Virus Problems with parents

[KeypoX]

My parents seem to have more virus problems then anyone i have ever met. It started a little over a year ago. Before that i didnt really "believe" in virus's because i have never and still never gotten one, or at least havent felt the effects of one.


Ok so the problem is they keep crashing their computer to the point that either it will not even load windows or their internet will not work. They live far away as i am off for college.

They say they are not going to porn sites or anything crazy. I think its possible something pops up and says your computer is infected click here to fix type of thing. I know that happen once.

I have them running avg free and adaware. And somehow some way there computer keeps getting screwed. Could it be because they run a old processor athlon xp 2500??? I was thinking maybe the virus protection built into the processor of newer processors could block. I have never had a virus and have no experience with them. What should i do to help them? Maybe use Nod32? Would that stop them from installing virus?

 

[mechBgon]

Here is my plan: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/security2.html

For the antivirus software, if they are not using the computer for business/commercial use, then use the free AOL Kaspersky (the link is on the page above). Make sure to configure the antivirus software as shown.

You can also have Kaspersky antivirus arbitrarily delete bad filetypes in emails, such as .EXE files. This will kill email worms even if they're so new that there aren't virus definitions for them yet.

Instructions:

1) once you have Kaspersky antivirus installed, right-click its tray icon and choose Settings to open the Settings panel.

2) in Settings, click on Mail Anti-Virus and then click the Customize button on the right. A new panel opens.

3) on the new panel, click the File types... button. Another panel opens.

4) on this last panel, checkmark all the filetypes from bottom to top, then uncheck the ones you know you want to allow, such as .JPG for photos, etc.

5) also hit the ADD button and add the ZIP filetype, and block ZIP files too, unless you know they definitely need to receive ZIP files. Many, many email worms use ZIP files as their delivery vehicle.


Hope that helps

 

[mugs]

One thing I have done for my brother and my mother-in-law that has dramatically reduced their malware issues is I set them up with limited user accounts, and they're only allowed to use the administrator account if they need to install something that they trust. That helps prevent them from accidentally installing something malicious.

 

[ForumMaster]

what do they do? if the only thing they do on their computer is read email and surf the web, burn a linux live cd and keep it in the CD bay at all times. set the bios to boot from cd. everytime they reboot, it goes back to what it was. they can't ruin that.

 

[mc866]

For an over the top solution you could take a look at Deep Freeze, I have a client using it and he loves it.


http://www.faronics.com/html/deepfreeze.asp

 

[KeypoX]

ok pretty good options ... not sure what they do lol thats the problem. I dont think they could use linux though they would get pretty dumbfounded with it i believe


problem with deep freeze is that you can't save stuff, like emails, files and such?

 

[mulletgut]

Tell Mum and Dad to stop downloading p0rn.......

 

[Medea]

Put HOSTS on their computer. That'll block their ability to go to sites known to install malware on the fly, sites that have malware links, etc. It needs to be updated periodically to add more sites.
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

If they use IE, install Spywareblaster. It doesn't scan but blocks the popular spyware ActiveX controls and also prevents the installation of any of them via a webpage. Update it periodically.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

If they have a POP3 server, then try a filter like Mailwasher Free. They can delete the email they don't want before downloading it to their hard drive.

 

[Lemon law]

To KeypoX,

First discard the notion that a faster processor would help. If they have winxp home they can't use a full software restriction policy. But the main biggie is that you 100% know that avg free, just is not up to the job.---results alone tell you that. And a active AV with better detection rate is now mandated.

But the first question you should be asking is why your parents are getting all these viruses? And screw up their computer at the speed of light. Probably the #1 virus risks involve Music downloads and associated behaviors---followed by porn. And if they are doing neither----I am putting most of my money on betting they get it through contaminated E-mails and their attachments like cool little video clips.---you fix their computer---and the same friend who e-mailed them viruses before strikes again.---either knowingly or unwittingly. Do you even have e-mail filtering enabled in avg?----and some isp's will also scan your e-mails for viruses before they send it out.

But there are a plethora of links on how to set up a layered defense against malware---which would consist of a good firewall, a very good AV, a heftier set of malware scanners,
safer surfing practices like using anything other than IE as a browser, a possible software restriction policy, using things like host files, and the list goes on and on. And last but not least,
some sort of process control which is a last ditch defense---where even a semi aware person is given a chance to allow or disallow programs from installing. And if the malware can't install, it can't infect. More educated users can use something like sandboxie---and set up a virtual PC that becomes a throwaway if it ever gets compromised.

But if you can't get an effective defense set up before you depart to college---your parents are going to be doomed in the computer department.---and you also better make sure your parents know to update all anti-malware software and apply all windows updates.

 

[BladeVenom]

Originally posted by: KeypoX
They say they are not going to porn sites or anything crazy.

Your dad goes to porn sites. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but he's also sleeping with your mom.