[NobleMatt]

Hey guys, just been handed my sisters PC (must be like 6th time) that ive been given it to sort out, its evey time i pop back from uni, basicaly im after a way of keeping up security to a high so that my twin nices (11 coming up 12) can use the internet and not fill the PC full of crap, i dont wanna cut them down to do nothing cause then im worrid they wont learn about PC's but i wanna cut down the number of Virus's and Spywear there brining down with them from various website.

im planing on installing a cut down performance XP Pro just cause i have it and know it works, and they can have there own accounts no problem, im just after recomendations for softwear that actually works and a set up that helps keep the PC safe.

Thanks

matt

[peeb]

What anti-virus software are you using right now? You have a firewall and anti-spyware?

[NobleMatt]

well last time i did it i just used AVG i think, i set up other programs for spywear and told them to run them but dont think they ever did.
but i can put whatever i want on it cause its just gonna be a fresh format

Matt

[seanc]

If they're getting that much spyware then it sounds like they're using IE, IE 6 no less.

Here's a list of things I would do:

Fresh install of Windows, install SP2 and ALL of the updates, there's at least 80 that need to be installed on a fresh SP2 system.
Make them ALL Limited Users but give yourself an Admin account with a secure password (this will stop them installing P2P file sharing programs and downloading viruses)
Install Firefox, AVG AntiVirus, AVG AntiSpyware
Go to 'Set program access defaults' and hide IE and MSN Explorer, make Firefox the default browser while you're there
Make sure Windows firewall is switched on, if they don't have any other type of firewall then possibly look into Welcome! - SmoothWall Smoothwall 2 hardware requirements low, e.g. 166MHZ, 2GB HDD, 64MB RAM. The current specs listed are for the 3 beta.
Possibly set up VNC with a secure password, so that you can install programs if needed.

[NobleMatt]

ok that all sounds good, may i ask what VNC is?

[Cold Warrior]

VNC allows you to remotely log-in to the Windows computer. Both ends really need a broadband connection.

[NobleMatt]

k, well that can be done, is VNC the name of the program?

[Big Mac]

The problem with making their accounts limited is that a lot of Windows software stupidly demands to be run by Administrator accounts only. They'll be disappointed when they try to play a game and it doesn't work. That's a big part of what makes Windows so inherently insecure.

[NobleMatt]

tbh they jsut use it to play flash games (main source of spywear 8-)) and go on the internet, i dont wanna fully lock them out to be honest cause i want them to learn stuff, i just wanna make it easy to maintain, possible only allow them to use one partision and other users the other, but not gonna protect the OS

[seanc]

Well ok then, don't make them limited users, VNC wouldn't really be necessary either then. I would keep all of the other points though, especially ban IE (at the same time that will stop them using Active X, hence not giving web pages unlimited access to the computer).

Funny you say that BigMac, my friend was testing his software on Vista, obviously it was coded around XP. It will have to be re-coded
for VIsta, but it was funny that it worked flawlessly when you ran it as Administrator, because all of the XP under-pinnings are still there, such as the Documents and Settings folder which isn't accessible unless you run it as Administrator, which in Vista, seems to be the equivalent to Root.

[NobleMatt]

brilliant, think ill start work on that 2night then, got the tower sat next to my desk making a nice foot rest