[JKT]

Reactionary post... Given the hooplah over the past couple of days, who thinks a security assitant is a good idea for OS X?

I'm thinking of something that would appear upon first boot of a new Mac or after first install of a new version of the OS (as a part of the setup assistant) and would lay down some of the fundamentals of safe computer usage (don't blindly open files from people you don't know, create and use strong passwords, etc) in a clear concise way so that people new to computing or unaware of the problems they face would at least be (potentially) better informed than they currently are. It could also offer tips on how to run the OS (e.g. don't use Admin account for day-to-day usage, set up a Standard account, etc). As a lot of the problems caused by malware stem from ignorance rather than stupidity, shouldn't Apple be stepping up efforts to nip things in the bud right now with a "your lifebelt is under your seat" style in-your-face guide? Yes it would be annoying to those of us that know it all already (or think that we do), but just like the demos by air stewards, paying attention to them once or twice could just possibly save your arse one day.

Good idea? Yes or no?

[Millennium]

I don't think there's a need for a full-on security assistant. But a few changes would be welcome:

1) Set up an Administrator password on bootup, but then set up a normal user which becomes the default account.
2) Reword the password dialogs to make sure that people know what's really going on: something sensitive is going to happen, and the computer wants a thumbs-up or thumbs-down from someone it knows has the authority to allow it.
3) Include the ClamAV engine from OSXServer. ClamXav would be another way to go here.
4) Include an intrusion-detection system, such as Snort. I suspect that just as with ClamAV, this is already part of OSXServer.

None of these things would have a dramatic effect on the interface or usability of OSX, but together they would patch up some of the remaining holes.

[mpancha]

I agree with Millenium's list of changes.

I don't think a security assistant is necessary at this time

[Maflynn]

Originally Posted by Millennium

1) Set up an Administrator password on bootup, but then set up a normal user which becomes the default account.

What do you mean by that? when I reboot the computer I need to type in a admin password, then the system auto logs me in under my userid or that I need to type in my userid's password?

2) Reword the password dialogs to make sure that people know what's really going on: something sensitive is going to happen, and the computer wants a thumbs-up or thumbs-down from someone it knows has the authority to allow it.

Good idea - its a little awkward in its setup now.

Mike

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Maflynn

What do you mean by that? when I reboot the computer I need to type in a admin password, then the system auto logs me in under my userid or that I need to type in my userid's password?

He's saying it auto-creates an admin account that you give a good password to, then you create your own personal account that you'll use to log in.

[Steve's Sanity]

I think having the system create an admin and standard user automatically would thorougly confuse most users. They would not understand why two accounts exist, and they would really confuse themselves by using different passwords for the separate accounts. They probably would not remember the distinction between the two accounts and find it really difficult to provide administrative rights to applications at all. Instead, I believe upon initial setup the assistant should say something like, "It is recommended that you create and use a standard account for most things and only use your administrative account when necessary. Would you like to create a standard account now?" Then it would open the Accounts pane of System Preferences and prompt the user to set the account up. If the user cannot figure the rest out or chooses to forgo the advice, that person is better off just using his or her admin account.

[Maflynn]

Originally Posted by Chuckit

He's saying it auto-creates an admin account that you give a good password to, then you create your own personal account that you'll use to log in.

Thanks, that makes sense.

I don't think that's a wise idea though. Probably due to my geekiness but I want to have control over user account creation. I also think like steve's sanity that it would confuse matters greatly.