Protection for elderly person

Hi again,

Next week we are purchasing a new PC for an elderly family member. This person is old and very vulnerable so we need some suggestions as to what protection is best. We definitely need protection against phising and fraud. We also need protection to lock the PC from downloads as he usually installs fake scanners and malicious activex objects.

What can you recommend?

 

- Limited user account (do not give out the admin password... )
- ClearCloud/Norton DNS/DynDNS or whatever similar to block the sites
- Browsers forced in Sandboxie.

 

Yes, I agree with the Limited Account.

As for the DNS level protection, I have only used OpenDNS so I'm not sure which DNS service is the best. OpenDNS is good but I don't have anything to compare it with. Should I just go with OpenDNS?

 

Matter of taste... There is a pretty big thread on these services already, worth reading. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=279757

I have my good reasons why not to use OpenDNS but those are not applicable for your use case.

 

id use sandboxie free, and MSE or PCA, both need next to no input.

 

Pay AV Option: Norton Internet Security 2011 (Get rid of the trial AV that comes with the PC.)

Free AV Option: Avast Free or Avira Free or MS Security Essentials (Get rid of the trial AV that comes with the PC.)

Sandboxie Paid (Web broswer(s) forced to sandbox, automatically delete sandbox contents, Drop Rights, Direct Access to bookmarks)

Site Ratings:

AVG Linkscanner (without the Security Toolbar)
WOT (Web of Trust)

Web Browser:

Firefox 4 (Adblock Plus with Easylist & MalwareDomains Subscriptions)

Other:

Limited User Account, Anti-Malware DNS (Norton or ClearCloud)

 

I set up a new computer for my 87 YO neighbor, using the W7 firewall and Avast! free. Had some problems until I password protected Avast!, since he turned out to be a porn addict. OpenDNS worked fine and kept him off some sites, and he never figured out the MVPS HOSTS file. He is ~90 now and mellowed a bit, and hasn't trashed a computer again since things were passworded. He liked IE as a browser just because he had used it before, but FF addons may help also. Current avast! has a set of shields for web traffic, websites, email that should work pretty well and is almost invisible otherwise. And LUA will aready prevent downloads/installations. It is also very helpful to use products you are familiar with, so you can answer questions and do minor troubleshooting over the phone-I did a lot of that.

 

I think the Sandboxie will be too complex for the user.

I think this should cover it....
A Limited Account
Norton Internet Security 2011
FireFox 4 with MalwareDomains Subscription
Browser Defender
ClearCloud DNS

Comodo Time Machine, Just in case :/

 

I'm assuming the O.S will be Windows 7?

This is what I'd pick, considering the target person.

User account: Limited user account
Web browser: Internet Explorer 9 or Google Chrome 10 (Pick Google Chrome if not enabling UAC - User Account Control)

URL Scanning: AVG LinkScanner 2011 Free Edition (Now the component Search-Shield also supports Google Chrome)

You may also install AdBlock Plus for Google Chrome and subscribe to Malware Domains list.

Third-party DNS Service: ClearCloud DNS

So far, whether you pick IE9 or Google Chrome, you'll have protection against malicious/phishing domains by IE9 SmartScreen/Google Safebrowsing + AVG LinkScanner + ClearCloud. You may also add WOT.

Antimalware/antivirus: Microsoft Security Essentials. Nothing better than it for such people, and it's a very decent antivirus.

Couple that with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for on-demand scans, if you'd like.

It can't go simpler than that, IMO.

Regarding Browser Defender, there's no need for it... as it's no longer under development, not to mention that if you pick Norton Internet Security suite, it already contains Norton SafeWeb... it provides the same ratings as Browser Defender.

If you decide to use IE9 instead, you may actually try to install Norton SafeWeb Lite.

 

The user does not have to do anything with properly set up Sandboxie. They only need to hit Recover button for their downloads when they download something to a location already predefined in a browser which is set up also in quick recovery. I hazard to say that everyone can master that.

 

I would recommend DefenseWall.

 

Geswall with protection on high, WOT set to block on very effective and set to block, Avast or Avira for an AV, Firefox as the browser with adblock plus extension installed.

 

or even appguard on high security level

 

i would suggest NO firewall - the computer should work smooth.
anything with popus is def too much. maybe a remote viewer
for service is recommended so you dont need to go/drive to that
person anytime.

 

- I read you will buy a new pc, so that will be with Windows 7, so you can just use the built-in firewall, also disable AutoPlay.

- Create a Standard user account for him, and keep the Administrator account credentials for yourself (or any other family member who is quite good with pc's).

- After installing the pc, create a system image with the built-in Windows Backup & Restore.

- Install an antivirus which requires no user interaction, in my eyes there are three good options, pick your favourite:
1. Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition
2. avast! Free Antivirus 6 with password protection
3. Microsoft Security Essentials

- Install the latest version of one of the following browsers, again pick your favourite:
1. Internet Explorer 9
2. Google Chrome
3. Mozilla Firefox 4

- Recommended browser settings/extension:
For IE9: make sure the SmartScreen filter is enabled, make sure it is in Protected Mode, recommended to use the EasyPrivacy Tracking Protection List
For Chrome/Firefox: recommended to install Adblock Plus and recommended to install McAfee SiteAdvisor (let it block risky websites)

 

I feel this is not the case. Try explaining a sandbox to someone age 85+ who believes all the internet is actually stored on his PC. A sandbox is pretty easy for most people but I fear this person might recover everything good and bad, or not recover anything then wonder where his downloads have gone. I'll give it a miss.

As for Browser Defender I didn't know it was no longer in development, but I did know it was part of Symantec.

 

Well, you do not need to explain anything about sandbox really - just just tell them it is how it works (you download to this location only and press this button only so that the download finishes). Recovering whetever crap into a download folder where execution is denied will do zero harm. (You can set the folder to low integrity as well so that admin will not do any harm either even when it is moved elsewhere.)

Not having a sandbox will not help to not recover anything bad, it will just hit their disk straight there, with much less protection. I have tons of users who have zero idea about what a sandbox is, they just hit the button and the download appears where it should. (You can use direct access if people are unable to hit a button but I would not recommend that.)

 

I would go with something easier.

- Limited user account. (LUA)
- Software restriction policy (SRP)
- enable built in firewall (it will do the job for a basic user with LUA and SRP enabled)
- Firefox

That's it.

 

Just Freeware:

- Returnil (IF Sandboxie is too complicated...).
- Firefox with ABP, WOT, TrackerBlock, and KeyScramble add-ons.
- avast! Free AV.

 

I'd agree if you meant HIPS. Firewall are necessary, and some are not chatty (Windows Firewall and Router for example).

 

Returnil Free on a neighbors PC,he's in his 80's ,never a complaint!

 

I must agree with the few people here.

Limited user account + some sort of basic AV.

 

LUA and avast or MSE and WOT...I don't usually recommend rating tools however in this case it may be handy.

Also liked how others have mentioned returnil that would be good! however updates and that sort of thing may cause him problems since they'll never be saved.

 

Wow. I find this thread good. Any member can use all the above suggestions here. Great work guys. You have actually given me some ideas when I get a laptop for my uncle next month. Checked out a few earlier.

@sded;

Seems my uncle and your friend are in the same league..(LXPA --League of Extraordinary Porn Addict..ha ha lol just joking..)