Computer security for the stupid and lazy
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,650
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From: Chichester, UK
Computer security for the stupid and lazy
I spent a merry weekend fixing up a Win XP computer. It has broadband, but no anti-virus, no critical updates, no firewall, and a user who opens all email attachments in case they are from someone they know. Yes, even the ones with "sexy picture 4U.exe". You can guess the rest, and in the end I went for a reformat and reinstall, followed by a long time downloading updates and a trip to PC World for NIS (which is fairly dummy-proof, even if it isn't the best). Hopefully it's now idiot-proof, but bitter experience has taught me to never overestimate some users 
In the hope of avoiding this happening again, does anybody know of a "security for complete morons" ("for dummies" would be too advanced
) book, website or anything else. It needs to be for someone who is computer illiterate, lazy and has the attention-span of a Wendy's commercial. My mother-in-law. 
A tough task, but has anybody got any suggestions?
In the hope of avoiding this happening again, does anybody know of a "security for complete morons" ("for dummies" would be too advanced
) book, website or anything else. It needs to be for someone who is computer illiterate, lazy and has the attention-span of a Wendy's commercial. My mother-in-law. A tough task, but has anybody got any suggestions?
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 0
From: Geriatrica, UK
No Evo, this is where WE come in. Your tale is all too familiar and it's up to us to educate the naïve without discouraging them.
The worry is, how much damage might have been caused by having an undefended PC open to the world of Trojans etc.
Hopefully the address book would have been small and you would have got there just in time.
A book? Newspapers and Sunday supplements get closest to what I think you are looking for at the level you want.
The worry is, how much damage might have been caused by having an undefended PC open to the world of Trojans etc.
Hopefully the address book would have been small and you would have got there just in time.
A book? Newspapers and Sunday supplements get closest to what I think you are looking for at the level you want.
The Oracle
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 0
From: Naples, Florida U.S.A.
Evo,
If you have someone not tech savvy, I would do a Broadband Router. That will give the firewall protection without the need of user input.
Then with email, there is an option in OLE to disable all attachments that could have viruses.
That should be a good start along with the usual Antivirus Program and Spyware Program.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. Do not forget a little one on one teaching of Do's and Don't's will save a lot of headaches in the future.
If you have someone not tech savvy, I would do a Broadband Router. That will give the firewall protection without the need of user input.
Then with email, there is an option in OLE to disable all attachments that could have viruses.
That should be a good start along with the usual Antivirus Program and Spyware Program.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. Do not forget a little one on one teaching of Do's and Don't's will save a lot of headaches in the future.
