Every parent wants to protect their child from the bad influence of the outside world. The Internet carries not only a lot of useful information, but also a huge amount of negativity that can form in a child an incorrect worldview or perception of reality. There are also a lot of “adult” sites that children are strictly prohibited from viewing. Therefore, parents have a question: “How to protect their child from unnecessary sites and programs?”
Child and computer
Modern children are introduced to computers from a very early age. First, mothers teach children to watch cartoons on their own, then launch children's educational programs, so by the age of six, a child can already be an “advanced” Internet user.
At an older age, children begin to create pages on social networks, look for various information using search programs, and accidentally, or perhaps on purpose, may go to a site containing harmful or dangerous information.
A verbal prohibition is unlikely to have an effect on a child, especially since everything that is prohibited becomes several times more interesting. Parents will not be able to constantly be with the child and control his work with the computer. Therefore, he will be free to secretly visit forbidden sites in his free time from his parents.
Therefore, parents should take advantage of modern advances to protect their child from unnecessary content. For this purpose, special programs have been developed that will block access to unnecessary information.
Programs that allow you to block access to unnecessary information on your computer
Parents can ensure safe use of the Internet for their child without any special restrictions on their child’s freedom. There are several programs for this, each with its own disadvantages and advantages:
- Blue Coat K9 Web Protection. This is one of best programs new developments that allow you to block access to prohibited sites. The program works on the principle of an antivirus program. She can independently sort resources into adult, dangerous and permitted for study. Also, in the program settings, you can independently register all possible prohibitions and restrictions;
- BitTally. Such a utility program allows you to monitor the resources visited by the user and block them. The premium version of the program can be downloaded for free. The parental control option will block pornographic sites, advertising of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, as well as resources with obscene language. The program is very easy to install and use;
- Anti-porn. Such a program is freely available and can completely block all unnecessary visits. Among other things, the program is able to protect a child from gaming sites and chat rooms;
- Kaspersky Internet Security. This is the most common paid antivirus program that has a “parental control” function. Parents will have to configure the ban settings manually;
- Dr.Web. Has the same functions as the previous program. It will allow you not only to block access to harmful resources, but also to detect unnecessary content on your PC. Settings are carried out using special filters.
All of the above programs are capable of protecting a child from dangerous and harmful information on the Internet, from adult sites and paid applications. But having installed the program, you still need to monitor the child’s Internet access from time to time, because the parent program has a blocker; you can use some kind of “smart” anti-blocking system.
How to prevent access to harmful sites via phone
At home, parents can install special programs on their PC or tablet, which were described above. But now many children have phones that allow them to access any information by providing a certain amount of Internet traffic. As a result, what is not allowed at home may be allowed to be viewed at school or on the street.
With the modern development of technology, there are a huge number of programs that parents can install on their child’s phone, not only in order to limit access to certain sites and applications, but also in order to detect its location and track calls.
We offer a list of the main programs for the phone:
- SafeKiddo;
- SkyDNS
- MSpy;
- KidLogger;
- KidShell;
- PlayPad;
- KinderGate;
- Kids Place;
- Norton Family;
Each of the programs presented has certain features and performs individual tasks that will help parents carry out the function of monitoring their child via phone.
What dangers await a child on the Internet?
A child using the Internet can receive both a lot of useful and negative information. He may receive an offer to join a suicide sect or watch a video that can cause serious harm to his still unformed psyche. The following online resources can cause such a negative impact:
- Pornographic sites;
- Sites promoting war and violence;
- Websites promoting various sects;
- Websites promoting fascism and extremism;
- Advertising of alcohol and smoking, promotion of drugs;
- Websites that incite ethnic and religious hatred;
- Websites promoting youth depressive trends;
- Gaming sites;
- Sites advertising prostitution and many other resources.
It is impossible to protect a child from everything in the world. But at the moments of growing up and personality formation, parents must make every effort to limit the child’s access to similar kind information.
Forming trusting relationships with children
While a child is small, it is much easier to control him than a growing teenager. You can stuff your phone, computer and tablet with all the universal programs that provide complete control over the sites you visit.
But it will not be possible to limit his circle of contacts. The teenager will find a way and opportunity to get the information he needs, and obvious control on the part of the parents will cause a strong negative reaction.
Therefore, starting from early childhood, you need to create a trusting relationship with your child. Try to be a friend to him from early childhood, respect his interests and hobbies. Perhaps then total control will not be needed at all.
Interesting video on the topic of the article:
Oh, how many wonderful discoveries the Internet sometimes prepares for us - it is an excellent tool for relaxation, learning and communication with friends. But there is another side to it, and the last thing you want is for children to gain access to it. And even if your child is not at all or not yet interested in prohibited resources, there is always the possibility that the child will accidentally stumble upon something out of the ordinary. Therefore, experienced parents should take care of the emotional state of their offspring in advance and download a program that blocks porn sites and other unwanted content.
Whatever the child enjoys
Modern children, who grew up in the world of digital technologies, feel like fish in water when working with computers and other “cunning” devices. And, of course, His Majesty the Internet cannot ignore their attention. Children communicate on social networks, instant messengers, search for, download and exchange various information. Thus, every child can come across a resource that offers obscene information.
To create a safe Internet environment for your child, it is not enough to simply tell him which sites are prohibited from accessing. Most likely, this will produce a backlash, and a curious young user will secretly begin to look for such resources, because the forbidden fruit is so sweet. In this case, a free anti-porn program can be the most effective and useful. The beauty of it is that even if a child wants to open a prohibited resource, the program for porn sites will block it and the browser will generate an error. Similar programs for banning porn have individual characteristics and offer a wide range of possibilities.
Parental controls and more
When you need to reach a child and explain to him a simple truth: what is good and what is bad, where you can poke your nose and where you shouldn’t, educational conversations and persuasion are often a waste of time. And those children on whom such methods still have a beneficial effect can get so caught up in the World Wide Web that they forget about all the persuasions and agreements. Therefore, caring programmers have created special anti-porn programs that can protect young creatures from shocking photos, videos and other similar content on the Internet. Today, a program that blocks porn sites can become an indispensable assistant for parents who want to protect their child from the negative influence of the Internet, without limiting the child’s freedom of action. Of course, such programs are not perfect, but each of them has its own advantages. Therefore, the choice is yours.
Blue Coat K9 Web Protection
One of the best programs that allows you to restrict access to unwanted resources is Blue Coat K9 Web Protection. It works on the principle of an antivirus and has a unified database of all users on a specific server. Immediately after installation, the program is ready to fight prohibited sites. As soon as the address of an Internet resource is entered, a request is sent to an external database. The sites in this database are divided into categories, including resources for adults, sites containing elements of violence, advertising cigarettes, weapons and alcohol, sending phishing and malware.
When installing the program, you can activate the safe search function, and in a special tab you can specify sites that should always be blocked. For those who like to surf the Internet 24 hours a day, you can limit the time you spend online. The program from porn sites allows you to view a log of web activity for a certain period. That is, you can get information about the sites that were requested, their number and viewing status.
For the application to work correctly, you need a computer with Windows XP or Windows 2000 installed. Despite its functionality, the program for blocking porn sites still has some shortcomings. Firstly, the application is not Russified, and secondly, registration is required to install it.
BitTally
Here is a multifunctional program for accounting and monitoring Internet traffic. And, importantly, the full version is completely free. The user is given the opportunity to monitor visits to web pages with suspicious or unwanted content and block them. Using the “Parental Control” function, you can block visiting porn sites, online dating sites, and sites with obscene language, drug propaganda and violence. In this way, you can protect your children from accessing sites that could harm their fragile psyche while you are away from home. In addition, you can set filters and access rights to the Network in case the computer will be used by both children and, for example, guests.
The algorithm by which the software works is as follows: first, the address is searched in the software database, which contains more than 50,000 URLs of certain categories. If nothing is found there, the search is carried out according to the list of categories available for editing. If the address is not found there, the BitTally porn blocking program will analyze the context of the site and highlight its tags. Thus, it will determine how dangerous a given page may be for children. The only disadvantage of the program is the load on the processor and an overabundance of various reports.
Anti-Porn
You should trust the Anti-Porn program to fully control the content of sites that a child can open. This utility is shareware, and to appreciate all its many benefits, just download the free trial version. The utility can automatically hide prohibited sites and indecent banners. The porn site ban program works with online and offline content. It is capable of blocking not only erotic and porn content, but also chats and various games. This way, parents can limit the time their child spends on the Internet. In addition, Anti-Porn stores information about all sites visited and can provide data on the status of their viewing. The most significant drawback of the program is its paid status.
"Parental Control" function in antiviruses
Protecting children from pornography on the Internet can be ensured not only by special programs for banning porn, but also by antiviruses. Of course, they don’t have options like blocking access to sex chats or “password protection lock,” but they are quite capable of protecting children from unwanted content on the Internet. At the same time, it is worth noting that this option is present only in paid antiviruses (with the ability to download a trial version for 30 days).
Any child is already in early age begins to take an active interest in the toys his parents play with - that is, computers, laptops, tablets, etc. Often the passion for such toys, which are forbidden to a certain extent, only increases over the years. Of course, a computer opens up many useful developmental opportunities and can give your child a good start in life, but for parents, from the moment your child takes his first steps and is already able to reach the magical screen, the beeping keys and the mysterious mouse , life will turn into a complete nightmare. Young “researchers” are quite capable of destroying, almost in the blink of an eye, not only the operating system and important work documents, but at the same time the computer as a whole (here are the wires that you always want to pull, connectors that easily fail, and the system unit coupled with the monitor , which will not be difficult to drop in the heat of the game). However, the physical range of problems that can occur due to the fault of your children is a separate topic, and in this article we will limit ourselves to considering options for protecting the system and software components of a home PC.
Locking your computer
Having a small child in the family (and a big one too) is a problem, but coupled with a computer it’s a double problem. To believe that your child, even if he is just taking his first steps, will not be interested in a bright screen and tempting keyboard buttons is at least naive, and the results from accidentally pressing buttons and performing some spontaneous actions will not keep you waiting. Therefore, at the first danger from the younger generation, parents should immediately block the computer.
In principle, the built-in Windows blocking function, activated by pressing the Win+L keyboard shortcut, is quite sufficient for this - then to unlock, you just need to select your account and enter your password. You can also lock your computer by selecting the appropriate command - in Windows Vista/7 commands Block from the list of button commands Shutdown(Fig. 1). If you wish, if neither of these two methods suits you, you can create a shortcut on your desktop that is responsible for the same operation. The shortcut is created in the usual way, only in the field Specify the location of the object the command is entered rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation(Fig. 2). When finished, it wouldn’t hurt to replace the standard shortcut icon with a brighter one that would immediately catch your eye.
Rice. 1. Blocking the computer using built-in Windows tools
Rice. 2. Create a shortcut to lock your computer
It is worth noting that the keyboard and mouse are not blocked by built-in Windows tools. If this does not suit you, you will have to use third-party utilities, which are either developed by enthusiasts specifically to protect against playful children's hands and are free (including Blok), or are professional solutions for locking your computer and are offered on a commercial basis (an example is the Lock program My PC).
The Blok program is interesting for those parents who briefly allow small children near the computer to watch cartoons (you can turn on a cartoon for your child, and then activate the blocking without closing the player - Fig. 3) or, conversely, leave the computer on for some period of time unattended . Not even the most interesting cartoon will prevent a child from using the minutes of viewing in parallel to “put things in order in his own way,” since the keyboard and mouse will be within reach. As for situations where parents leave the computer turned on completely unattended, there are even more possibilities, and the consequences can be the most dire.
Rice. 3. Locking the computer without turning off the monitor
using Blok
A more reliable blocking option is provided by professional tools (such as Lock My PC), but for a home computer this may only make sense if you want to completely block your computer from your grown-up child, who, due to his excessive passion for information technology, no longer cares about his PC. is satisfied and looks lustfully at your more powerful car. Using solutions of this kind, you can lock your computer in such a way (Fig. 4) that it will be completely impossible to access any of its elements, including the keyboard, mouse and desktop. It will be impossible to view any information on it, launch applications, access files and folders (including those currently open), and even restart the computer by pressing the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Del. A normal reboot, even in safe mode or a power failure, will not remove the protection - you can only unlock the computer if you know the password.
Rice. 4. Configuring computer blocking settings in Lock My PC
Lock My PC 4.9
Developer: FSPro Labs
Distribution size: 1.6 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: http://fspro.net/downloads.html)
Price: personal license - $19.95; business license - $29.95
Lock My PC is a tool for locking a computer when the user is away. To block, just double-click on the corresponding icon in the system tray or press a special keyboard combination. It is possible to automatically block after a specified period of user inactivity. When locked, the mouse and CD/DVD drives are turned off (this will not allow you to remove CDs from them) and it becomes impossible to use the main keyboard combinations: Ctrl+Alt+Del, Alt+Tab, etc. On a locked computer, any type of screensaver can be displayed as screensavers. including self-created images in GIF, JPEG, BMP and animated GIF formats. You can unlock your computer only by knowing the user password or administrator password.
Block 4.5
Developer: Sergey Tsumarev
Distribution size: 1.33 MB
Work under control: Windows XP/7/8
Distribution method: freeware (http://remontnik-it.ucoz.com/load/0-0-0-1-20)
Price: for free
Blok is a utility for blocking the keyboard and mouse from small children with or without the function of turning off the monitor. The first option is designed to provide a PC-safe opportunity for your child to watch cartoons or exciting animated screensavers; the second is designed for situations where the computer is turned on and left unattended for some time. Blocking is not instantaneous, but with a delay of 6 seconds, which, in the case of blocking without turning off the monitor, allows the parent to switch to the player window or turn on the screensaver. Unlocking is carried out by pressing the key combination Ctrl+Alt+Del.
Freezing the system
If the child is still quite small, but has already received his own computer (for example, an old laptop), then the safest way to “freeze” the operating system is to use a “freezer” program - for example, such a recognized commercial solution as Shadow Defender, or a free utility ToolWiz Time Freeze.
Programs of this kind take a “snapshot” of almost the entire hard drive with the system partition, including the system registry, and when the computer is rebooted, the operating system returns to its original state. This automatically means that any fatal changes made on the PC by a young experimenter (changing system settings, deleting system files, dragging system folders in an unknown direction, etc.) will not be harmful to the computer. In this way, you can roll back not only unwanted changes that occurred as a result of accidental actions or user errors, but also changes to the system made by malware. At the same time, you should not perceive this kind of software products as tools for protection against malicious code, since the rollback technology used in “freezer” programs in practice does not help in all cases, in particular, it does not provide protection against rootkits. Therefore, having an antivirus solution on your computer is strictly necessary.
“Freezing” the system is a rather radical remedy, since after rebooting the computer, all changes made while working in “freeze” mode will be canceled. This is optimal when it is assumed that the younger generation, due to their young age, does not yet need to save documents, images and other data. If it is absolutely necessary to save data on your computer, you will have to worry about this in advance and include the folder for saving it among the exceptions.
It is not difficult to use “freezer” programs in practice - in the simplest version, it is enough to indicate to the utility the disk to be protected (Fig. 5) and configure the program so that the “freezing” mode is automatically turned on when the system boots. However, it is worth keeping in mind that to work in this mode, the “frozen” disk must have quite a lot of free space, since a certain area of the disk is temporarily (until a reboot) reserved for a virtual area - if there is not enough free space on the protected partition, the program may not work correctly . Another nuance is that when you exit the “freeze” mode (this may be necessary if you need to install or change something), the computer restarts - this is not entirely convenient, but tolerable if such manipulations are performed infrequently. Also, do not forget about the possibility of excluding folders (Fig. 6 and 7).
Rice. 5. Enabling disk protected mode in Shadow Defender
Rice. 6. Determining folders excluded when working in “freeze” mode in Shadow Defender
Rice. 7. Adding a folder to the exclusion list in Toolwiz Time Freeze
Shadow Defender 1.3
Developer: Shadowdefender.com
Distribution size: 2.68 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://www.shadowdefender.com/download.html)
Price:$35
Shadow Defender is a simple and effective solution for protecting your computer from unwanted changes, aimed at small businesses, educational institutions and home users. The application allows you to control the “freezing” of any of the disks, and the disk can remain in the “frozen” state after the system is rebooted. In protected mode, the system runs in the Shadow Mode virtual environment (a shadow copy that emulates the original files), and all changes made are not saved on the original partition. It is possible to exclude individual files and folders of a “frozen” disk - changes in such folders and files will be automatically saved; In addition, it is possible to exclude certain sections of the system registry from freezing. If you need to save some files or folders that are not included in the list of exceptions, while working with a “frozen” disk, just use the tools from the tab Save. For security purposes, the user is notified about the lack of free space on a “frozen” disk and access to the program is protected with a password.
Toolwiz Time Freeze 2.2
Developer: ToolWiz Software
Distribution size: 2.63 MB
Work under control: Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: freeware (http://www.toolwiz.com/downloads/)
Price: for free
Toolwiz Time Freeze is a simple program for freezing the system. The utility can be launched when Windows boots immediately in “frozen” mode; It is also possible to enable the “freeze” mode by activating the corresponding command from the menu in the system tray or from the launchpad on the desktop. Only data on the system disk is protected from changes; some folders and/or files can be added to the exclusion list to save changes to them in “freezing” mode. Access to application settings can be password protected.
Restricting access to system resources
When using a computer together with a child, it is quite difficult to use the “freezers” of the system. Why? For normal operation, you will have to turn off the “freeze” mode each time, and therefore restart the computer, and at the end of your work life, do not forget to turn on the protection, which is very tedious. Another option is also possible: configure the PC so that parents can normally work with a frozen system disk. The latter, in practice, involves painstakingly setting up a list of exclusion folders in which information should be stored. At the same time, some of the folders will still have to be protected in one way or another so that your child does not create something in fits of enthusiasm. In our opinion, the most correct thing would be not to “freeze” the system, but, if possible, to limit access to system resources, important folders and files.
The very first thing in this case is to set up a separate account for the child under which he will log into the system, and set the preferred system settings, as well as determine the right set applications. Of course, the guest profile on the computer must be disabled, and a password must be set for the administrator profile - otherwise, it will not be difficult to bypass such a lock if desired.
At the same time, it will be useful to take advantage of the parental control capabilities built into Windows 7/8 and note which programs the child is allowed to use (Fig. 8). It is worth keeping in mind that after limiting the list of available applications using built-in tools, limit access to important system operations, such as changing settings in Control Panel components (in particular, in the “System and Security”, “User Accounts and Family Safety”, “ Programs", "Network and Internet", etc.), launching the system registry, etc. may not be necessary, since all such actions will automatically be prohibited.
Rice. 8. Configuring parental control settings for a child's profile in Windows 7
You can go the other way through the group policy editor gpedit. ms block access to those components of the operating system, changes in which are most critical and can even lead to fatal consequences. In particular, it would not hurt to close access to the control panel (or hide the “System and Security”, “User Accounts and Family Safety”, “Programs”, “Network and Internet” folders, etc.) and deny access to tools for editing the system registry and using the command line, set a ban on launching a number of applications, etc. To change settings, you must log into Windows under an account with administrator rights and launch the Group Policy Editor by pressing the Windows key combination + R and entering the command gpedit.msc. Then open the thread User Configuration ® Administrative Templates and adjust the settings of interest - for example, completely deny access to the control panel (Fig. 9). Of course, “banning everything and everyone” is not always the most reasonable solution. It is much better to manually adjust the list of prohibited/allowed control panel elements, removing the most dangerous ones from it, but this is longer and more difficult, since you will need to know the so-called canonical names of control panel elements (you can find them in the MSDN Library - http://msdn .microsoft.com/).
Rice. 9. Setting a ban on launching the Control Panel in Windows
There are other ways to set restrictions on changing system data, but with the involvement of third-party applications. These can be specialized tools aimed at system administrators (for example, the affordable and relatively easy-to-use WinLock program), or utilities for setting up parental controls (Child Control, TimeBoss, etc.).
By connecting the WinLock program to your case, you can block access to important components of the operating system in a matter of seconds. Thus, it is easy to prohibit the use of the Windows registry editor, launching the control panel and booting in safe mode, prevent the ability to launch the cmd.exe console, prohibit the installation and removal of programs, deprive a child of the ability to lock the computer, etc. It may be reasonable to prohibit others (that do not have such fatal consequences, but also causing certain difficulties) operations - for example, hide screen properties, remove the “Folder Options” item from all Explorer menus, prohibit dragging objects into the Start menu, pin the taskbar and prohibit its customization, block renaming of shortcuts on the desktop and etc. (Fig. 10).
Rice. 10. Setting up locks and bans in WinLock
As for the tools for setting up parental controls, their ability to block access to operating system settings is, of course, more modest, but these solutions are of interest to those parents who want to simultaneously protect their data and establish control over the work on the computer for the younger generation. For the Russian-speaking audience, in this regard, the TimeBoss program is of greater interest (Fig. 11) - mainly due to the presence of a Russian-language interface. With its help, for example, you can easily disable the control panel and task manager, block the launch of the system registry, as well as changing the date and time, etc. The Child Control application has more impressive capabilities in terms of controlling access to Windows settings: you can prohibit the use of the command line lines, launching the system registry, opening the control panel, changing user accounts, etc. (taking into account the selected security level), and also hiding some drives (Fig. 12).
Rice. 11. Restricting access to system operations in TimeBoss
Rice. 12. Setting system restrictions using Child Control
WinLock 6.11
Developer: Crystal Office Systems
Websiteprograms: http://www.crystaloffice.com/winlock/
Distribution size: 4.96 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://www.crystaloffice.com/download.html)
Price: WinLock - $23.95; WinLock Professional - $31.95 (at Softkey.ru WinLock Professional - 450 rub.)
WinLock is a convenient tool for restricting access to important system resources and user data. The program is presented in two versions: basic WinLock and extended WinLock Professional; The basic version does not allow you to restrict access to web resources or use encryption.
The main purpose of WinLock is to configure user access restrictions to important system resources and confidential information. The program loads automatically from the OS and allows you to deny access to the system registry and control panel, disable Windows hot keys (for example, Alt+Ctrl+Del, Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Esc, etc.), hide the Start menu and block changes taskbar, etc. The utility can be used to block access to removable media (CD/DVD drives, USB devices, etc.) and hide the display of certain drives in the “My Computer” folder and in Explorer, block the launch of specific applications (for example, for security purposes you can prohibit downloading of download managers), as well as files and folders with important information. It is possible to prevent access to dubious web resources based on black and white lists (the black list is compiled by keywords) and set restrictions on the duration of the user’s work on the computer. All such settings are made taking into account the user profile and cannot be changed without knowing the password specified for the utility.
Child Control 2013
Developer: Salfeld Computer
Websiteprograms: http://salfeld.com/software/parentalcontrol
Distribution size: 23.26 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://salfeld.com/download/)
Price:$29.95
Child Control is perhaps one of the best solutions on the market for setting up parental controls, allowing you to limit access to your computer in terms of introducing a limit on both time and resources used. The program also provides detailed statistics regarding the use of system resources and visits to websites, can send generated reports to parents to a specified e-mail, and is equipped with functionality for remote control.
With the help of Child Control, it is easy for each child to clearly regulate time-based access to the computer in general and the Internet and individual programs in particular; block the use of individual applications and visits to unwanted Internet resources based on the selected security level, predefined categories, keywords, official blacklists of sites and whitelists of URLs allowed to be visited. It is possible to set the time s x limits on website categories such as videos and online games. Tools are provided to restrict access to the most important Windows system components - you can block access to the system registry, command line, control panel, date and time changer, etc. and deny access to personal folders and even individual drives. In order to protect the utility from hacking, the younger generation is provided with the use of a password to access the program and work in hidden (“Stealth”) mode.
Time Boss 3.08
Developer: Nicekit Software
Distribution size: 1.4 MB
Work under control: Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo version - http://nicekit.ru/download/timeboss.zip)
Price: Time Boss - 620 rub.; Time Boss PRO - 820 rub.
TimeBoss is a simple and convenient program for organizing parental control. The application is offered in two editions: basic Time Boss and extended Time Boss PRO. The Time Boss PRO edition additionally provides functionality for remote control within a local home network (you can change settings remotely, quickly add time, etc.) and is equipped with protection against keyloggers (to prevent a child from obtaining the password to access the program).
TimeBoss allows you to limit the time a child spends on computer activities (including in games and the Internet), determine the list of available applications (including games), impose restrictions on a number of system operations, deny access to individual folders and drives, and also regulate visits to sites when surfing the Internet. . The program provides control for all users registered in the system and therefore, if necessary, can be used to configure different options restrictions for different profiles. For security purposes, the use of a program access password, operation in hidden (“Stealth”) mode, and protection against application deletion when loading Windows in Safe mode are implemented.
Restricting access to personal folders
Using different profiles with your child, coupled with connected Windows parental controls, will in no way limit your child’s access to folders and files on the disk with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, you cannot do without additional protection. Options for setting access restrictions to important folders may vary. Most affordable way prevent children from accessing them - enable the “Hidden” attribute in the properties of the corresponding objects. Folders and files hidden in this way will not be visible in Explorer to other system users, but only if the “Do not show hidden files, folders and drives” checkbox is enabled in the properties of the parent folders containing them (Fig. 13). In principle, at first this may be quite enough to protect your data.
Rice. 13. Hiding a folder using built-in Windows tools
Using the built-in operating system tools, you can also configure access restrictions to certain folders - for example, only allow them to be viewed, which will prevent accidental deletion of important data. To do this, just right-click on a disk, folder or file in Explorer and select the command from the context menu Properties, activate tab Safety, select the child’s account, and then determine for him access rights to the selected object, setting up the required restrictions (Fig. 14). Of course, you need to configure access restrictions under an account with administrator rights.
Rice. 14. Defining folder access restrictions using built-in Windows tools
In this way, you can even completely deny access to individual folders, but the folders themselves will remain visible in the system unless the “Hidden” attribute is set on them, coupled with a ban on displaying hidden folders and files. Unfortunately, folders hidden using built-in Windows tools will be visible in file managers (FAR, Total Commander, etc.) that do not use a standard dialog to display files and folders. Therefore, such concealment is not suitable for everyone.
To organize more effective protection for those folders that you would like to keep away from the prying eyes of children, you can go the other way - use a specialized solution, such as the Free Hide Folder or Protected Folder utility. Using them to completely hide individual folders from prying eyes is as easy as shelling pears - just drag the corresponding folder from Explorer into the utility window or add this folder to the protected folder directly in the utility window (Fig. 15 and 16). Folders hidden by connecting the free utility Free Hide Folder will not be visible in Windows Explorer even if the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option is enabled, but if your child is savvy enough and you forget to disable the use of file managers in the child’s profile (FAR, Total Commander etc.), then it will not be difficult for him to bypass the protection you have installed. The commercial program Protected Folder provides a more reliable level of hiding - folders protected in it will also be invisible in file managers; access to them without knowing the master password is impossible. It is worth noting that you can protect confidential folders using the above-mentioned parental control utilities Child Control (Fig. 17) and TimeBoss.
Rice. 15. Hiding a folder in Free Hide Folder
Rice. 16. Installing protection on a folder in Protected Folder
Rice. 17. Hiding important data in Child Control
Hiding data in this way will help protect it from unauthorized access and accidental damage or deletion in many cases, although there is a chance for a young hacker to gain access to the folders if you do not take care to block the ability to boot the system from an optical drive or flash drive and set a password in the BIOS. In addition, theoretically, you can bypass the protection if you remove the disk and connect it to another computer. True, if the offspring has such qualifications, it hardly makes sense for parents to fight using software.
Protected Folder 1.2
Developer: IObit
Distribution size: 3.4 MB
Work under control: Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: shareware (demo version for 20 launches - http://ru.iobit.com/downloads/pf-setup.exe)
Price: 600 rub.
Protected Folder is a convenient program for protecting files and folders from unauthorized access by completely hiding them or restricting access to data. In terms of access restrictions, it is possible to set a read ban (the files will remain visible, but they cannot be run, copied or read) or a write ban (they cannot be moved, deleted or modified). Hidden data is invisible in Windows Explorer and file managers. Access to the program is protected by a master password. Functionality is provided for setting up exceptions - by default, a number of system folders and files are included in the list of exceptions, since restricting access to them leads to incorrect operation of the system.
Free Hide Folder 3.0
Developer: Cleanersoft Software
Distribution size: 875 KB
Work under control: Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/8
Distribution method: freeware (http://www.cleanersoft.com/download/FHFSetup.exe)
Price: for free
Free Hide Folder is a simple and compact utility for hiding personal folders. Protected folders become completely invisible to Windows Explorer even when the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option is enabled, but will be displayed in other applications, such as FAR, Total Commander, etc. Access to the program is locked with a master password.
As everyone knows very well, there are always a lot of problems with children, and if you also have a computer at home, then you definitely won’t be bored. You will probably more than master a lot of ways to secure wires, hide a system unit with valuable filling from children’s eyes, strengthen the monitor, and then move on to studying a variety of software (for example, the one discussed in the article) to limit the access of the younger generation to the computer, operating system, as well as important folders and files. However, if a real computer genius grows up in the family, then even after protecting everything and everyone, you are unlikely to be able to rest on your laurels. In this case, all you have to do is admit defeat, which may be for the best, because then it will immediately become clear that computers are your child’s true calling.
Children are the flowers of life, this is probably what everyone who dotes on these cute creatures with angelic faces say. I won’t argue with this, because everyone has their own point of view, I’ll just note that sometimes kids are not nearly as cute as they often seem. Now I mean children's pranks, which sometimes can be completely harmless and only bring a smile on the face, but sometimes such pranks can lead to quite serious troubles. To be completely precise, I would like to talk about how our beloved children can harm our equally beloved computers. The fact that our lives are no longer conceivable without computers and that many of us perform important tasks on home computers is no longer news, but just imagine: you are doing an important project that needs to be shown to your boss tomorrow morning like a monitor screen goes out and you discover that your child, thinking that it was a toy, accidentally pulled the power strip plug out of the socket. It’s great if you have an uninterruptible power supply that will save you from such troubles, but as practice shows, for many of our compatriots, this device is still a luxury and most city residents continue to use the most ordinary surge protector.
So, in this article I will try to give some fairly useful tips that will help you protect your computer from some childish pranks. Many of the following tips may seem absurd to you, but look at your five-year-old child running around the room and re-read these tips, then you will understand that they are given for a reason, and can really be of great benefit to you and your computer .
To begin with, we note that all computer problems that may occur due to the fault of your children can be divided into two types: physical and systemic. In the first case, the computer or its individual parts may suffer due to physical impact, and in the second, as a result of incorrect work with certain programs (Everest, CCleaner, WebMoney Keeper, etc.) or with the operating system itself.
Well, now, let's move on to the most important thing and consider everything precautionary measures, which will save your nerves from curious children's hands. First of all, we will look at the part of the computer that is most vulnerable to children's pranks, as everyone understands, these are the wires. As for the power cord, it is extremely important that the plug itself fits tightly into the outlet and does not dangle. For reliability, you should take tape and use it to secure the plug. Of course, it is clear to anyone that this will not stop especially agile children, but, nevertheless, it will create certain difficulties for them, and while they are trying to tear off the tape, you will probably be able to notice this. As for the remaining wires (to the modem, to the TV tuner, etc.), try to make sure that they are laid next to each other along the baseboard; again, you can wrap them with tape for reliability. By wrapping them with tape, you will immediately kill two birds with one stone: the wires will be more securely fastened, and it will look much more aesthetically pleasing than some cords scattered on the floor.
Well, if we have already figured out the wires and have some idea of how to secure them, then it’s time to move on to the actual installation of all the components of our computer. To begin with, it is worth noting that the room in which the computer is located should not be a children's room. It’s best if this is your work home office, which is locked with a key, but if your home is not so spacious, then everything is a little more complicated. It is important that the table on which the PC is installed is reliable and stable, and not shaky. It is better to place the monitor itself on the surface of the table itself, and not on stands, because this stand can play a cruel joke on you and the monitor, as a result of shaking, will simply fall. Let's not forget about the system unit either. In the case of a system unit, then, on the contrary, it is better not to place it on the floor, since it is easy to touch it not only for a child, but even for you, and then it will collapse on its side, but we don’t need that. It is better to place the system unit on a special stand, which is present in any computer desk, but it must be remembered that the stand should not be a separate structure on wheels, but integral with the table. In other words, if the body of the system unit is deliberately pushed, it will not fall, but will only tilt slightly and remain in this state without receiving any harm. Well, there are walls in the table and our body is already protected on both sides, the front side remains uncovered. In this situation, we are perhaps powerless, but if we want, we can still come up with something. For example, to completely block access to the front of the system unit, you can install a small door with a lock on the shelf on which it is located. This solution to the problem will completely relieve us of worrying about the system unit, but before doing this, think about whether you will get tired of constantly opening and closing this door. If not, and your children are very playful, then of course, but if you understand that this is not necessary, then you can do without it. So, if we have sorted out the monitor and system unit, then everything else is still unclear. First, pay attention to your mouse. If it is made of weak plastic, then run to the computer store to buy a new mouse. Ask the seller for a mouse that is shock-resistant, since you can be sure that in your absence from the computer, the poor mouse will have to survive more than one fall. It’s also better to have a spare keyboard, because don’t be surprised if you come to your workplace one day and the keyboard is covered in some kind of drink, or some keys are missing from it altogether.
Hurray, now we are installed our computer correctly, and it will be much more difficult for children to harm him, but it is still too early to relax. A few words should be said about the system unit itself. Ideally, it is better that the cover of the system unit cannot be opened without a special screwdriver, that is, the bolts on which the cover is held should not be so-called “wings”, but ordinary bolts, but it is better to tighten them too tightly, but do not overdo it, so as not to break the thread.
One more precaution wouldn’t hurt: if you like to tinker with your computer sometimes, then never do it while the kids are at home. Otherwise, you just need to be distracted for a second, and then you will watch as your child “tastes” the last working memory bar.
No less at risk disk drive. Surely many children really enjoy watching it close and open. To prevent this, decide for yourself whether you need it. If you use the drive often, then there is nothing you can do about it, but if you rarely use disks, then you can simply turn off the power to the drive and connect it only when necessary. Another button that needs to be “protected” is the button Reset. It is advisable that it be very small in size, or slightly recessed into the computer case, this will become another obstacle for your child to turn on the computer unscheduled.
That's all, finally, we tried to insure ourselves against all physical problems that may arise due to the fault of children, and now we will move on to systemic problems. Yes, yes, this is also a very important aspect, because when the children grow a little older, turning on the computer on their own will not be a problem for them. First of all, you should limit the computer load, and this is very easy to do thanks to password. The password can be set in different ways, for example through the BIOS, but this is quite difficult and not everyone is able to do it. It will be much easier to do this through the OS itself, but before you set a password, use your imagination and create a really strong password, and not a set of numbers, like “123”. – a small guide on our website.
Well, in addition to the password, it’s worth performing a few more simple steps, thanks to which you can certainly save a certain amount of your nerves and increase the longevity of the operating system. Firstly, you need remove absolutely all shortcuts from the desktop which may be potentially dangerous. What exactly we are talking about is, I think, clear: programs such as Total Commander, Auslogics Disc Defrag, Ccleaner, iTunes and many others are better hidden away in the Start menu so that they are very difficult to find. Never save important documents or files to your desktop, and always when leaving the computer for a few minutes, do not forget to press the key combination " Win+L" This action will lock the computer and you will have to enter a password to log in again.
Among the programs that, on the contrary, should be left on the desktop, you can choose the following: Paint, Winamp, Aimp. All of them are unlikely to harm the operating system, but, nevertheless, they will be able to keep children occupied for a certain time without any problems. In addition, it is better to have one or two shortcuts to some cartoon on the desktop that can keep the child occupied. Screensaver shortcuts will also not be superfluous; for example, you can leave a screensaver shortcut for an aquarium. By accidentally launching a “fish”, children will be delighted. In addition to all this, you will have to learn how to hide files and folders so that in your absence, no one can launch or delete them.
Hiding files or entire folders in Windows 7 is very easy. In any window, click: Service – Folders settings – View – . On Windows XP: Service – Folder properties – View – Don't show hidden files and folders. To set the “hidden” option for an element, proceed as follows: select the desired element, right-click on it and click “ Properties" Then you need to check the box next to the inscription “ Hidden» and press OK. That's all, now we can hide the necessary files and folders, this will help us a lot.
Do not forget that when leaving the computer, always turn off the internet, otherwise you never know what sites your children will go to.
So, we tried to consider all the problems that overly active children can cause for us and our computer. Take a close look at these tips, because you need to remember that it’s easier to prevent than to fix the problem, and don’t forget that children are our future, don’t scold them for these pranks, but rather try to explain, how to work on a computer correctly, and why it is needed at all.
A list of ten programs that will help control a child, track his calls, and also limit access to other applications was compiled by Ekaterina Cheban, product marketing manager KidLogger.net, StaffCounter.net.
1. SafeKiddo
The program offers different types content for children to watch depending on their age. You can set a ban on the Internet, applications and games for a certain time. In addition, you control the app stores and have the right to allow or deny the use of an installed application or game. Google and YouTube have a "safe search" feature. If you activate it, your child will only have access to appropriate web pages and videos. SafeKiddo works on any WiFi network - mobile, home or public. The entire monitoring process is shown to you in the form of reports on search activity and a detailed log of sites visited. There is one problem - the program does not have a Russian interface, you will have to deal with English.
2. SkyDNS
The program has a site filter from more than 50 categories. By distributing sites into these categories, you can limit your child’s access to those that are not suitable for him by age or for other reasons. You also have at your disposal statistics of sites visited, limiting the display of banners and advertising (shocking or pornographic content). A good feature of SkyDNS is blocking sites that steal money and passwords. The child will see a warning message and access to the site will be blocked. Only parents have access to the filter settings and work schedule (for example, during the day, while parents are at work, children's settings are automatically turned on, and in the evening - parental settings). There is a Russian interface.
3. MSpy
In the smartphone program you can see incoming and outgoing calls, their callers and duration. All SMS, emails and instant messenger messages, their full text and subscribers are also at your disposal. A report on your phone and Internet usage, search history, changes in your contact list and calendar, new photos and videos - all this will be visible in your MSpy account. In addition, only you allow or deny the installation of games, programs and applications, and if your phone is stolen, you can remotely block access to personal data. A very convenient feature for parents is GPS tracking of your child’s location. This program also does not support the Russian language in the interface and on the official website.
4. KidLogger
Free parental time control for Android. After installation, you set the start and end times of three periods of the day. During “school” and “evening” hours, only educational applications are allowed (include in this list what you allow to be used without restrictions). This way you can encourage children to work with useful programs. At night, after lights out, you cannot use the phone. During other periods of the day, all applications are available, except for “undesirable” ones, but their use is limited in time. If you do not want to block access to games, do not add them to any of the lists. Then they will be subject to the same time frame as everything else. KidLogger blocks “unwanted” applications, determines the child’s location, keeps track of visited sites and running programs, and most importantly, informs about how much time the child spent on a specific site or application and limits the time for games. Reports are available remotely via the Internet, and the program on the child’s phone is protected from deletion. For a completely hidden application that the phone user does not know about, there is a premium version. The Russian program interface, the official website in Russian with all installation and configuration details, and prompt Russian technical support are available.
5. KidShell
This program is somewhat different from the previous ones. It is a “sandbox” for children on your mobile device - a specially designated area for the safe use of programs. The child's account on your phone is configured to launch only approved applications. Without configured access, the child will not be able to call, write SMS, buy or launch an application. You can also block clicking on advertising links, accidental transitions to the application store, and Internet access. In addition, you can always determine how much time your child can spend with your phone. Russian-language interface is available.
6.
The program resembles KidShell. This is also a “sandbox” on a smartphone. The main screen in a child's account consists of four groups of applications: “Games”, “Development”, “Education” and “Other applications”. These groups are filled in parent mode with applications that you think are suitable. Security options include blocking calls and SMS, as well as blocking access to settings so that the child cannot change them. Among the PlayPad functions for devices owned by children, it is very useful to limit the time for using the phone per day (paid version), for using certain applications and installing programs. In the paid version, you can set the exact time frame for blocking the smartphone (for example, during lessons), track the child’s location, and set protection against accidental clicks. The program is from Russian developers, there is a Russian-language interface.
7. KinderGate
The program has a URL filter that works on the basis of a huge universal database of Internet addresses and local sources (for example, the list of prohibited addresses of the Ministry of Justice). Sites are blocked not only by addresses, but also if the texts contain words from the dictionary of prohibited words. The safety of a child on the Internet is also ensured by limiting social networks, blocking dating sites, blocking the ability to send files in instant messengers (virus protection) and detailed reports on which sites your child visits. The interface and website are available in Russian.
8. Kids Place
Another “sandbox”: you determine which applications can be accessed by them. SMS, calls, app purchases and other paid activities may be blocked. The Back, Home, Call and Search buttons are also blocked so that the child cannot call or leave Kids Place. There is an identification of incoming calls, blocking the launch of Marketplace, and also blocking the phone when overloaded. Unfortunately, the Russian version was not found.
9. Norton Family
And again functions similar to those described above. There is control of the Internet and social networks (log of visited sites, blocking of unwanted resources, control of search queries, frequency of use of social networks and data that children indicate in them). The publication of personal data from the child’s device is blocked, a request for access to a blocked site is required, a schedule for computer use is configured, and time is limited. Parents are informed about what videos their child watches and what applications they use. SMS location and tracking features work for Canada, UK and US. All settings can be controlled remotely, as well as receiving information about the child’s actions. The site can also be read in Russian, which is convenient.
10. Kaspersky
Parental controls from this manufacturer are only available as part of other products, for example, Kaspersky Total Security 2016. The control capabilities are quite wide: you can limit the time you spend on the Internet, create a list of unwanted sites (by the entire name of the site, or by part of it, by subject - “ erotica", "cruelty", etc.). You can tighten control using a “white list” of sites. In this case, the child will be able to access only those sites that are on the allowed list. You can set up a weekly schedule for using the gadget, as well as a daily limit on the computer in general and the Internet in particular. It is also possible to manage your child’s contacts on social networks, i.e. block those who, in your opinion, are unwanted interlocutors. The program is from a Russian developer; accordingly, Russian is one of the interface languages on the site.
