How can I protect myself from my girlfriend?

[FishAk]

First, let me apologize for my inability to use the editing tools here, which will make this post hard to read. IPs are banned from the country I'm in, so I must log in through a proxy- which doesn't allow things like paragraph brakes. (like would be useful right about now) I have two W7x64 computers with SP1sharing files through my router/modem (D-Link DSL 2540U). Also connected to the router, is my girlfriends W7x32 bit, also with SP1- but her setup is not part of my HomeGroup. I've set up all three computers to use AppLocker along with limited user accounts. The Admin accounts are only used when required for maintenance. Internet Explorer and Windows Media Features are all turned off, and DEP is on. Firefox with NoScript, Flashblock, Adblock, BetterPrivacy, WOT, and Force TLS is used for the web. There are two Firefox profiles on each machine. One for only trusted sites and maintenance, and one for general browsing. Sandboxie is used for the general browsing profile, and only FF is allowed access to the internet through the sandbox. Firefox is given direct control of only the relevant profile and cache folders. GOM, Irfanview, and Foobar2k handle all media. MSE and Avira handle real-time detection, and Malwarebytes is used on demand. Secunia keeps an eye out for outdated software, and Comodo is used for firewall/HIPS. Someonewhocares.org is used for the hosts file. With the exception of W7, all these programs are free, so I have protected each computer with them. All my drives have between 50 to 75 GB partitioned out to store a set of backup images. Since no data is on the OS partitions, I can keep several images that reflect a history of the OS/programs partition at different stages of development. I use TrueCrypt to encrypt the image partitions, and they are only mounted while creating or recovering an image, so it is unlikely that malware could corrupt an image without destroying it. This gives me more confidence that I will have a non-malware infested image, should I need to recover from a FUBARed OS. So, for a layman, with no technical background, I have covered all the threat vectors I know how to cover. My problem is that my girlfriend's computer is on the same side of the router as mine, and her computer is at high risk of infection. First, she uses a loader to make W7 think it's genuine. Second, she has quite a few cracked programs that she has downloaded and installed, or bought from the local market for the equivalent of 50 cents to $1. Third, I'm not willing to spend several thousand dollars to buy legit programs for her to replace the risky ones. I have told her that she is opening herself to malware by downloading and steeling software, but she doesn't have a bank account, any type of financial card, nor does she do any type of finance on her computer, so she isn't concerned about a threat. If she is part of a botnet, but her computer still functions, she is fine with that. She keeps her documents backed up to an external drive, so if she does get nailed, she can probably recover just fine, although I haven’t set her up with encrypted partitions to protect he images. But that still leaves me on the same side of a router as a potential threat machine. I do use my computer for financial transactions. I am careful to check the address bar to make sure I'm on the right site, and with an https connection, so my traffic on our LAN to trusted sites is encrypted. My question is: Am I at risk with her computer on the same wire as mine? And, if yes, how can I mitigate that risk?

 

[Jimmah]

Chuck another router on the existing and plug into that, keep her on the old one directly connected to the modem. If she gets hit, at least you'd be behind another router on a different subnet.

That is about as far as I go with security, good luck in this amusing situation you're in.

 

[FishAk]

That is a good suggestion, Jimmah, and would only be about $30 bucks. I have a single phone line coming in that branches to the phone and the modem. If I simply connect another modem to the same phone line, will there be no interference, and more importantly, will the ISP still see just a single signal from the two devices?

 

[Jimmah]

No no, I mean take a router and plug it into the existing router using the new routers WAN port. Network segregation, useful for keeping unsecured networks away from secured.

http://www.ezlan.net/shield.html

I believe it's mostly for wifi, never tried it myself but I understand how it works.

 

[some_guy]

Ubuntu Linux

All the software is free.

Peace of mind.


I have both a female friend who is very computer phobic and my mother using Ubuntu - it saves me a lot of time for both of them have been messed up with ms windows which meant work for me, and they have peace of mind and so do I. It can be a bit awkward downloading files for them but overall it is better.

Though I understand if someone isn't linuxy can't really get it to another.