How to limit computer time: a usurping method for naughty children and weak-willed adults. Programs to restrict access to files and OS settings
Despite the fact that Windows includes tools for restricting access, in practice it turns out that they are not very convenient, and in the most ordinary situations. It is enough to mention such simple examples as setting a password for a directory or prohibiting opening the Control Panel.
It can be noted that in Windows 8, compared to its predecessor Windows 7, parental controls have been improved. It is currently available in the Family Safety section of the Control Panel. The filter has the following capabilities:
- Filtering website visits
- Time limits
- Windows Store and game restrictions
- Application restrictions
- View user activity statistics
From the above it is clear that even these functions will help the computer administrator solve many specific issues. Therefore, below we will talk about small programs that allow you to restrict access to information and system partitions in addition to standard Windows OS management tools.
License: Shareware ($69)
The Security Administrator program resembles a typical system tweaker, but with an emphasis on system security. Each option is responsible for certain limitation, that’s why the general settings tree is called “Restrictions”. It is divided into 2 sections: Common Restrictions and User Restrictions.
The first section contains parameters and subsections that apply to all users of the system. These include loading and logging into the system, network, Explorer, the Internet itself, system, Control Panel and others. Conventionally, they can be divided into restrictions on online and offline access, but the developers did not consider a particularly complex breakdown of tabs. In fact, it is enough that each “tweak” has a description: what effect this or that option has on security.
In the second section, User Restrictions, you can configure access for each Windows user individually. The list of restrictions includes Control Panel sections, interface elements, buttons, hotkeys, removable media, etc.
It is possible to export settings to a separate file so that it can be applied, for example, to other system configurations. The program has a built-in agent to monitor user activity. Log files will help the administrator monitor potentially dangerous user actions and make appropriate decisions. Access to the Security Administrator can be protected with a password - in the programs discussed below this option is also available de facto.
Among the disadvantages is a small list of programs for which restrictions can be applied: Media Player, MS Office, etc. There are many more popular and potentially dangerous applications. The lack of an up-to-date version and localization for Windows 8 complicates the work - this is exactly the option when it is difficult to do without basic knowledge of English.
Thus, the program is designed both to restrict access and to flexibly configure OS security settings.
License: trialware ($23.95)
WinLock does not distribute settings into general and user settings; instead, there are sections “General”, “System”, “Internet”. In total, there are fewer features than Security Administrator offers, but this logic makes working with the program more convenient.
TO system settings These include restrictions on elements of the Desktop, Explorer, Start menu, and the like. You can also set a ban on certain hot keys and various menus. If you are only interested in these aspects of restrictions, see the Deskman program below.
The limitations of Internet functions are presented very superficially. They replace one of the components of Family Safety: blocking access to sites. Of course, any firewall in this regard will be the optimal solution. The lack of the ability to at least set a mask for web sites makes this section of WinLock of little importance for an experienced user.
In addition to the above sections, mention should be made of “Access”, where application management is available. Any program can be easily blacklisted by name or by manual addition.
In the “Files” and “Folders” sections you can place data that you want to hide from other users. Perhaps there is not enough password protection for access (for this you need to turn to the help of other programs, see below).
License: freeware
WinGuard can be used to block applications and Windows partitions, as well as for data encryption. The program is distributed in two editions - free and Advanced. Functional differences There are not many between them - several options in the “Advanced” tab of the same name. Among them is shutdown Internet Explorer, Explorer, installation process, writing files to USB.
Control over the launch of applications is carried out in the “Task Lock” tab. If the desired program is not in the list, you can add it yourself by indicating the name in the header or selecting from the list of open ones in this moment applications (similar to WinLock). If we compare the blocking function with Security Administrator, in the case of WinGuard you can disable restrictions for the administrator account. However, you cannot configure an application blacklist on a per-user basis.
Encryption is available through the Encryption section. The user interface is implemented inconveniently: you cannot create a list for processing, no context menu. All you need to do is specify the directory, which will be both the source and destination. All contained files will be encrypted with 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Decryption is done in the same way.
Thus, the functionality is quite poor, even if we take into account the paid version.
License: shareware ($34.95)
Another program for AES data encryption, and yet the difference from WinGuard is quite noticeable.
Firstly, selecting files for encryption is faster. There is no need to select each folder separately, just make a list of directories and files. When adding Advanced Folder Encryption, it requires you to set an encryption password.
You, the program does not allow you to specify the protection method; instead, you can select the Norman, High or Highest method.
The second convenient point is encryption through the context menu and decryption of files with one click. You need to understand that without Advanced Folder Encryption installed, the data cannot be viewed even if you know the password. This is in contrast to archivers, which can be used to pack files into an encrypted and accessible exe archive everywhere.
When selecting a large number of files for encryption, as noted, the cancel button does not work. Therefore, you need to be careful not to end up with a broken file.
License: trialware (€39)
A program for restricting access to interface elements and system sections. Perhaps, here it is appropriate to compare it with Security Administrator, with the difference that Deskman is more concentrated on the Desktop. System options are also present, but this is rather something that did not fit in other sections: disabling restart buttons, Control Panel and other mixed options.
In the Input section - disable hot keys, function buttons and mouse functions. In addition to the existing list, you can define keyboard shortcuts yourself.
An interesting option is Freeze, which is available on the toolbar. By clicking it, a “white list” of applications running at the moment is formed. Accordingly, programs not included in the whitelist are unavailable until the Freeze function is disabled.
Another opportunity associated with already online is secure web surfing. The essence of the “protected” method is that only those pages that contain certain keywords in the title will be accessible. This function can only be called experimental. In addition, the emphasis is on Internet Explorer, which is certainly standard browser, but clearly not the only one.
It should be noted that the program is convenient to manage. To apply all the established restrictions, just press the “Secure” button on the panel, or the boss key to remove restrictions. The second point is supported remote access to the program via the web interface. After preset it is available at http://localhost:2288/deskman as a control panel. This allows you to monitor user activity (view logs), run programs, restart the computer/logout - both on one and on several machines.
Password for Drive (Secure NTFS)
License: shareware ($21)
The program only works with file NTFS system and uses its capabilities to store information in a hidden area.
To create a vault, you must run Password for Drive with administrator rights and select the drive to create the vault. The files can then be copied to the protected area using a virtual disk. Administrator rights are not required to access data from another computer.
You can also use removable media as storage. To do this, you first need to format the disk, for example, using standard Windows tools, in NTFS and install Password for Drive in the portable edition.
The program does not have an intuitive and user-friendly interface; in fact, control is carried out by a minimal set of buttons - “Open” / “Delete storage” and “Activate disk”. In demo mode, it is only possible to test the functionality of the program, since the number of storage opens is limited to one hundred.
License: shareware ($19.95)
The program is designed to install password data on removable media.
Unlike Secure NTFS, the setup dialog is much more intuitive, thanks to the setup wizard. So, to apply protection, you need to connect the device to your computer, select it in the list and follow the installation wizard. After this procedure, the user receives a password-protected disk at his disposal. To unlock, just run the exe file in the root of the disk and enter the password.
When opened, an encrypted disk is available as virtual disk, with which you can perform the same operations as with the original one. Do not forget that on computers where running third party programs(not on the white list), access to the content will be denied.
You can also download other programs for data protection on the developers’ website, including:
- Shared Folder Protector - protect files within the network;
- Folder Protector - protects files on removable media.
License: freeware
A small utility that allows you to control user access to the Registry and files, and find vulnerabilities in granted rights. In other words, the program will be useful if the access rights are set using Windows.
The convenience of the utility lies in the fact that the OS simply does not provide tools for viewing access rights to directories in the form of a detailed list. In addition to files, you can also check access to registry branches.
To check access rights, you must specify the directory or Registry section to scan and begin the scanning process. The results are displayed in the form of “Read”/”Write”/”Deny” columns corresponding to the addresses. You can access the properties of each list element through the context menu.
The program works under all operating systems of the Windows NT family.
Summary
The utilities discussed in the review can be used in addition to the basic Windows tools, comprehensively and in addition to each other. They cannot be classified as “parental controls”: some functions are somewhat similar, but for the most part they are not the same.
And - utilities-tweakers of security settings, which can also be used to disable Desktop elements, system partitions, etc. WinLock, in addition, has a built-in Internet filter and the ability to block files and folders.
The functions include restricting access to the interface (superior in flexibility), application launch control, and Internet filter.
Combines the functions of an encryptor and a restrictor of access to programs and devices. It makes sense to consider it as a replacement for WinGuard in terms of encryption.
And they restrict access to data on removable media.
A free, convenient shell for checking user access rights to files and the Registry.
Thanks to the p function parental controls in Windows 7 You can set restrictions on the use of PCs by children and increase their safety while on the Internet, without having to control their every action yourself.
The advantages of this for modern parents are simply invaluable, because regulating the use of a computer by children is a very, very useful thing. For example, you can limit children's access to the Internet, set the time when they are allowed to use the computer, determine which games and programs they can use and which they cannot.When access to a website, game or program is blocked by parental controls, a notification will appear that these actions are blocked. The child can click a link in the notification itself to request permission to access the website or program. You will be able to allow access by entering your account information. In addition, thanks to parental controls in the composition Windows Media Center, you can block access to watching movies and shows. A useful thing, you must agree!
However, before setting up the function parental controls You need to make sure that the accounts of all children for whom parental controls are set have standard accounts, because parental controls can only be applied to standard accounts. In order to configure the parental control function, you must have administrator rights to this computer. Parental controls will not apply to account with administrator rights for this PC.
In order to enable such a useful parental control feature, you must do the following:
1. Having opened the “Start” menu, go to the “Control Panel” that we are familiar with and find there the item “Set up parental controls for all users” or simply “Parental controls”. If you are prompted to enter and confirm your administrator password, follow these steps.
2. Select the account for which you want to enable control. I remind you once again that it must be with normal access.
4. After enabling parental controls, you can configure all other settings:
— Time limit. Thanks to this function, you can limit the time during which children can log into the system. This will not allow children to log in to the system for a certain time, and if they have already logged in, they will log out automatically. Installable access hours extensions can be set for each week. The time limit is configured in the window with the table.
The example indicates that access to the recording is possible from Monday to Friday in the interval from 12 to 14 hours and from 19 to 21. There are no restrictions on weekends.
— Limitation on games. With this function, you can control access to games, select age ratings, types of content that are subject to blocking, and block or allow access to certain games that are not rated.
The “No” clause will ban all games (I think this is too cruel).
A window that will allow you to block games based on their content type. In this case, games up to the category designated T will be available, all games of categories M and Ao are blocked.
Prohibiting and allowing games is just as simple: for each game, select allow, deny, or define access to one or another game.
— Restriction on access of individual programs. Here you can freely prohibit the use of individual programs. With this menu, I think there won’t be any particular questions.
— Restrictions on Internet use. In this menu, you can limit the range of websites that are accessible to children so that they can visit only those websites that are appropriate for their age, set permission or prohibition for downloading and installing files, determine what kind of content filters should block or skip it. You can block or allow access to certain websites.As practice shows, the fewer users have access to a particular computer, the longer the system remains operational on it and the greater the likelihood that folders and files will be safe and sound. It is best if the computer has only one user. Alas, in reality this is not always the case: at work you have to let other employees use your computer, at home quite often the same computer is used by all family members, and in public places (in particular, in educational institutions and computer clubs) the number of computer users in general may be very large.
About the need to restrict access
It is quite clear that usually neither colleagues nor family members want to harm your computer, but if they belong to the category of novice users, then problems cannot be avoided. And the younger generation in educational institutions usually does not set themselves the goal of disabling the computer and destroying the information stored on it - they are simply actively experimenting, without thinking about what consequences certain actions may lead to.
As a result, computers inevitably experience certain problems in the operation of individual applications or the operating system. This is not surprising, because it is quite accidental (simply through carelessness or during an experiment) to remove, for example, a monitor driver - and the image on the screen will become less attractive, remove a printer - and printing documents will be impossible, change network settings - and the computer will stop working in the local networks, etc. And this is not the worst option - accidentally deleting a number of system folders and files can lead to complete inoperability of the operating system, so it will have to be reinstalled. And the destruction of important working documents can have even more dire consequences - it is possible that they will not be restored in full and part of the work (or even all of it) will have to be done again. In addition, one cannot discount the fact that if your personal or corporate materials are of any commercial value, attackers may want to use them.
Thus, the issue of restricting access to a computer, its individual devices, as well as the data stored on it is, to one degree or another, relevant for everyone computer users without exception. It’s just that for some (administrators, teachers in computer classes, home users with children), the tasks of blocking access to operating system settings and protecting files and folders of the operating system and installed applications, and for others (this includes administrators, specialists in computer security departments and teachers, who in our country, along with teaching activities, are often also forced to ensure the functionality of the computers under their control), it is more important to block access to various devices(USB, CD/DVD, FireWire, etc.). There are three reasons for the need to block access to devices: firstly, it is on such devices that insiders often steal confidential information from companies; secondly, through these devices viruses and Trojan programs often enter the computer; thirdly, with removable media various programs are installed, which is desirable to prevent - otherwise on the computer, for example in educational institution, in a week so many toys will be installed that there will simply be no room left for other applications.
Many office workers are interested in completely blocking access to a computer that is turned on in the absence of a legitimate user. The need for such protection in the office is very urgent, because even if you have your own computer, the user cannot be near it all the time, and there are often situations when the computer is turned on and left unattended, which can be taken advantage of by other employees interested in your materials.
Another group of users (this includes all office workers and home users) is concerned about the protection of personal data to prevent its damage, deletion or leakage. The problem of protecting personal folders and files inevitably arises when several people work at the computer. This can be at home, when you need to protect other family members (for example, a child) from information not intended for them, and at work, where even if each user has their own computer, situations are possible when another employee needs to perform some tasks on your computer. operations. In both cases, there is no need to show your work materials to outsiders, and not at all because they are classified as “top secret.” Everything is much simpler: no one likes interference from outsiders in their affairs. In addition, by blocking access to your folders and files, you don’t have to worry that something will happen to them due to the fault of another (insufficiently prepared) user or they will be used illegally, which, unfortunately, is quite possible if the materials are of commercial value.
In general, the issue of reasonable access restriction is very complex and multifaceted, and without suitable applications it is impossible to solve it. This article is devoted to such applications.
Programs for restricting access
The range of access restriction applications offered on the market is quite wide and covers a variety of software products. Some of them block access to operating system settings, others allow you to control access to various devices, others completely block the computer in the absence of the user, and others ensure the hiding of personal data. Often these capabilities are combined in one or another combination, which is quite understandable, because many users need to restrict access in several directions at once in order to solve the problems they face.
Blocking access to operating system settings and system data
Built-in Windows tools allow you to impose some restrictions on user access to operating system settings and system data by controlling local politics security (Control Panel=>Administration=>Local Security Policy). In particular, you can prohibit changing the account password and installing printer drivers, limit the list of applications allowed for use, etc., but the list of restricted parameters is small.
At the same time, in practice, to ensure stable operation of the system, quite often it is necessary to further limit the capabilities of users, which can only be done with the help of highly specialized utilities designed to control access to the computer. As an example, we will look at the Security Administrator, WinLock, Deskman and My Simple Desktop programs. The most interesting of them is the Security Administrator utility, which allows you to restrict access to all important system settings and is aimed at system administrators. The My Simple Desktop program has the least functionality, but it is free for personal use and has quite sufficient capabilities for some home users, and you can master it in a matter of seconds.
Security Administrator 12.0
Developer: Getfreefile
Distribution size: 1.85 MB
Work under control: Windows 9x/Me/NT 4/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Distribution method http://www.softheap.com/download/secagent.zip)
Price: $69
Security Administrator is a professional solution for managing access to a computer, allowing you to restrict access to the computer and all its important settings (Fig. 1) both in general and for individual users. It is also possible to completely block a switched-on PC in the absence of a user. In addition to setting restrictions, the utility can be used to control the work of users on the computer, since it keeps statistics on the use of the local network, the Internet, etc.
Rice. 1. Restricting access to system settings and hiding drives
in Security AdministratorThis solution is useful for setting a wide range of access restrictions. With its help, it is easy to restrict access to desktop settings (prohibit changing display properties, hide certain icons, etc.) and disable some Start menu items, hide the taskbar (entirely or only individual elements). And also prohibit the installation/uninstallation of applications and limit the capabilities of users when working on the Internet: prohibit changes Internet settings Explorer, downloading files, accessing the Internet from applications, etc. There are also ample opportunities to protect critical system settings from changes - for example, you can prohibit editing the system registry, activating DOS mode, installing new drivers, adding/removing printers, copying/moving files in system folders, and deleting files and folders from the “My Computer” folder. . And also hide the Control Panel, Printers, Network Connections, and the Run command from the Start menu. If necessary, the control panel can be hidden not completely, but partially, hiding the most critical elements from the point of view of unauthorized changes, such as “System”, “Display Properties”, “Network”, “Passwords” and “Printers”. It is equally easy to hide local, network and USB drives, prohibit burning and auto-playing of CDs, block the use of hot Windows keys and launching specific applications, as well as hide specified folders - these folders will become invisible in the My Computer folder, Explorer and dialog boxes Open/Save Windows applications.
WinLock 5.0
Developer: Crystal Office Systems
Distribution size: 2.65 MB
Work under control: Windows 95/98/Me/NT 4.0/2000/XP/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://www.crystaloffice.com/winlock.exe)
Price: WinLock - $21.95; WinLock Professional - $31.95
WinLock - convenient solution to limit access to important system resources (Fig. 2) and user data, including remotely. The program is presented in two versions: basic WinLock and extended WinLock Professional (the capabilities of the basic version do not allow you to restrict access to web resources and use encryption).
Rice. 2. Restricting access to system settings and hiding drives
in WinLockUsing this solution, you can deny access to the system registry, hide commands for accessing the control panel, printers, and network connections and completely block access to the corresponding system folders and to some other folders (“My Computer”, “My Documents”, Recycle Bin, etc.). And also set a ban on blocking the computer and make it impossible to change taskbar settings, display settings, network settings, adding/removing programs from the Start menu and renaming icons on the desktop. It is just as easy to set restrictions on activating DOS mode and loading Windows into safe mode and block Windows hotkeys (Alt+Ctrl+Del, Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Esc, etc.). If desired, you can even limit the ability to manage windows (for example, prohibit resizing and moving them). The program also includes tools for blocking access to removable media (CD/DVD drives, USB devices, etc.) and hiding the display of certain drives in the “My Computer” folder and Explorer. You can block the launch of specific applications (download managers, games, etc.) and deny access to certain files and folders (the former cannot be opened for viewing or editing, and the latter cannot be opened, renamed or deleted). And also prevent access to dubious web resources (based on a white list of allowed sites and a black list of prohibited sites) keywords) and set limits on the time specific users can use the computer.
Deskman 8.1
Developer: Anfibia Software
Distribution size: 1.03 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://www.anfibia-soft.com/download/deskmansetup.exe)
Price: personal license - 25 euros; business license - 35 euros
Deskman is a simple tool for regulating access to a computer and its settings (Fig. 3), allowing you to completely block the PC (including the keyboard, mouse and desktop) or limit access to certain of its functions (individual restrictions are possible for different users).
Rice. 3. Setting restrictions in Deskman
Using this solution, you can restrict access to desktop settings (for example, prohibit changing display properties, deleting icons, calling the context menu, etc.), Windows Explorer, taskbar, Internet Explorer settings and prevent changes various elements Start menu. And also limit access to the control panel and other critical system settings - for example, prohibit deleting network drives, block rebooting and shutting down the computer, etc. If necessary, it is easy to block all or only certain Windows hot keys (Alt+Ctrl+Del, Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Esc, etc.) and configure the utility to automatically remove new entries from startup to prevent the action of viruses, adware and spyware modules . It is possible to set a ban on the use by other users of specific hard drives and removable media (CD/DVD drives, USB devices, disk drives, etc.), blocking autoplay of CDs and burning them. You can set restrictions through preset profiles (this is more convenient for beginners and much faster) or manually.
My Simple Desktop 2.0
Developer: Anfibia Software
Distribution size: 1.76 MB
Work under control: Windows XP/Vista
Waydistribution: My Simple Desktop Office Edition and My Simple Desktop School Edition - shareware (30-day demo version - http://www.mysimpledesktop.com/downloads.sm.htm); My Simple Desktop Home Edition - freeware (http://www.mysimpledesktop.com/download/msdsetup_home.exe)
Price: My Simple Desktop Office Edition - 32 euros; My Simple Desktop School Edition - 20 euros; My Simple Desktop Home Edition - Free (for personal use only)
My Simple Desktop is very simple program to restrict access to the computer and its settings (Fig. 4). It is presented in three editions: paid My Simple Desktop Office Edition and My Simple Desktop School Edition and free My Simple Desktop Home Edition (the capabilities of the editions are completely identical).
Rice. 4. Setting access restrictions in My Simple Desktop
Using this utility, you can protect the desktop, taskbar and Start menu from changes, and make it impossible to make changes to the display settings and the Explorer context menu. And also deny access to the control panel, folder properties and system registry and block the use of Windows hotkeys and right button mice. In terms of restricting access to devices, there is a ban on the use of stationary disks and external USB devices, as well as hiding network drives and blocking autoplay of CDs. If necessary, you can set a limit on the time you use the computer - the same for all users, except for the administrator. Restrictions are configured by assigning one of the preset profiles or manually.
Restricting access to devices
Built-in mechanisms for distributing access rights and setting security policies in operating systems of the Windows family (except Windows Vista) do not allow you to control other users’ access to potentially dangerous devices (USB devices, CD/DVD drives, FireWire and infrared ports, etc.). Of course, you can disable such devices in the BIOS, but this is not an option, since to work with a disabled device (if necessary), you will have to access the BIOS every time and turn it on again, which is quite time-consuming and very inconvenient.
It is much wiser to control access to devices using additional applications, which can be very different. Often, the ability to hide or block devices is provided in utilities designed to control access to operating system settings, including those discussed by us. True, the ability to restrict access to devices in them is small: it is not possible to control access to all dangerous devices, and we are not even talking about controlling media. Utilities that block access to devices and specialized solutions for protecting the system from corporate information leaks have much greater functionality in this regard. As an example, we will look at the DeviceLock, USB Lock Standard and ID Devices Lock programs. The most functional of them is the DeviceLock program, with which you can control (and not just block) access of individual users and groups of users to almost any potentially dangerous devices (and even media), but it is aimed primarily at system administrators. The capabilities of the other two utilities are much more modest, but they are quite sufficient for most users.
DeviceLock 6.3
Developer: JSC "Smart Line Inc"
Distribution size: 39.7 MB
Work under control: Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo version - http://www.devicelock.com/ru/dl/download.html)
Price: 1300 rub.
DeviceLock is a specialized solution for organizing a system for protecting against corporate information leaks, allowing you to control access to the entire range of potentially dangerous devices: USB ports, floppy drives, CD/DVD drives, as well as FireWire, infrared, parallel and serial ports, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters, tape drives, PDAs and smartphones, network and local printers, internal and external removable drives and hard drives. The program has a centralized system remote control, providing access to all functions from the system administrator's workstation. Such management is realized using the additional DeviceLock Enterprise Manager console or through group policies Actvie Directory, which allows you to automatically install DeviceLock on new computers connected to the corporate network, and configure it for new computers automatically.
It is possible either to completely block a certain type of device, or partially, that is, in accordance with the white list of media (Fig. 5), in which access to some media will be allowed despite the blocking of the corresponding type of device. It is also possible to set the read-only mode and protect disks from accidental or intentional formatting. It is possible to assign different access rights to devices and I/O ports for individual users and groups of users with the ability to set control depending on the time and day of the week. If necessary, you can log all user actions with devices and files (copying, reading, deleting, etc.) by performing shadow copying.
Rice. 5. Setting up device access restrictions in accordance
with a media whitelist in DeviceLockUSB Lock Standard 3.4.1
Developer: Advanced Systems International SAC
Distribution size: 2.02 MB
Work under control: Windows XP/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (10-day demo version - http://www.advansysperu.com/down_st.php)
Price: $44
USB Lock Standard - handy tool to block access (Fig. 6) to all types of removable media: USB ports (USB drives, iPods, MP3 players, etc.), Zip devices, floppy drives, CD/DVD drives, Bluetooth adapters and reading devices smart cards (CF, SD, MMC, XD, etc.). It allows you to completely block access to specified devices or do it partially, opening access to authorized devices. To cancel the blocking, you need to know the password or a USB key. Operations with unblocked devices are recorded in logs.
Rice. 6. Blocking access
to CD/DVD drives in USB Lock StandardID Devices Lock 1.2
Developer: ID Security Suite
Distribution size: 1.47 MB
Work under control: Windows 98/NT/2000/XP/Vista
Distribution method http://www.idsecuritysuite.com/files/iddeviceslocksetup.exe)
Price: $37
ID Devices Lock is a simple utility for restricting access (Fig. 7) to USB devices, CD drives and disk drives by prohibiting copying of data to them, which helps prevent information leakage on mobile media. To cancel blocking, you need to know the password.
Rice. 7. Restricting access to the drive in ID Devices Lock
Completely blocking the computer in the absence of the user
The easiest way to block access to a computer that is turned on is to set a password for the screen saver, but this is not the best option, since when you reboot, the password from the screensaver can be removed without any problems. It is much safer to completely block the computer using special software, which will make it impossible to access any elements of the computer, including the keyboard, mouse and desktop. After this, it will no longer be possible 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. You can unlock your computer only if you know the user's password, and a normal reboot (even in safe mode) or a power failure will not remove the protection.
Such computer blocking is usually achieved using highly specialized utilities: Desktop Lock, Lock My PC and similar ones, however, such capabilities can also be provided in programs designed to set various types of access restrictions, in particular in Security Administrator and Deskman.
Desktop Lock 7.2.1
Developer: TopLang software
Distribution size: 792 KB
Work under control: Windows NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (15-day demo - http://www.toplang.com/dlsetup.exe)
Price: $24.95
Desktop Lock is a utility for locking a computer (Fig. 8) while the user is away. The blocking is installed from the utility itself by pressing a certain key combination automatically at a time specified by the user or, if the user is inactive, after a specified period. Putting the computer into locked mode can be accompanied by launching a screensaver or playing an audio or video file, which is reasonable, for example, at exhibitions when demonstrating corporate presentations. When locked, the mouse is disabled and it becomes impossible to use basic keyboard shortcuts. To exit the locked mode, you need to press a secret keyboard combination or mouse button and enter a password. If you wish, you can configure the utility to record short messages from other users who approached the computer while its owner was away and wanted to write something to him.
Rice. 8. Configuring computer lock settings in Desktop Lock
Lock My PC 4.7
Developer: FSPro Labs
Distribution size: 1.4 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo version - http://www.fsprolabs.com/download/distr/lmpc.zip)
Price: personal license - $19.95; business license - $29.95
Lock My PC is a tool for locking a computer (Fig. 9) while the user is away. Locking your computer is easy - just double-click on the corresponding icon in the system tray or press a special keyboard combination. Automatic blocking is possible 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 , including self-created images in GIF, JPEG, BMP and animated GIF formats. You can unlock your computer only if you know the user or administrator password.
Rice. 9. Configuring computer blocking options in Lock My PC
Protection of personal information
There are several ways to protect personal data from unauthorized access: you can compress folders and files in a password-protected archive; hide them; place it in a secret folder, access to which will be blocked for other users with a password; encrypt or create a virtual encrypted disk on which to write your secret materials. The choice of the most preferable method depends on the situation, but in most cases the best option is to hide and encrypt folders and files, so in this article we will limit ourselves to this.
Theoretically, you can hide folders and files using built-in Windows features- to do this, just 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” checkbox is enabled in the properties of the parent folders containing them hidden files and folders." In principle, this may be sufficient to protect data from unprepared users. However, objects hidden in this way will be visible in applications that do not use the standard dialog for displaying files and folders (FAR, Total Commander etc.), so such protection is not very good.
A more reliable option for protecting data using built-in Windows tools is to use the Encrypting File System (EFS), which allows you to encrypt files by enabling the “Encrypt contents to protect data” option in Explorer (Properties=>General=>Advanced). It is impossible to read files encrypted in this way without knowing the password, but the EFS system allows you to protect folders and files only in file system NTFS.
For these reasons, it is better to use specialized utilities to protect personal folders and files. These solutions will allow you to more reliably hide folders and files (they will not be visible if you disable the “Do not show hidden files and folders” checkbox), as well as block access to them. Moreover, some of these utilities also provide the ability to encrypt data, which will ensure its protection from other users even when booting Windows in safe mode, booting into another operating system or on another computer (if it is previously installed HDD with protected information). As examples, we will look at the programs Folder Lock, Folder Guard and Hide Folders XP. The first provides the most high level protection of encrypted data, the second additionally provides tools to protect basic OS settings from changes. The Hide Folders XP package is noticeably inferior to the named solutions in terms of its capabilities, but it has a Russian-language interface and is offered to Russian-speaking users at a very attractive price.
Folder Lock 6.0.1
Developer: NewSoftware Professionals, Inc.
Distribution size: 2.78 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (20-day demo - http://dl.filekicker.com/nc/file/130083-0M78/folder-lock.exe)
Price: $35.95
Folder Lock is an effective and reliable solution for protecting personal files, folders (Fig. 10) and disks by setting a password, hiding and encrypting them (AES algorithm with a 256-bit key). For greater security, this solution allows the use of blocking and encryption at the same time - files protected in this way are not displayed in Explorer and in applications and are completely inaccessible, since it is impossible to access them without knowing the password even if booted into DOS, in a safe Windows mode, from a different OS or on a different computer. In case the password is forgotten, it is possible to gain access to the data using the registration key. The original data that needs to be protected can be located not only on the hard drive, but also on USB drives, memory cards, CD-RW drives, floppy disks and laptops. And the process of installing the provided protection can be carried out automatically if the computer is inactive. In special Stealth mode Mode program can hide all traces indicating that data protection is installed on the computer: it prevents the display of its own shortcuts on the desktop and in the Start menu, hides installation/uninstallation data in the corresponding section of the control panel, clears history and clipboard data, etc. In addition, for greater security, the program keeps a record of all unsuccessfully entered passwords to remove protection, which allows the user to timely detect the manifestation of unhealthy interest in his own computer on the part of other users.
Rice. 10. Working with protected folders in the Folder Lock package
Folder Guard 7.6
Developer: WinAbility Software Corporation
Sizedistribution: Folder Guard Editions and Folder Guard x64 Edition - 1.8 MB; Folder Guard Professional Edition - 2.5 MB
Work under control: Windows 2K/XP/2003/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://www.winability.com/folderguard/editions.htm)
Price: Folder Guard Editions and Folder Guard x64 Edition - $39.95; Folder Guard Professional Edition - $59.95
Folder Guard is a simple and convenient solution for restricting access to folders and files, as well as preventing access to a number of Windows settings. It is available in three versions: Folder Guard Editions, Folder Guard x64 Edition and Folder Guard Professional Edition. The first version works in 32-bit Windows versions, the second - in 64-bit, and the third - in both.
Restricting access to personal data is carried out by hiding them (Fig. 11), setting the “read-only” mode or blocking. In this case, hiding is implemented in two options: you can make folders and files hidden or assign them empty (Empty). In the second case, the folders will be visible, but when opened they will be empty, although in reality they contain information - this option protection suitable for standard Windows folders, complete concealment of which will indicate that the information on the computer is blocked, which is undesirable. Protected folders without a password will not be accessible to other system users even when Windows is loaded in safe mode, although this will require some settings in the program. In case you forget your password, there is a function to recover it using free utility Emergency Recovery (http://www.winability.com/folderguard/eru.htm). The ability to operate the program in Stealth Mode has also been implemented, in which its own shortcuts and files will be hidden.
Rice. 11. Hiding a folder in Folder Guard
Folder Guard can also protect basic settings OS from adjustments (Fig. 12) - in particular, block access to the properties of the taskbar, Start menu and a number of other windows, prohibit saving display properties (if they have been changed), block changes to folder properties and Internet settings Explorer, do not show desktop icons. And also prevent changes in parameters critical to the operation of the system by closing access to the control panel and setting a series of bans: on access to system registry, adding/removing printers, using the Run command, etc. You can also hide certain drives in the My Computer window, Explorer, and standard Open/Save dialog boxes, and block CD/DVD burning. Different users may have different sets of such restrictions.
Rice. 12. Setting restrictions on access to Windows settings
in Folder GuardHide Folders XP 2.9.8
Developer: FSPro Labs
Distribution size: 1.23 MB
Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Distribution method: shareware (30-day demo - http://www.fsprolabs.com/download/distr/hfxp.zip)
Price: $29.95 (in the Softkey.ru store - 400 rubles)
Hide Folders XP is a simple program for protecting folders and files (Fig. 13) from unauthorized access by hiding and/or blocking them. Protected folders will not be accessible to other users, including the system administrator, even when Windows starts in safe mode. In this case, not only protected folders and files will be protected from deletion, but also the folders containing them. And in order to prevent other users from guessing that there is protected data on the computer, the program can remove traces of installed protection and can hide itself (it may not appear in the list of frequently downloaded programs, may not show a line about uninstallation in the control panel, hide itself in list running processes and etc.).
Rice. 13. Working with protected files in the Hide Folders XP environment
Almost every child between the ages of seven and fourteen has a device that allows them to freely “travel” around the world. World Wide Web. And their first contact with a laptop occurs at an early age.
Parents understand that the Internet is not only a way to quickly get necessary information or the opportunity to communicate with people on another continent. The Internet is full of content that is not suitable for children. But how can you limit your children's access to the Internet so that they can still study? There are several ways to block inappropriate content on different devices.
How to restrict children's access to the Internet?
First, parents need to understand what the essence of parental restrictions on access to the Internet and applications is. This protective measure is a control over the impact of the Network and personal computer per child. Parental controls are activated either using software built into the operating system or using third-party applications.
To understand how to restrict children's access to the Internet, you need to understand the types of parental controls. Access restriction can be divided into two main subtypes:
- Active parental controls.
- Passive parental control.
Active control consists of total monitoring of all the child’s actions. Software sends the parent a list of sites visited by the child. An adult can also impose a ban on loading sites containing inappropriate content.
Passive parental control allows you to introduce a time limit for using a personal computer or smartphone. The parent can also prohibit the downloading, installation or launch of certain applications, for example, games. Children can only have access to a certain list of sites, and so on. It’s easy to figure out how to restrict children’s access to the Internet. No special skills or knowledge required. The menu of specialized applications is intuitive.
Parental controls on a computer or laptop
Many parents wonder how to limit their child's access to the computer. Setting up in the operating room Windows system doesn't take much time.
First you need to go through the following path: “Start” - “Settings” - “Accounts” - “Family”. Next, you need to create a new profile by clicking on the “Add family member” button. The system will then prompt you to “Add a child account.” After entering the basic data, you must indicate the age of the child. If you put a date according to which he will be less than eight years old, then operating system will automatically set the maximum security level.
Parental controls in action
After installing parental controls, questions about how to restrict your child’s access to the Internet do not arise. Windows will automatically block unwanted content. But parents themselves can make some changes.
For example, a parent can set a timer. By setting the exact operating time of the device, adults can be sure that the child will not spend the whole day playing games. Parental controls allow you to block certain applications. The program also allows you to track how much time your child spent on specific applications.
In addition, every week the parent will receive complete information about the activity of the child who used this device.
Setting up Internet access restrictions on a smartphone or tablet
There are several options for limiting your child's Internet access. Android devices allow you not only to use the built-in functions, but also to download a special children's launcher from the Play Market.
"PlayPad Children's Launcher" after a simple installation will allow parents to strictly limit the list of applications that can be launched. The program will also ensure that the child does not wander into online stores and make purchases. In addition, exiting “child mode” will be available only to parents.
The launcher gives parents the ability to control the device remotely, set time limits for using the gadget, and will also help track the child’s location.
Devices running Android version 5.0 and below have a built-in Pin to Screen feature that allows you to limit access to one pinned program. In order to configure this function, you need to go to “Settings” - “Security” - “Attach to Screen”. In the window that opens, you need to select one of the proposed programs and secure it. The child will not be able to exit the application without the parent's permission.
How to restrict your child's access to the computer.Thanks to the p function parental controls in Windows 7 You can set restrictions on the use of PCs by children and increase their safety while on the Internet, without having to control their every action yourself.
The advantages of this for modern parents are simply invaluable, because regulating the use of a computer by children is a very, very useful thing. For example, you can limit children's access to the Internet, set the time when they are allowed to use the computer, determine which games and programs they can use and which they cannot.When access to a website, game or program is blocked by parental controls, a notification will appear that these actions are blocked. The child can click a link in the notification itself to request permission to access the website or program. You will be able to allow access by entering your account information. In addition, thanks to parental controls as part of Windows Media Center, you can block access to watching movies and shows. A useful thing, you must agree!
However, before you set up parental controls, you must make sure that all children for whom parental controls are set have standard accounts, because parental controls can only be applied to standard accounts. In order to configure the parental control function, you must have administrator rights on this computer. Parental controls will not apply to an account that has administrator rights for this PC.
In order to enable such a useful parental control feature, you must do the following:
1. Having opened the “Start” menu, go to the “Control Panel” that we are familiar with and find there the item “Set up parental controls for all users” or simply “Parental controls”. If you are prompted to enter and confirm your administrator password, follow these steps.
2. Select the account for which you want to enable control. I remind you once again that it must be with normal access.
4. After enabling parental controls, you can configure all other settings:
— Time limit. Thanks to this function, you can limit the time during which children can log into the system. This will not allow children to log in to the system for a certain time, and if they have already logged in, they will log out automatically. Installable access hours extensions can be set for each week. The time limit is configured in the window with the table.
The example indicates that access to the recording is possible from Monday to Friday in the interval from 12 to 14 hours and from 19 to 21. There are no restrictions on weekends.
— Limitation on games. With this function, you can control access to games, select age ratings, types of content that are subject to blocking, and block or allow access to certain games that are not rated.
The “No” clause will ban all games (I think this is too cruel).
A window that will allow you to block games based on their content type. In this case, games up to the category designated T will be available, all games of categories M and Ao are blocked.
Prohibiting and allowing games is just as simple: for each game, select allow, deny, or define access to one or another game.
— Restriction on access of individual programs. Here you can freely prohibit the use of individual programs. With this menu, I think there won’t be any particular questions.
— Restrictions on Internet use. In this menu, you can limit the range of websites that are accessible to children so that they can visit only those websites that are appropriate for their age, set permission or prohibition for downloading and installing files, determine what kind of content filters should block or skip it. You can block or allow access to certain websites.
