Best Security Setup For Non-Geeks

My opinion:

Router (there really is no replacement for this)
Eset Smart Security
Spywareblaster
Superantispyware (on demand)
Either IE7 with IE7 Pro addon, or Firefox with adblock, noscript etc plugins

Thats it. Great protection, minimal resource impact and truly set it and forget it.

 

This is so easy, even my Mom uses LUA now. (It's also safer than running an AV in an XP admin account.)

EDIT: How's this for simple: keep updated, run as LUA, use a suite like like Norton 360 w/router.

 

Evidentily from the responses in this thread, you will need to explain your definition of 'non-geek' or 'people who have a very low knowledge of computers and computer security'.

If the peeps are true 'button clickers', who care not about learning, just clicking and being visually stimulated, then put an AV on and give them a way to back up thier data so you can wipe or ghost them in the future. They probably can do that much because they don't have to learn anything, just follow a procedure of where to put things.

If the peeps are just 'non-geeks' then you need to know are they the 'non-geek' in training or 'non-geek' and happy.

For the 'non-geek' in training they don't want to know how to hex edit a file, but they don't mind learning maybe why that file is wanting to go online, or for that matter what UDP vs TCP is. I love these kinds of 'non-geeks'. They can usually be introduced to simple programs that give some prompts as long as they can 'muddle' through the data. I have seen many of these types of 'non-geeks' use firewalls that at first they just clicked yes, but as thier curiosity perked, and they asked more questions or googled a bit, have become quite comfortable with even some of the more chatter-happy programs.

For the 'non-geek' and happy peeps, well, you are best to just give them something that is quiet. At least they learn how to properly operate thier computers, and it is easy to set up protocols and procedures with them. They just really don't want to know why a program should be blocked. It is enough for them that it is blocked. This is the ThreatFire crowd. They don't even know it's running. If it flashes up a box that says 'I just quarantined a very bad thing', they say great and continue ripping that dvd. A hard bunch to work with sometimes because they do know a lot about how to run thier computer, but are not interested in how it does that.

That is how I break down the 'non-geek'. You may do it differently, but I really do think lumping everyone into a geek or non-geek does not work in this particular topic.

Sul.

 

How is it safer? I am not disputing that, and know that it is often recommended for security. However, I have never had a security breach, and only about 3 attempts in 9 years so I have not determined that I need to use a LU account. I also have the impression that some things I would want to do or load would not be permitted with a LU account so it might be more trouble.

Thanks,
Jerry

 

@Erik, that is a difficult enterprise, you would need to banish 9094 Post outta your mind. Empty the bottle to refill it which each year on this planet this becomes a more and more difficult challenge.