Mother In Law Using Computer - Programs Being Installed

F

FrostBite

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 2, 2004
Messages
1,086
My mother in law comes by and uses my computer to play Facebook games. I'm running Windows 7 and I've noticed that some wierd shit has been running on Task Manager, and programs I don't recognize under the uninstaller. I like my in laws so letting her not use the computer is not an option. In addition, the extent of her English is typing in "facebook," and username/password; her computer skills are just as bad.

What exactly can I do to prevent her from getting crap installed on my computer? I highly doubt she is installing anything on purpose. I also doubt she would know how to logout and into her own Windows account, or run VMWare so those pretty much aren't options. Thoughts?
 
Enabled UAC in strict rules and have her on a non local admin account.
 
Just setup a guest account that requires no login info. If she asks why lie to her and tell her there has been some weird crap going on and you don't want her compromised while on facebook. Not much of a lie really.
The guest account will not have any admin privileges so it should greatly limit the things she can accidentally install. I would also make sure you have a solid anti-virus/malware program in place with active filtering on max.
And obviously clean everything she installed off.
 
PoorBehavior said:
Just setup a guest account that requires no login info. If she asks why lie to her and tell her there has been some weird crap going on and you don't want her compromised while on facebook. Not much of a lie really.
The guest account will not have any admin privileges so it should greatly limit the things she can accidentally install. I would also make sure you have a solid anti-virus/malware program in place with active filtering on max.
And obviously clean everything she installed off.
Click to expand...

This. Also if you want to remotely control it RDP in or use something called Meraki Systems manager;https://meraki.cisco.com/products/systems-manager

You can kill tasks, remote in, look at what they are looking at, reboot, shut down, etc. You can see what they are doing, where the computer is if it's stolen, etc
 
My Visitor computer runs Fedora. Yep I have a computer for visistors so they don't use mine. Yes I took a lot of flak for this. This is why I now have a visitor laptop.
 
FrostBite said:
My mother in law comes by and uses my computer to play Facebook games. I'm running Windows 7 and I've noticed that some wierd shit has been running on Task Manager, and programs I don't recognize under the uninstaller. I like my in laws so letting her not use the computer is not an option. In addition, the extent of her English is typing in "facebook," and username/password; her computer skills are just as bad.

What exactly can I do to prevent her from getting crap installed on my computer? I highly doubt she is installing anything on purpose. I also doubt she would know how to logout and into her own Windows account, or run VMWare so those pretty much aren't options. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

The solution is obvious. You're not following Microsoft's recommended security practices. Start doing it, and you won't have that problem anymore.

Stop logging in with an admin account. Don't do it ever again for any reason. I don't care if you're using the computer or if your cat is using the computer...it should never be logged into an admin account. You should use a standard user account. If you need admin privileges for something, use elevation to run whatever it is under the context of your admin account. Your admin account should be password protected and used for elevation only, rather than direct logins.
 
Create a new standard User account, turn up UAC all the way. Let her use that account.
 
Just change your login password & tell her to get her own computer. Problem solved. It's a dick move, but if she's messing up your computer cut her off. I've done it. They get over it.

I don't even give my parents the admin passwords for their own computers or router. They have to call & ask me to stop by to change or install anything. Haven't had to do a drive wipe in years now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top