Locking down a computer

[BarTopDancer]

A buddy of mine needs some crack-proof parental control software. His soon to be 18 y/o is doing things he shouldn't be, and is cracking the passwords and attempts they are trying to lock the computer. Removing the computer, keyboard and mouse isn't an option.

This is not my area of expertise. Any suggestions for some locking software?

[Alex]

Does the kid have a separate machine or must it be something that blocks the kids and allows the adults through?

And disabling the computer isn't an option for the kid (that is he still needs to be able to go online) or it isn't an option if it disables it for everybody?

Is the thing he shouldn't be doing a very general thing (looking at porn) or a very specific thing (staying up all night playing WoW)?

[Ghoulish Delight]

What have they tried so far that hasn't worked?

[BarTopDancer]

I will find out tonight. All I got was a voicemail saying the kid is doing sh*t he shouldn't be. We put passwords on it but he stuck a disk in there and cracked them.

The "kid" is about to turn 18 and is going to be an engineer. I'm not sure they can keep him out, but I figured I'd give them some more options.

[Moonliner]

Almost 18?

I think they might be past the point of this doing any good.

Still you requested a solution not an opinion..

CyberCafe Software can do what you are looking for. (Note: That's just one example, there are a bevy of alternatives)

[Ghoulish Delight]

If they want true lock-down, BIOS password is the way to go (possibly in combination with physically locking the case if he is smart/determined enough to get to the motherboard to defeat that).

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

I will find out tonight. All I got was a voicemail saying the kid is doing sh*t he shouldn't be. We put passwords on it but he stuck a disk in there and cracked them.

The "kid" is about to turn 18 and is going to be an engineer. I'm not sure they can keep him out, but I figured I'd give them some more options.

Ah. In that case running a TrueCrypt full volume encryption might be all you need.


But the parent in me still says, if Moonie Jr. ever tired to pull sh*t like you're describing, then Pulling the plug would be an option. Like keys to the car and cell phones, computers are a privilege not a right.

[Pirate Bill]

Nothing is going to be 100% effective. As long as the kid has physical access to the machine, no amount of security will work. Anybody with the desire and some ingenuity can get around it. And if this kid is cracking passwords then it sounds like he's already outsmarting his parents.

That being said, on my home computers I use both OpenDNS to filter websites for the entire network, and K9 Web Protection for the Windows machines. I do this mainly to prevent my kids (or myself when kids are in the room) from accidentally stumbling onto unwanted websites.

Neither solution is 100% effective. And it's often annoying when it blocks websites I know are not inappropriate.

Here's where I get on my parenting soap box and complain about people leaving the nannying to electronics (or the government, or schools, or church, etc.)

1. Teach the kid. If what he's doing is personally (morally, physically, emotionally, etc.) destructive then the parents need to talk to him. Just putting chains around things doesn't solve the problem.

2. He's 18 for crying out loud. If he can't simply follow house rules then rights to the family computer should be revoked. I don't buy into the "removing the computer is not an option" excuse. That's always an option. If he needs a computer for school work he can go to the library. Or buy his own (and pay for his own internet connection too). He will be out on his own soon enough, then how are his parent's going to prevent him from getting into trouble? (Hint: see #1 above.)

3. No offense to these parents, but it sounds like they need to grow a pair and start being parents. No, I don't know them, but every other parent I know that has come to me with the same concerns is always the type of parent that is afraid to show the "tough love." It's not the fun part of parenting, but sometimes it's got to be done.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Pirate Bill

Nothing is going to be 100% effective. As long as the kid has physical access to the machine, no amount of security will work. Anybody with the desire and some ingenuity can get around it. And if this kid is cracking passwords then it sounds like he's already outsmarting his parents.

That being said, on my home computers I use both OpenDNS to filter websites for the entire network, and K9 Web Protection for the Windows machines. I do this mainly to prevent my kids (or myself when kids are in the room) from accidentally stumbling onto unwanted websites.

Neither solution is 100% effective. And it's often annoying when it blocks websites I know are not inappropriate.

Here's where I get on my parenting soap box and complain about people leaving the nannying to electronics (or the government, or schools, or church, etc.)

1. Teach the kid. If what he's doing is personally (morally, physically, emotionally, etc.) destructive then the parents need to talk to him. Just putting chains around things doesn't solve the problem.

2. He's 18 for crying out loud. If he can't simply follow house rules then rights to the family computer should be revoked. I don't buy into the "removing the computer is not an option" excuse. That's always an option. If he needs a computer for school work he can go to the library. Or buy his own (and pay for his own internet connection too). He will be out on his own soon enough, then how are his parent's going to prevent him from getting into trouble? (Hint: see #1 above.)

3. No offense to these parents, but it sounds like they need to grow a pair and start being parents. No, I don't know them, but every other parent I know that has come to me with the same concerns is always the type of parent that is afraid to show the "tough love." It's not the fun part of parenting, but sometimes it's got to be done.

Cracking an XP password hardly puts one in the elite zone of unstoppable H@ck3rz.

Your numbered points I got no beef with.

[Pirate Bill]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

Cracking an XP password hardly puts one in the elite zone of unstoppable H@ck3rz.

True, but in this case he only has to outsmart the parents.

Bios passwords are easily defeated with a jumper on the motherboard.

Any other kind of security measure is defeated with a simple Linux desktop CD or bootable thumb drive.