Security Software for Non-Computer type people

I thought this would be an interesting discussion. I just bought my parents a PC from dell for christmas and i was contemplating what to put on their PCs for security software. My parents are relatively "Computer dumb" as most parents are and they will never know how to respond to popup messages from security software. I wanted software that would take care of everything for them without bothering them with popups. I considered the free version of avast but i opted not to use it on their PC because avast makes you go out and register for a new key every year. That is way to complex for them. It should just upgrade itself. Hell my dad sometimes get confused if he isn't automatically logged in to yahoo (because his cookie expired). Here is what i decided to go with:

1) MSE - Simple + MSE really doesn't annoy you with popups. I believe in future versions it will be automatically updated by windows update which i set their computer to automatically update every night

2) Threatfire - Been using this for a long time and i can only remember getting on popup from it. With what my parents do they should never get one.

3) OpenDNS

4) Firefox with KeyScrambler + AdBlock + Better Privacy- I usually install NoScript + FlashBlock but these would be to complex for them.

5) Uninstall IE

6) LogMeIn - So i can occassionally admin their machine

7) FoxItReader - They probably won't need it but just in case.

Set them up as users instead of admins - They don't even know how to install software so they shouldn't be doing anything beyond what a normal user could do.

Just a side note. I wanted all free software but if i was going for pay software i for sure would use NIS2010. NIS is great on making decisions without prompting the user what to do. Unfortunately kaspersky is not.

 

Web of Trust addon for Firefox is good. DefenseWall is excellent, but is not free (there was a free offer that ended on Saturday).

 

I am not so sure that uninstalling IE is a good idea, I hardly ever use it myself though.

Opera 10.10 is a good browser & after you set the hot keys (& speed-dial) it is pretty simple to use.

 

I would suggest of adding sandboxie. Your parents can use a sandboxed browser.

 

i would suggest you for spyware blaster a good s/w no intervention required.......

 

What about running Limited User with Pretty Good Security to apply a deny execute Software Restriction Policy, with MSE and IE8 (yes IE8 just remove the rights from their user account to change HKEY_CURRENT_USER related Policy and Internet Explorer keys). Add keyscrambler free to fool keyloggers. You can schedule task to run the disk cleaner and set restore points with admin rights.

 

For those of you recommending apps...most of you are recommending apps that don't work on x64. This is an x64 box as a lot of the new PCs will be.

 

I throw in another vote for WOT. Set it to Block instead of Warn.

 

My vote goes for WOT too

 

Keep it simple.
NIS 2010.
Very good protection.
Very easy to use.

 

I'm elderly and though computer savy, I have other things to concern myself with other than complex computer security - so..... that is why I use Microsoft Security Essentials and Shadow Defender. Light and secure without constant fiddling and trying this and that. Going to the beach to watch the big surf tomorrow .

SourMilk out

 

Been trialling WOT - easy to use and quick with its alerts. Great user input as well. I'd suggest that as well.

 

wot, mse and panda cloud . panda cloud is better because dont ask the user if find malware......maybe open dns or comodo dns are useful to

 

did you guys consider RTD Smart

 

LogMeIn a great idea. Don't uninstall IE8 even if you don't go with it as the primary browser. Your parents may still have a different experience than you with regards to Threatfire so I wouldn't install it on their machine. I'd probably go with NIS 2010 if set up properly as I consider it to be more robust than MSE. Add some imaging / back up software, whatever your most familiar with.

 

While KeyScrambler offers some protection I would suggest another Anti-Keylogger software to prevent the screen capture keyloggers.

I suggest looking at this thread for some Anti-Keylogger ideas.

I would install as much freeware apps on this machine as you know they would be using the machine for (i.e. OpenOffice, Picasa, CDBurnerXP, Skype, etc) then run them all thru their paces adding them to Firewall and Anti-Keylogger whitelists. Make sure to do a check for updates on each app to allow them Firewall access. Then they should be able to use the PC and just deny all other Firewall and Keylogger alerts.

I suggest also using Comodo Firewall with its Defense Plus. Install it only after a fresh install of Windows and after installing all the apps they will use, then set Comodo to "Clean PC" mode for Defense Plus Security Level.

This and adding Avira Anti-Virus Personal Free edition is what I do for most family and friends PCs.

And I second the WOT, KeyScrambler, LogMeIn, OpenDNS, and FoxItReader.

And if they use online email, then make sure to configure those email links for the online email in FireFox as default app so it does not by default try to open Outlook Express.