How would you secure two 'average' computer users?

I know many of us who frequent security forums like to tinker with security software, but I was wondering about a more practical application of our knowledge.

How would you help make secure two average computer users?

• User 1: Average grandparent
• User 2: Average college student

You have two goals:

1. Make them relatively secure.
2. Not have to provide them with constant or ongoing tech support for your security solutions.

You can use free or paid solutions, specific solutions (e.g., NOD32, Outpost Pro, Linux, etc.), or general solutions (e.g., NAT router, good AV, etc.).

 

Setup PC tools firewall and PowerShadow.

Firefox with noscript extension.

Partition the drive to suit.

Have the computer boot straight into shadow mode and show them how to save anything they want to keep to the partition, thumb drive or cd.

Of course nothing will stick upon reboot, including windows updates so I just turn updates off till the next time I get around and do these out of shadow mode.

 

Choose Windows Firewall .It is the onliest that will not ask for anything.It just works and blocks the intruders . No user intervention but excellent protection.

If you want to pay , make him buy NOD32 and configure it ~as per Blackspear's settings~ (as he likes it) . Tell him how to use some antispyware tool (scan periodically) , such as Spybot S&D.

Configure Windows Update (Automatic update) to Every Thursday at some time (as he likes it) so that this ensures his PC has the updates . I wouldn't use Microsoft Update (not Windows Update) because Microsoft update made me only problems and is much slower

Well , may be Firefox (v2) with Site Advisor and if he wants - a NAT router

 

Hello,
Either Win XP Pro SP2 with Group Policies tweaked, a firewall or Ubuntu.
Mrk

 

User #1 Windows 98se.

 

For the college student, I might do what HiTech_boy says followed by a lecture on safe computing practices. I’m not sure how restrictive I would make the students system because when I was attending ASU I had to save tons of docs/files and install many “required” programs for class projects/assignments. I even had trouble when I first started using look’n’stop at my university due to the enhanced ruleset dropping my wireless connection every 10 mins.

 

HiTech_boy already said it, WF + NOD32 (configured to delete not to ask) + WU auto + FF.

 

Same as previous poster, but Internet Explorer 7 (just for ease) in stead of firefox with DefenseWall (paid) for the grand parents and FF+ DefenseWall for the student

 

Hi InfinityAZ,

With this PC I knew that my wife and kids would not even bother with taking care of security. So after a lot of thought I choose this as a reletively simple setup that at least has a layer of defense.

1. Win XP Firewall
2. AOL AVS (It updates quietly, and it has spyware definitions)
3. BoClean as an unobtrusive second layer

 

Like most computer hobbyists, I am the de facto IT department for a circle of family and friends, all of whom are extremely tech-challenged. Here are a few things that have proved successful in that context.

Windows Firewall + an inexpensive wired router:
Windows firewall is fine; my guys can't answer pop quizzes from security programs anyway. The router gives a second layer of firewall. The router-firewall is hard to disable while maintaining an Internet connection -- thinking particularly of user action here, and interfering friends of the user.

An email service provider that scans for viruses:
My favourite uses Symantec. This gives a second layer of anti-virus. It "outsources" some responsibility -- the user can't fail to update this AV and can't disable it (except by changing providers, which won't happen). It's been trouble-free for five users over two years. Perhaps all providers are doing this now.

avast home edition:
I love this thing. In three years of use, it's been trouble-free, except for false positives on AutoIt scripts. The updater has been deadly reliable, and easy. One of my group is a blind casual user, and even he does manual program upgrades with avast.

Firefox and Opera:
Without NoScript -- my guys couldn't handle NoScript.

 

I'm using Avast free and it has 5 options to 'Alert' somebody via email, icq, etc. This way you would be notified if either of them get a virus. I'm sure other programs have this option too.