Windows 2000 is NT5, and XP is NT5.1. Windows NT has had some of the most finely granulated ACLs around since NT 3.5. The NT dev. team took a LOT of hints from the DEC VMS team.


My recommendation to you would be to set her up as a standard user, and read up on the Group Policy editor, and employ it. Also, make sure to local security policies, etc. There are numerous articles online about securing the NT series, you shouldn't have any trouble finding information. Or, just hit the local Borders.

edit: working on an edit to make it more clear. I'll get it done later:-P But rest assured, MS isn't just now catching up to UNIX in terms of security. UNIX security has typically been, horrible.

[masraum]

As stated, easiest way is to just configure their capabilities. XP is relatively hard to hack.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks guys. These kids are by no means hackers, so simple security should do the trick. It's more a matter of saving them from themselves, anything that sounds good they download and install. Unfortunately, most of the free stuff on the internet has a little something special attached.

[SlowToady]

Ah-ha! So that's the problem. Well, in that case, you need Economics, not computer science!

"There's no free lunch" :-P

*Yes, I'm joking, yes, it's supposed to be funny. No, it's probably not actually funny.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Thanks guys. These kids are by no means hackers, so simple security should do the trick. It's more a matter of saving them from themselves, anything that sounds good they download and install. Unfortunately, most of the free stuff on the internet has a little something special attached.

[onewhippedpuppy]

EXPLAINING didn't seem to work too well, I tried that on computer #1. Now enforcement is the method of choice.

[kqw]

and.....how much of their allowance is going towards replacing the computer that they screwed up?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Yeah, I questioned the mother in law on that one. I also suggested that without the internet, they couldn't cause any more trouble.