I need to block AOL

[tgray]

Can anyone tell me how to block anything that has to do with AOL or AIM. My emplorer's step-daughter loves to use AOL & AIM messenger, however any time that she uses it the computer that she is on ends up loaded up with trojans(caught and quarrantined thankfully) and spyware. Then I spend two hours just cleaning up the mess. She has figured out how to go around everything that I have put on both her mom and stepdads computers here at work and on their system at home. I have blocked URL's and setup site filters. We even passworded a few things and she keeps getting in. I tell you she is good. So if anybody has any ideas I would sure like to hear them.

Thanks
Tim

[nubbler]

Originally Posted by tgray Can anyone tell me how to block anything that has to do with AOL or AIM. My emplorer's step-daughter loves to use AOL & AIM messenger, however any time that she uses it the computer that she is on ends up loaded up with trojans(caught and quarrantined thankfully) and spyware. Then I spend two hours just cleaning up the mess. She has figured out how to go around everything that I have put on both her mom and stepdads computers here at work and on their system at home. I have blocked URL's and setup site filters. We even passworded a few things and she keeps getting in. I tell you she is good. So if anybody has any ideas I would sure like to hear them. Thanks Tim

Do you have a router? If so you can usually block domains, and can be passworded. Dunno if this is what you're looking for, that is the only thing on the top of my head right now. Router might be able to be reseted, but not sure and if she doesn't know its blocked by the router..
I dunno, I'll get back to you if I think of anything else.

[tgray]

Thanks Nubbler. I'll check on that. I know that they don't havea router at home, but we do use one here in the office. Unfortunately, all our pc's here are stand alone systems. No network setup (i'm working on that though). So I'm not sure it will work here either. But I'm not giving up. She is not going to beat me.....I hope

[jon_e_33]

Does she have to use the computers? Can she use them at home and not at the office? Is she supposed to be doing homework on the computers at the office or something? Could you just tell her that she can't use the computer, or not use the internet?

You could set her up with a guest account in windows that has limited access, and then I believe that you can prevent certain programs from running... Not sure though, because I haven't had to use guest accounts often. I think that you can also block internet in this way.

Also, you could install a blocking software that would prevent her from getting to certain sites, and if you install it under the admin account, then she should not be able to change it from a guest account.

Hope that helps...

[tgray]

She is supposed to be doing homework, however the teachers is our area think all homework should be online(go figure), so we can't take her off the net. Also, we are running Win2000 here, so no guest session. She learned how to by pass the limits on the pc w/XP at home, so no luck there either. The more check out, the more that I think a blocking software is going to be the way to go for the home PC. And then ban her from the PC's here or at least use the blocking software if it doesn't block more than needed.

Thanks for everybodys help. It confirmed what I was already thinking I would have to do.

[rjfvillarosa]

Why not get her a laptop on the proviso that she does not use any other of the families computers, you can then show her how to keep it clean. It is not going to solve the problem of the spyware and whatever but at least it might contain the spyware with the laptop, and provide some damage limitation to the other machines. Maybe after cleaning out the laptop a few times it will teach her to be a little more wary when surfing around the net. I do sympathise with you, I have a similar problem with my daughter, she gets all the garbage downloaded when she visits the teen sites. Fortunately it is only her computer that gets infected.

[nubbler]

Did you try using HOSTS file yet? More info here

And then you might be able to block access to it from her account


EDIT: Even more info here

[tgray]

Thanks Nubbler, I will file those sites for future reference.I may need them later. I spoke to her stepdad and explained what I had found out and we were both in agreement that she will not be allowed on any more of the office systems(thank goodness) and he feels that maybe a couple of weeks restriction from home use will help also.(finally, he's being a parent) If he holds to it my life at least will be quieter. I have three teenagers myself and can understand kids will be kids, but my kids know that their life is in jepardy if they don't follow the rules for my system.

I guess that we can close this thread for now(i'm now sure how though). I have saved the links and information everyone so kindly passed to me. Maybe I can pass them on to someone else who needs the help.

Thanks for all
Tim

[nubbler]

No problem.

I don't know how to close threads. Not sure if you can.

[glc]

We don't close threads without an administrative reason. Just because the issue has been solved is not an administrative reason.

[RayH]

Other people may have the same issue. But because of what the daughter is doing is an EXCELLENT reason to have a disk imaging program (Ghost, Drive Image or Acronis).

Make an image before she plays and restore after she goes. It ends a lot of hassle. It really does.

[Bacon Diet]

Originally Posted by RayH a disk imaging program (Ghost, Drive Image or Acronis). .

DeepFreeze willl save you a few headaches:
http://www.faronics.com/html/product.asp

hosts file will not stop her from resolving to IP any of the many many AOL IM servers. Port filtering won't help much as they respond to any port. If she's a wildly disobediant child spyware is the least of your problems.



edit:

While not the most appropriate solution for an office computer you might want to explore SSM (System Safety Monitor):

http://maxcomputing.narod.ru/ssme.html?lang=en

is an application-firewalling tool (it is not a 'firewall' in traditional understanding, so there shouldn't be any conflicts with your network firewalls). SSM controls which programs are running on your computer and what they are doing. For example, SSM can prevent so called 'DLL Injection'. Also, SSM will notify you whenever a program you want to start was modified. In addittion, SSM can constantly check your registry and alert you, when an important modification was made. "Features: Allows you to control which programs and applications can be opened on your computer; Offers a choice of two modes - User and Administrator; In Administrator mode you can set your preferences to control programs - Access to this mode can be protected with an encrypted password to prevent anyone changing your settings; In User mode no changes can be made to your settings. Supervises changes to important registry keys when installing new programs; Will block or alert on any attempt to change guarded registry keys; Allows you to control which programs run at system startup; Maintains a list of running applications and allows you to terminate any application immediately; Maintains a list of Black-Listed (banned) and Trusted (allowed) programs and applications - These lists can be easily edited; Allows you to block specific windows (including websites) from opening; Can be set to run automatically on system startup."