Computer Protection Help

[BUGKILLER]

Any suggestions for porn site blockers? My girlfriends son is 13 and I am sure surfing deep into the net. My son is twelve and with me every other weekend.I run a blocker right now that I got bundled in some type of spy sweeper and virus protection. I still find traces of adult stuff from time to time. My feeling is that the friends of our kids are getting around the blockers and covering their tracks. Some of these kids have learned programming from their parents and are light years ahead of me. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks

[Ted]

I would suggest getting a "keystroke logger". These programs record all keystrokes - so you will get their passwords, the websites visited, and some can even capture both sides of an instant message conversation. You can set them up to email you the log files so you do not have to be at the computer it is installed on to monitor their activity. It's up to you whether or not you let them know this software is installed.

Knowing what they are doing and who they are talking to is much more valuable than blocking porn sites, 'cuz all they have to do is go to another computer that isn't blocked.

[Ted]

this one is web-based and the log files are virtually real-time, which is a huge advatage over emailing (delayed until a certain size of logfile is reached).

Technology has improved since the last time I looked at these!

http://www.monitoringsoftwarereviews.org/reviews/webwatcher.html

[hschisler]

I would suggest getting a "keystroke logger". These programs record all keystrokes - so you will get their passwords, the websites visited, and some can even capture both sides of an instant message conversation. You can set them up to email you the log files so you do not have to be at the computer it is installed on to monitor their activity. It's up to you whether or not you let them know this software is installed...Many kids know how to easily circumvent these programs, too. Perhaps newer versions are more secure, but the little darlin's freely share this information with each other.

There are some very technically-literate folks here, we just need to get them to chime in -- like the guys who run this site.

[varoom]

this one is web-based and the log files are virtually real-time, which is a huge advatage over emailing (delayed until a certain size of logfile is reached).

Technology has improved since the last time I looked at these!

http://www.monitoringsoftwarereviews.org/reviews/webwatcher.html

I'm assuming the original question is based on a wintel platform...

Being carefree, err kid-free ;), I don't pay attention to the tracking s/w all that much, but I'll bet you if the kids are doing that much to cover their tracks then they probably understand things like host files, registry, etc. In the case of the a web-based tracker, all you have to do is point all of the traffic (your reports) back to the loopback (127.0.0.1) in the host file and nothing would go out :eek:.

I'm not a windoze person so I'll leave it to the gurus to chime in w/ O/S specific fixes (ie. setting up policies) but you might consider a Linux firewall and using syslog to track inbound/outbound traffic. I will say, with a little reading you can just lock-down a pc to the point where they can surf all they want but cannot delete their site history, cookies, or even open a cmd (DOS) window, etc.

Good question, can't wait to learn something from the experts.

[ksawatsky]

I agree that blockers are "circumvent-able". We are looking at using http://www.covenanteyes.com/ . This system records all the web sites visited while the user is logged in and emails the list to "accoutability partners", i.e. parent, spouse, etc. My list might go to my wife and kids. My kids' lists would go to both of us parents. My wife is the only one we trust! :) This teaches responsbility rather than "hacking" IMHO.

[Gino]

I'm all for hardware based blocking - either via the router or some sort of Linux variant.

I use the Watchguard Firebox (or SOHO) series routes that have built-in (additional license required) web-blocking based on a "category" list. I believe most modern routers (Netgear, D-link, etc.) are now including this ability out of the box, but I'm not sure on their implementation.

You can have the router "white-list" only certain sites, or try and maintain the "blacklist" (time consuming). I also have our router log (via syslog to another machine) all web page accesses - I import this into Excel (or Access) and sort by access time/visits per web site. This would give you a good indication where they're surfing and "somewhat hard" to circumvent.

But.... There's that always the "proxy lists" floating around the 'net that would help any determined teenager surf the next anonymously...

[MOSLEYDS]

Don't forget to have an honest discussion with your children about the problems with such things. Not to endorse any resource, but Focus on the Family may have some helpful material?

[BUGKILLER]

Thanks for all the input guys. We regularly have the discussions about sexuality and relationships. It is just a fast moving world and these kids are as normal and curious as kids have always been. The only thing that has change is the volume of pornography and their ability to access it so easily. I do appreciate the help.

[MOSLEYDS]

Thanks for all the input guys. We regularly have the discussions about sexuality and relationships. It is just a fast moving world and these kids are as normal and curious as kids have always been. The only thing that has change is the volume of pornography and their ability to access it so easily. I do appreciate the help.

I agree that all this is getting to be a problem. Glad my children are grow. Another thing that bugs me some is all the advertising for drugs like viagra.
Also, "The better sex" dvds, advertsed in every magazine, even Field and Stream magazine...every other page now has some sort of sex advertsment.

[hagar]

Oh, the joy of not having kids.. :D

[mkmpflugerville]

Any suggestions for porn site blockers? My girlfriends son is 13 and I am sure surfing deep into the net. My son is twelve and with me every other weekend.I run a blocker right now that I got bundled in some type of spy sweeper and virus protection. I still find traces of adult stuff from time to time. My feeling is that the friends of our kids are getting around the blockers and covering their tracks. Some of these kids have learned programming from their parents and are light years ahead of me. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks
PULL THE CABLE FROM THE WALL WHEN THEY ARE WITH YOU!!

[AndrewW]

Just was on ask.com and saw a reference to WebWatcher in this forum, thought I would jump in and offer any advice or help to you guys. Just to qualify myself, I don't own a luxury BMW, but I did have a 325is and my best friend has a GS. There's a hookup there for you- he's the CSM at Bavarian Autosport...

Anyway- I can help with your questions about the WebWatcher software if you'd like. I'm the VP and managing partner of www.webwatcherkids.com so fire away. I can tell you it's a very powerful piece of software that does go invisible once installed- no system tray, no processes, nothing. It's the only software that allows you as parents to monitor your target computer from anywhere connected to the net.

Please feel free to email me or post- I'm at your service. If you need a discount and want to check it out yourself, just ask. We want to help protect the kids, and teach parents to use things other than just monitoring or blocking software!

Andrew Wells

[dcwchfc]

One simple approach is to go to windows/temporary internet, delete all the files and the cookies.
It's the cookies that tell the sender this computer is looking at a given topic

[strsout]

The first step would be a good conversation with the kids.
Then some protection. I'm not in favor of any way that you have to 'monitor' later, since all smart teens know how to circunvent those measures.

If you have a good firewall you can start building a block for those kind of sites.
I already have a really good 'hosts' file (for windows) with about 12.500 web site that are either spammers, porno, games or other anoyances. I like this file, since it blocks those sites on all my computers.
If you want it, please PM and I can send the 'hosts' file to you.
It goes on /windows/system32/drivers/etc/ folder.