Advice on childproofing a PC

MaidMirawyn

New Member
Yes, I know, there's no such thing as a childproof PC! Believe me, we've had that talk with our boss...repeatedly.

With that said, here's the summary:

Our bosses (a husband and wife) have a nine-year-old daughter. She has her own PC, with no internet access. However, her parents want her to be able to get online on her mom's computer, when her mom is around. No one in the family is very technologically savvy.

By default, my co-worker and I have had to step in to help find a safer option. We are currently considering several options for the actual internet browsing, so I think we're set on that.

I think we're going to set her up with her own limited user account on her mom's PC. (Of course, password protect her mom's account, require login when waking from the screen saver, etc.)

Here's where I'm hoping some of you comp sci people can help us:


1. Is there a way to deactivate the USB ports for only one user account?

2. Can we control the program access on a limited user account? Basically, they only want her to access maybe a game or two and the Internet browser we're going to set up for her.

3. Is there a way to lock down the various user settings?


Google hasn't been much help; too many non-helpful results!

And before someone asks, no, they are not interested in switching to Vista, with its built-in parental controls; they are using older systems anyway (except the dad), so it wouldn't work. Also, they aren't interested in buying any special software or using a subscription service. That's pretty much set in stone.

Thanks!
 
1) - in theory, i'm not sure how to though

2) - yes. It's easier in XP Professional, but it can be done in XP home as well. I'm not certain about Win98 though. Alternatively, a perl script to control user access to files could be use to deny execute permissions on files that they don't want the girl to use.

3) - Non-admin users should not be able to modify settings.




Additionally, if they have a router to allow multiple computers on the same internet connection, they can deny internet access to a given computer during certain hours.

That will be one of the safeguards I use when my kids get old enough that they need a computer.


In the end though, none of that stuff really matters. Passwords can be cracked and/or bypassed (I annoyed my mom-in-law one Christmas by bypassing the Windows password on her PC while she was at work. It took me less than 5 minutes to do so on her Win98 machine). Additionally, the best filters are reactive to things, and while they usually have rather large dictionaries of things to block, people constantly work hard to bypass such filters, and constantly think up new ways to do so.

Ultimately, the best 'safe-guard' is the fact that she stays in the room while her daughter is online. That allows her to explain to her daughter things that she may come across, right then, as well as to keep an eye to make sure that she's not wandering somewhere she's not supposed to be.
 
Yes, anything can be hacked, given enough time and effort. However, she is only nine, and, while curious, isn't THAT curious. She's also not very computer-savvy, so for right now she should be okay.

For her internet access, how many sites does a nine-year-old really need? We're going with the whitelist approach, at least until she gets a little older. Webkinz, Nick Jr, American Girls, that sort of thing...

Right now we're looking at Glubble, which is a super-extension for Firefox. We created a limited user account on my work PC and installed Glubble there. Now we're going to try to break it. :) It works on a whitelist approach (whole sites or one page), so I think that will work best.

Also, the IP-based controls won't work, because the idea is for her to do all browsing on her mom's computer...not her own.

If you could point me to instructions on how to control program access, I would appreciate it.
 
I highly suggest taking a look at Zone Alarm. Not only was it rated the best in antivirus, there's a very good firewall on it. It saved me a couple times from going to bad sites.
 
The only way to *Protect* something fully is using a whitelist, which is very, very, very tedious and annoying.

Don't think of something infallible. Kids should be monitored while using the internet if you don't want em to go wherever. I used to know several programs that emailed a list of sites visited but the name has left me.
 
Kids should be monitored while using the internet if you don't want em to go wherever.

Right, and how do you do that? Same way with Internet Cafes?

Meaning have a primary PC allowing to see all other PC's, able to watch through a computer screen than constantly walking in back and forth. (Don't ask me how to do that, I'm sure someone else does)

List of Content Control Software
 
If you force a DNS flush on login (very easy to do). You can monitor what DNS the computer requests pretty easily.
 
I highly suggest taking a look at Zone Alarm. Not only was it rated the best in antivirus, there's a very good firewall on it. It saved me a couple times from going to bad sites.

'tis what I use. Every single time a program either wants to access the internet, wants to accept connection from the internet, or access the trusted zone, it pops up and gives you the option to block it from doing so or allow it.
 
'tis what I use. Every single time a program either wants to access the internet, wants to accept connection from the internet, or access the trusted zone, it pops up and gives you the option to block it from doing so or allow it.

zonealarm isn't that great... Personally I think all userspace firewalls are bound to fail. There are ways around it and people know how to program around it (and they do). Some of the newer trojans use existing windows services to send out stuff (which windows will let right through).

Some of the best firewalls arn't even firewalls a simple router with VPN will be more effective then anything you can install in windows.
 
If you're really interested in a good program that blocks inappropriate content, use CyberPatrol or something that can log time and it can allow only certain applications to the internet.
 
The only way to *Protect* something fully is using a whitelist, which is very, very, very tedious and annoying.
She's nine years old. The number of sites she's allowed to visit is very small (think in the single digits), so whitelisting is easy. :) That's the approach Glubble uses.

Don't think of something infallible. Kids should be monitored while using the internet if you don't want em to go wherever.
Believe me, we've had the "nothing is infallible" talk. Her mother says she's only allowed online while her mom is there.



And I believe they have Zone Alarm on the computer, as well as Spybot. We put it on when we set the computer up, anyway. Hopefully they haven't disabled it.
 
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