'History' related query

[Tortilla]

My friend has a Dell Dimension PC running XP Pro SP2.

Everytime her son uses the computer, various forms of spyware or malware
appear - she suspects it may be from porn or download sites. Her son is
savvy enough to clear the History and Temporary Internet Files after his
usage.

Is there any other way to check his Internet activity, apart from a
keylogger program? Hopefully the sites in question could then be blocked
via IE's security settings.

I'd be grateful for any assistance with this, thank you.

 

[OldGlory747]

One idea may be to secretly install google desktop. It has an indexing
program that keeps track of past viewed websites, and it cannot be
cleared (by any method I know). The downside is that indexing can be
paused for 15 minute increments, or the indexing service can be turned
off completely. The upside is that if you install google desktop, and
then delete the shortcut out of the start menu, hide the desktop bar,
and tell the taskbar tray icon to hide permanently, then he would have
to have foreknowledge of the program to disable it.

You can download google desktop here: http://desktop.google.com/

You can hide the tray icon by right clicking on the taskbar, clicking
Properties, clicking Customize, scrolling to the Google Desktop icon,
clicking the drop down menu next to it, and selecting Hide Always.

You can hide the Google Deskbar by right clicking on the taskbar, going
to toolbars, and de-selecting Google Desktop.

You can find recent history of websites by re-enabling the deskbar and
typing in keywords that one would use to find pornography. (ex. sex,
porn, hot, etc. Use your imagination)

That should help you...

Also, maybe it's not my place to judge, but teaching your children a
little self-discipline can go a long way. Changing the external will
never fix the internal...

-OldGlory747-

 

[Ghostrider]

My friend has a Dell Dimension PC running XP Pro SP2.

Everytime her son uses the computer, various forms of spyware or malware
appear - she suspects it may be from porn or download sites. Her son is
savvy enough to clear the History and Temporary Internet Files after his
usage.

Is there any other way to check his Internet activity, apart from a
keylogger program? Hopefully the sites in question could then be blocked
via IE's security settings.

I'd be grateful for any assistance with this, thank you.

Getting spyware and malware is more an issue of operating an
unprotected computer rather than errant web-surfing. And it
does not matter who has logged on to the Internet. First, get
the computer properly protected and this includes running both
anti-virus and anti-malware/spyware apps as well as a firewall.
And for improper web-surfing, children should be supervised when
they are on othe Internet.

 

[Tortilla]

One idea may be to secretly install google desktop. It has an indexing
program that keeps track of past viewed websites, and it cannot be
cleared (by any method I know). The downside is that indexing can be
paused for 15 minute increments, or the indexing service can be turned
off completely. The upside is that if you install google desktop, and
then delete the shortcut out of the start menu, hide the desktop bar,
and tell the taskbar tray icon to hide permanently, then he would have
to have foreknowledge of the program to disable it.

You can download google desktop here: http://desktop.google.com/

You can hide the tray icon by right clicking on the taskbar, clicking
Properties, clicking Customize, scrolling to the Google Desktop icon,
clicking the drop down menu next to it, and selecting Hide Always.

You can hide the Google Deskbar by right clicking on the taskbar,
going to toolbars, and de-selecting Google Desktop.

You can find recent history of websites by re-enabling the deskbar and
typing in keywords that one would use to find pornography. (ex. sex,
porn, hot, etc. Use your imagination)

That should help you...

Also, maybe it's not my place to judge, but teaching your children a
little self-discipline can go a long way. Changing the external will
never fix the internal...

-OldGlory747-

Thank you, OldGlory, I'll install the Google Desktop on my friend's
computer.

With regard to your last paragraph, the son responsible is in his twenties,
and wouldn't know self-discipline if it bit him in a tender place... blame
the parents. I'm just the idiot who fixes the damned thing time after time

 

[Tortilla]

Getting spyware and malware is more an issue of operating an
unprotected computer rather than errant web-surfing. And it
does not matter who has logged on to the Internet. First, get
the computer properly protected and this includes running both
anti-virus and anti-malware/spyware apps as well as a firewall.
And for improper web-surfing, children should be supervised when
they are on othe Internet.

Thank you, Ghostrider.

The computer has an up to date firewall, AV program and Adaware SE -
granted, no active anti-malware programs, but this may be due to the fact
I'm out of patience with the situation anyway - every other week I have to
attend to this computer. I believe the malware/spyware is not entering
'through' the back door', more likely being allowed in by the garbage the
son is downloading/installing. These are people who won't help themselves;
the son, at 23 years of age has never seen discipline in his life. Anyway,
I may install Windows Defender, and save myself alot of trouble