What would be the solution for my brother?

[O.Alexander]

Hi,

My brother just bought a new laptop,
however, he doesn't know anything about security.

The spec is something like Vista x32, 2GB RAM, 2.10gHZ CPU.

He usually use it for gaming and typing up documents.

What would be the best FREE security setup for him?

Thanks!

[jmonge]

-{ Quote: "Hi,

My brother just bought a new laptop,
however, he doesn't know anything about security.

The spec is something like Vista x32, 2GB RAM, 2.10gHZ CPU.

He usually use it for gaming and typing up documents.

What would be the best FREE security setup for him?

Thanks!" }-for free i will say comodo internet security with D+:thumb:

[chris2busy]

actually he said that he doesn't know anything about security :S
i suggest that you install avast free edition with auto handling detected stuff so he does not have to do anything.
also since he cannot be trusted in reading the uac prompts i guess you'd better off make him a standard account and have all game shortcuts run the games by default as admin(right click game shortcut>properties>compatibility>privillage level>show settings for all users>and there tick the checkbox to run this application as an administrator..

won't take you over 15 minutes and he will be safe from a great percentage of the meanest beasts out there.even my grandma can use that setup ;)

just remember to do all the updating once per month(MS updates,browser updates,mail e.t.c)
cheers

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "for free i will say comodo internet security with D+:thumb:" }-

jmonge,
thanks for your reply!
Wouldn't CIS with D+ hard to use for a novice like my brother?

[jmonge]

-{ Quote: "jmonge,
thanks for your reply!
Wouldn't CIS with D+ hard to use for a novice like my brother?" }-or without the D+ will be just fine for a beginner;)or get avira free and sandbox his browser with the free sandboxie:)eaiser

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "actually he said that he doesn't know anything about security :S
i suggest that you install avast free edition with auto handling detected stuff so he does not have to do anything.
also since he cannot be trusted in reading the uac prompts i guess you'd better off make him a standard account and have all game shortcuts run the games by default as admin(right click game shortcut>properties>compatibility>privillage level>show settings for all users>and there tick the checkbox to run this application as an administrator..

won't take you over 15 minutes and he will be safe from a great percentage of the meanest beasts out there.even my grandma can use that setup ;)

just remember to do all the updating once per month(MS updates,browser updates,mail e.t.c)
cheers" }-


chris2busy,
thanks for your reply!
I'm also thinking of making him use Defesenwall,
if there is a discount promotions for the DW license!
Would it be a good idea?

[djohn]

IMO starting out as begginer with security,then Avast Antiivirus and Online Armor and run browser safer Mode and Also keep UAC enabled.

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "or without the D+ will be just fine for a beginner;)or get avira free and sandbox his browser with the free sandboxie:)eaiser" }-

I'm not so sure if he can handle all that. ;)
Anyways, I'll still make him try it out. :)
Thanks again!

[jmonge]

-{ Quote: "IMO starting out as begginer with security,then Avast Antiivirus and Online Armor and run browser safer Mode." }-yeah i was thinking about that Online armor run the browser safer and avira free;) or just DefenseWall:thumb:

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "IMO starting out as begginer with security,then Avast Antiivirus and Online Armor and run browser safer Mode." }-

djohn,
It sounds really light and easy!
But I heard that there is a conflict between OA and the gameguard thingy.
This won't be good since he play games!
Thanks!

[Scoobs72]

My wife runs Defensewall with Avira free on her pc. She knows absolutely nothing about security. Zero, zip, zilch. And doesn't want to know anything about security either. Works great for her. DW isn't free, but well worth it in my opinion

[djohn]

-{ Quote: "djohn,
It sounds really light and easy!
But I heard that there is a conflict between OA and the gameguard thingy.
This won't be good since he play games!
Thanks!" }-
perhaps I am not sure though.

[blacknight]

If your brother is a newbie, a good idea could be Online Armor using Run Sufer features, and you can learn Online HIPS features about principal applications, and the av like Avira. Otherwise an av and a fw + GesWall or a BB as Mamutu.

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "My wife runs Defensewall with Avira free on her pc. She knows absolutely nothing about security. Zero, zip, zilch. And doesn't want to know anything about security either. Works great for her. DW isn't free, but well worth it in my opinion" }-

Thanks! I might try it out!

To all,
How is PCTools Firewall v5?
Inspite of knowing that matousec test isn't everything,
it seems to score high.
Is it easy to use?

[jmonge]

-{ Quote: "Thanks! I might try it out!

To all,
How is PCTools Firewall v5?
Inspite of knowing that matousec test isn't everything,
it seems to score high.
Is it easy to use?" }-it is good but you want to have a very quiet pc as your brother dont want to be bother when playing his games,
note:i dont know if pctools firewall has a game mode sort of feature???

[O.Alexander]

Thanks folks!

I guess the solution is a reasonable AV + Online Armor.
I hope my brother doesn't have a hard time adapting to his new setup.:P
Thanks again!

[arran]

teach him how to use sandboxie. surely he can work that, its very simple to use.

[djohn]

-{ Quote: "yeah i was thinking about that Online armor run the browser safer and avira free;) or just DefenseWall:thumb:" }-
Free is the only reason I didn't mention DW,otherwise well worth its price tag and rock solid feather weight protection.

[Coldmoon]

Hi Hama,
There is another approach you might consider: Light Virtualization (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=230459)

This is a slightly more advanced approach, but if you are going to be his Admin/tech support you should think about this seriously. With a little prep work, you can save yourself allot of headaches in the future by eliminating some of the "issues" without him having to make any decisions he is not ready to make...

Here is a potential way to do this:
1) Install a top rated (take your pick) AV/AS combo solution and firewall (Windows FW should be adequate here)
2) Create a data partition - make it large enough to store mulitple game saves at least
3) Install the games on the data partition and change the game preferences to save on the same data partition
4) Install RVS Personal Ed. and use Memory caching
5) Change RVS System Protection mode to ON

Let your brother enjoy his computer and you get your weekends back not having to constantly fix his computer ;)

Mike

Note: I am a Returnil rep so please read the linked thread for a wider look at the available options in this feild...

Edit: removed repeated word

[firzen771]

-{ Quote: "it is good but you want to have a very quiet pc as your brother dont want to be bother when playing his games,
note:i dont know if pctools firewall has a game mode sort of feature???" }-

PC Tools FW v5 DOES have a game sort of feature, its called full-screen detection, when an app wants to run fullscreen (eg. a game) then it supresses all alerts while that app is in fullscreen. u can enable this somewhere in the settings.

[O.Alexander]

Thanks again folks!

-{ Quote: "Hi Hama,
There is another approach you might consider: Light Virtualization (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=230459)

This is a slightly more advanced approach, but if you are going to be his Admin/tech support you should think about this seriously. With a little prep work, you can save yourself allot of headaches in the future by eliminating some of the "issues" without him having to make any decisions he is not ready to make...

Here is a potential way to do this:
1) Install a top rated (take your pick) AV/AS combo solution and firewall (Windows FW should be adequate here)
2) Create a data partition - make it large enough to store mulitple game saves at least
3) Install the games on the data partition and change the game preferences to save on the same data partition
4) Install RVS Personal Ed. and use Memory caching
5) Change RVS System Protection mode to ON

Let your brother enjoy his computer and you get your weekends back not having to constantly fix his computer ;)

Mike

Note: I am a Returnil rep so please read the linked thread for a wider look at the available options in this feild...

Edit: removed repeated word" }-

Hi! Thanks for your reply!
I was thinking of using a virtualization,
however, I found out that he had a lot of things to save, download,
delete, and update. So maybe virtualization software will annoy him. :(
Thanks anyways!

[Coldmoon]

-{ Quote: "...however, I found out that he had a lot of things to save, download,
delete, and update. So maybe virtualization software will annoy him...." }-

Does where he saves this content really matter as long as he can save and access it?

[chris2busy]

you can always also set firefox's download location to another drive and make a shortcut of it on the desktop..you can make everything work easy+safe easily

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "Does where he saves this content really matter as long as he can save and access it?" }-

-{ Quote: "you can always also set firefox's download location to another drive and make a shortcut of it on the desktop..you can make everything work easy+safe easily" }-

I myself ain't familiar with virtualization softwares,
however, if you get use to it, it sounds good.
But when he wants to install stuff or bookmark stuff,
you have to turn off the virtualization (reboot every time), right?
Kind of uncomfortable to use for him or me. :(

[chris2busy]

yeah,the bookmark issue is kinda irritating to me too since i add tons daily..
anyway you could use a portable FF version stored on the data partition but thats still too much for him i can guess..
i still can suggest my first opinion on setup,as he will not ever have to click a thing and be safe.
still,choices are yours and his :D

[Mosqu]

-{ Quote: "he doesn't know anything about security." }-
Maybe you should teach him. That would help a lot. But unfortunately using the brain always hurts. ;D

It has kept me clean for years now. :)

[magian]

-{ Quote: "Hi,

My brother just bought a new laptop,
however, he doesn't know anything about security.

The spec is something like Vista x32, 2GB RAM, 2.10gHZ CPU.

He usually use it for gaming and typing up documents.

What would be the best FREE security setup for him?

Thanks!" }-

Bye-bye Vista. Install Ubuntu 8.10.

[chris2busy]

-{ Quote: "Bye-bye Vista. Install Ubuntu 8.10." }-
did you even read the whole thread mate?or at least the first post?
he said his brother is a gamer,so there is no chance in hell he'd go for ubuntu.
even worse he might even have an ATI card,or a soundblaster x-fi,so linux is his worst enemy :D

[O.Alexander]

Oh no,
It's been a day since I changed my brother's security setup into
Online Armor Free+ Avast!
I think he's not used to his new setup.
He calls me whenever he gets a pop-up from Online Armor.
I guess he needs a new setup... hmmmmm....:-[

Or maybe, put Online Armor Free into Learning Mode? ???

[firzen771]

-{ Quote: "did you even read the whole thread mate?or at least the first post?
he said his brother is a gamer,so there is no chance in hell he'd go for ubuntu.
even worse he might even have an ATI card,or a soundblaster x-fi,so linux is his worst enemy :D" }-

really? i tested out ubuntu and i got an ATI card, didnt get any probs, although i didnt use ubuntu for long though.

[jmonge]

get your brother defensewall it is the easiest to use yet one of the strongest security apps i ever tried;)

[O.Alexander]

-{ Quote: "get your brother defensewall it is the easiest to use yet one of the strongest security apps i ever tried;)" }-

Oh well,
I guess I'll have to wait until Ilya launches a discount promotion,
so I can buy one for me and one for my brother.
I hope it happens soon :-\