Protection from unwanted content. Protecting your child: choosing the best porn ban program

Any parent wants to protect their child from bad things in this world. The Internet is no exception. The Internet itself is not bad, it is a mirror that reflects human reality. Are there any good things on the Internet? Eat! But there is also a bad thing... for children.

This article is intended to help parents protect their children from unwanted content on the Internet using filters. And it's free! All you need is desire. Because good protection- layered defense consisting of several stages, then our protection of children will also be multi-stage... the enemy will not get through.

Regardless of your level of computer knowledge, you will have to learn and understand a couple of points.

1) Computers operate with numbers among themselves and website addresses for computers are also numbers, but it is easier and better for a person to operate with meaningful text. DNS is a converter of “text” for people (such as rambler.ru) into “number addresses” (such as 81.19.70.1) and vice versa. The first stage of protecting children from unwanted content will be based on the fact that there are DNS servers that can also filter during “transformation”. In other words, if a child accesses the website yandex.ru in a browser, then this good site in DNS will be converted into his computer-numeric-address (IP address). But if a child, willingly or unwillingly, ends up on sex.com, then such an address will be converted NOT into his computer-numeric-address (IP address), but into an address where there will be a warning about inadmissibility or that such a site is not on the network.

2) This stage protects the child from unwanted results search results. You must use Yandex with Family Filter as your home page in all browsers on all computers available to you.

3) Third party free software solutions and services from Internet providers.

Protection via DNS.

On the Internet, from free and serious protection for children through DNS filtering, we will take 2 representatives: Yandex.DNS and OpenDNS FamilyShield (OpenDNS Family Shield). Why 2?

1) You never know how many of them will start to become “stupid”, and timeouts during conversion affect the speed of your work on the Internet, regardless of your tariff with the provider.

2) One head is good, but two are better.

3) In many operating systems there are 2 fields for specifying DNS servers.

Before we move on to registering DNS defender servers, we need to decide where it is best to register our defenders. DNS servers can be registered on the terminal device - a computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or in your router node (if you have one), which connects your home network to the Internet.

Each method has pros and cons.

1) Register on the router - access point. Your computers receive network settings from home router via DHCP protocol. The router will instruct all your devices and the devices of visiting friends to use it as DNS. And it will use higher-level DNS defender servers. In this scheme, friends will be protected too.

2) But the above scheme is bad when your child goes with his smartphone or tablet to a cafe with friends and someone else’s router will not protect him there. Therefore, registering DNS defenders on the end device has its advantages.

It's up to you to protect yourself through your access point and/or through the end device.

Access point.

1. Enter the router's IP address in the browser to access the admin panel.
2. Enter your username and password.
3. In the router management menu, find the DNS server settings.
4. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 as the Primary DNS server and save the changes. In the Secondary DNS server field, enter the OpenDNS FamilyShield address 208.67.222.123.

On the computer.

Windows XP
1. Open the Start menu -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Network Connections.
2. Right-click on the desired network connection and select Properties.
3. In the connection properties window, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button.

5. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 as the Preferred DNS server. In field Alternative DNS server enter the OpenDNS FamilyShield address 208.67.222.123. And save the changes with the OK button.

Windows 7.
1. Open the Start menu -> Control Panel -> Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing Center and shared access ->
2. Right-click on the desired network connection and select Properties from the menu that appears.
3. In the connection properties window, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button.
4. In the window that opens, select Use the following DNS server addresses.
5. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 as the Preferred DNS server. In the Alternate DNS server field, enter the OpenDNS FamilyShield address 208.67.222.123.

Windows 8.
1. Hover your mouse over the Start menu (bottom left corner of the screen), when the menu appears, right-click on it and select Control Panel.
2. Open Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings.
3. Right-click on the desired network connection and select Properties from the menu that appears.
4. In the connection properties window, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button.
5. In the window that opens, select Use the following DNS server addresses.
6. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 as the Preferred DNS server. In the Alternate DNS server field, enter the OpenDNS FamilyShield address 208.67.222.123.

Mac OS X.
1. Go to System Settings -> Network.
2. Select the network for which you want to configure DNS (AirPort, Ethernet).
3. Click the Advanced button and go to the DNS tab.
4. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 and save the changes.

Ubuntu.
1. Click on the network connection icon, select Edit connections from the list.
2. Select the network for which you want to configure DNS and click Edit.
3. Go to the IPv4 Settings tab, in the Method group, select Automatic (DHCP) addresses only.
4. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 in the Addresses field. DNS Servers) and save the changes.

On a smartphone or tablet.

Android 4.x
1. Go to Settings, select Wi-Fi.
2. Long press (press and hold until a dialog box appears) select the desired Wi-Fi network.
3. In the dialog box that appears, select Configure network.
4. Check the Show advanced settings box at the bottom.
5. In the IP settings item, select Static from the drop-down list.
6. Enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 in the DNS 1 field. In the DNS 2 field, enter the OpenDNS FamilyShield address 208.67.222.123.
7. Click Save.

Apple iOS.
1. Go to Settings -> Wi-Fi, click on the arrow next to the network you are using.
2. Find the DNS item and enter the Yandex.DNS address 77.88.8.7 into it.

Protection of search results.

This stage will protect the child while searching for information. You can use Family search Yandex, which filters search queries and does not produce results that are not intended for the child. The protection is based on the fact that by default, all new open tabs in the browser use the Yandex search engine with Family Filter as their home page. Most likely, the child will not switch to other search engines

, but will use what is already proposed with filtering.
Google Chrome. 1. Go to your browser settings: Top right icon of the three horizontal lines
-> Settings.
2. Select: Start group -> Next pages.
3. Click Add, in the Add page field enter http://family.yandex.ru

4. Click OK
Mozilla Firefox.
1. Go to your browser settings: Edit -> Settings.
2. In the General tab, select: When Firefox starts, Show home page. 3. In the field Homepage

indicate: http://family.yandex.ru
Opera.
1. Go to your browser settings: Opera -> Settings -> General settings.
2. In the General tab, select: At startup Start from home page.
3. In the Home field, enter: http://family.yandex.ru

4. Click OK.

Protection using free programs and browser plugins. IN this section

software products are being considered that can freely help a parent protect a child’s psyche from horrors on the Internet and make it white and fluffy. I hope these free solutions

often seems to be a place of endless wonders. A click of the mouse can lead a child to both fabulous and unexplored places and places full of danger.

Adult content, prohibited or highly objectionable information, scams, cyberbullying and blackmail particularly impact children aged 8 to 14 years. So what should you do?

1. Access age

Today, in most social networks, registration is possible only from the age of 14, but already from the first grade of school it is considered unfashionable not to be on VKontakte. It turns out that the decision on access to the network for children and adolescents aged 8-13 is determined not by the law, but by the parents - it depends on them whether their child will have access to the network before their 14th birthday.

It is the parents who provide the child with a special right and at the same time bear responsibility for safety and development. They can limit this right at will. It is important to note that up to 10 years of age, a child should be completely protected from the network . In the first school years, the child is just beginning to knowledge of the world and personality formation. At the same time, the mechanisms of critical thinking have not yet been formed, the child is overly trusting - the Internet at this age can seriously disrupt the formation of personality.

Children's safety on the Internet

2. Discussion of Internet safety.

Internet security issues are discussed in computer science classes in middle and high schools. But only you can tell a primary school student who is new to a computer or telephone how inventive and cunning Internet scammers are.

As soon as the child received digital device with access to global network- smartphone, computer, game console or anything else - it's time to teach him about online safety. And remember that there are no taboo topics or uncomfortable questions here and there cannot be! If you don’t explain, a stranger will!

Teach your children in detail about all the potential threats they may encounter online.

If possible, place the computer in the common room.

Try to spend more time at the computer with your child - explaining and showing.

Explain to your children that not everything they see or read on the Internet is necessarily true.

3. Software and parental controls

Install a quality antivirus program with function " Parental control"on your computer and on all mobile devices. This is one of the mandatory components of protection against online threats. Control will allow you to:

Block sites with prohibited content.

Limit and control the time your child spends on the Internet.

Set a limit on the installation and launch of new programs.

Every day thousands of new viruses appear on the Internet - do not forget to monitor the security updates of your operating system and applications.

4. Set the Internet usage time

Agree that you will not be able to control your child all the time and be with him all the time. But you can set rules that will make both parties happy:

Network access- is possible, as long as it does not interfere with studies and provided that family responsibilities are fulfilled and the daily routine is observed.

Set a schedule for using the Internet. For example, after school, a child should do his homework, take a walk outside, feed or walk pets, and only then use gadgets.

Limit your time: for primary schoolchildren - no more than one hour online per day, for middle school students - no more than one and a half hours.

5. Discuss prohibitions and permissions

Explain in detail to your children what they are allowed and what they are not allowed to do on the Internet:

Listen to music, watch movies and videos, play online games

Use instant messaging programs

Download music, games, movies and other content without your permission

Make purchases online

Gamble

Regularly ask your child about what he has seen and done on the Internet. Do not forget to check the relevance of the already established rules. Make sure your rules are appropriate for both your child's age and development.

If a child is allowed access to social networks, he must be warned about the need to comply with the culture and rules of communication. Often, children and adolescents, lacking experience and knowledge of how to manage their aggression and resentment, express their feelings in comments and discussions, pit their interlocutors against each other and create a general negative atmosphere.

Parents should convey to their child that he should not make dubious acquaintances online, because behind a cute and attractive avatar there may be a dangerous person hiding.

Agree with your child that, without your knowledge, he will never respond to letters from strangers, publish or communicate in correspondence such important information as: home address, telephone numbers, bank card details, parents’ passport details, etc.

Protecting children online comparable to the implementation of a whole range of measures and methods. In the article, we talked about how important it is to communicate with your child about learning about the Internet. In this article I would like to talk about ways practical protection children on the Internet from prohibited information and fraud.

This process requires parents to have a confident level of Internet skills.

1. If you are very poor at navigating the Internet, how Internet user and start the computer for the sake of children, then for initial settings invite the system administrator.
2. If you have one common one at home program computer, create a separate account for yourself.Protect a strong password and administrator rights tochildren could not change the settings and use inInternet all the links in a row.

Be sure to carry out the followingprotective procedures:

• install content filtering in Yandex or Google.
• ban adults from visitingInternet sites.
• can be limited forchildren access time Internet .
• track actionschildren according to history, view the list of operations.
• block dubious search pages, banners, advertising inInternet .
• Install an antivirus program that has parental controls.

Protecting children online using filters

Exist different levels filtering content inInternet :

1. The provider connects content filtering services upon request,protection from negative impact to devices with access toInternet .
2. Applications and special programs for parental control andprotection The software is installed on devices from whichchildren go out to Internet – these can be tablets, smartphones, computers, laptops, and so on.
3. Eat Internet resources, services, search engines and social networks that provideprotection setting up a safe operating mode.

It is important to warn children about risks on the Internet

You must be critical of the information that fillsInternet and teach your children the same attitude.

Should be explainedchildren , that a considerable amount of information located inInternet , is considered implausible.

Assessing the reliability of information on the Internet

Having received new information on the Internet, you should find the source and turn your attention to the author of the information. Analyze other publications on the topic.

A bright, colorful website is not yet an indicator that you can trust it and believe in what is written. Explainchildren , what could be the purpose of creating the site, perhaps just attracting the public.

Tell me children “three sources” rule – after reading new information, don’t trust it right away, check what they write in othersInternet sources on the same issue.

If additional information not found or inInternet If there is no primary source, then you can accept the facts, but you should not distribute them to other network users.

You need to choose trusted sites

Today at Internet There are white lists where useful and safe content is located, that is, a list of sites suitable for study. These include educational, entertainment, informational resources, as well as services and goods.

Communicate with children without prejudice

Frank and friendly dialogue withchildren – the best option preventInternet risks. Sometimes even constant monitoring does not give a 100% guaranteechild protection from low-quality, negative information. After all, you can encounter it at every step, for example, with friends, acquaintances, or accidentally find it in your home.Internet .

Best Methodprotection - talk honestly and openly

Ask tactfully and carefullychildren what they saw and read inInternet , and then discuss this or that problem together. It's best whenchildren learn explanatory information from adults, and not from familiar peers on the street.

Protecting children online from technical risks

According to research by the Development FundInternet we can say that almost every third schoolchild in Russia faces technical threats. Even though today there are many different paid and free programs, that allowprotect devices from negative impacts, there are still risks.

Contacting the Help Desk "Children Online” with technical collisions occur very often. Viruses and malware may be contained on any sites and in any files.

Effective and simpleprotect the internet is possible thanks to the rules of use, which should be remembered by both adults andchildren .

Today you can find literally everything on the Internet. Among online resources there are a lot of sites and pages created specifically for children. But the nature of the Internet is such that it is not so easy to isolate yourself from non-children’s content. However, there are ways that can help parents protect their child from accidentally visiting adult sites or preventing dubious information from being downloaded to a mobile device.

Naturally, parents should understand that none of the methods listed below can provide a 100% guarantee. Moreover, ideal protection options do not exist in nature. Therefore, in addition to our recommendations, you must remember that the future of your children is in your hands.

Let's start with applications for mobile platforms. For Android, we would recommend Kids Place, a unique " virtual sandbox": having installed the application on a smartphone, the owner of the device does not have to worry about the safety of his data - Kids Place creates a separate desktop for the young user, and parents only have to choose the games and applications that will be available to the child. Getting out of the “sandbox” is not easy: in the settings you can block the “Home”, “Back” and “Search” keys - the child simply will not be able to exit the application. If your child restarts the device, Kids Place will be activated automatically when the smartphone starts. You can turn it off using the app telephone module, Wi-Fi, and also set a ban on downloading content Google Play. In addition, for the convenience of the child, it is possible to change the size of the icons, as well as their names and font size.

Another application, Care4Teen, works a little differently: the application is installed directly on the child’s smartphone, and the set of functions here is different - with an emphasis on the safety of the young user. There is also an option to restrict the launch of any applications. In addition, adults can prohibit visiting unwanted online resources - the application has its own blacklist, but you can add sites manually. Parents can also see a list of Internet resources visited by the child, a list of calls and SMS. Plus, Care4Teen can take on the duties of a GPS tracker, however, it is better not to abuse this - the smartphone will discharge much faster. All these functions are available via Personal Area www.care4teen.com. The application itself works in the background and does not make itself felt, so the child is unlikely to accidentally turn it off. The only significant drawback of Care4Teen is that it only has an English interface.

Protection using free programs and browser plugins. iOS system Parental controls are built in from the start. In the settings, the user can quite flexibly change various restrictions - from camera operation to purchasing content in App Store. However, there is no filter for unwanted sites in iOS - you can only disable the browser, thereby completely blocking access to the Internet. Therefore, only a third-party secure browser will help here.

One of these solutions, Kaspersky Safe Browser, is designed to block access to adult sites, as well as online resources containing information about drugs, violence, etc. The application uses cloud Kaspersky system Security Network, which divides Internet resources into categories. Unfortunately, it is still not possible to block all unwanted content - the protection can be bypassed, although the likelihood that a child will succeed is extremely low. There is also an application from Kaspersky for Android (called “Parental Control”).

If parents think that software solutions for child protection will not be enough, they can use the services mobile operators. For example, MegaFon provides the service “ Children's Internet”, thanks to which the child will be able to visit only those sites that are on the white list. The monthly fee for using the service will be 300 rubles.

MTS provides a Parental Control service with similar capabilities. In addition to blocking resources with unwanted content, the operator analyzes content data (for example, pictures for adults) and blocks them if necessary, and also ensures safe search in the Internet. Connecting to the service is free, and daily fee is 1.5 rubles.

Beeline also has Parental Control, but at the time of publication the service was implemented only for users home internet(free test mode).

AND last method, which will help protect the child is the purchase of a special, children's tablet. There are several options for such devices available on the market now. For example, Turbokids or iKids tablets. These devices are initially equipped with a parental control function: adults themselves will be able to choose the programs they need for their child, as well as ban those they don’t like. It is also possible to set the time that a child can spend using the tablet, after which the device turns off. By the way, both devices are developmental. They are equipped with exciting, educational games and applications designed for children of preschool and primary school age. Devices with such functionality can be purchased for 5–7 thousand rubles.

Any child, already at a very early age, begins to be actively interested in the toys that 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, the computer opens many useful features for development 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 get to the magic 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 bright screen and tempting keyboard buttons - 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 functions blocking, activated by pressing the Win+L keyboard shortcut - 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). Once finished, it wouldn't hurt to replace standard icon label to 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 blocking a computer and are offered on a commercial basis (an example would be 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 locking option is provided by professional tools (such as Lock My PC), but for home computer this may only make sense if you want to completely block your computer from your grown-up child, who, due to excessive enthusiasm, information technology he is no longer content with his PC and looks longingly at your more powerful machine. 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 opened on this moment) and even restart the computer by pressing the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Del. Normal reboot even in safe mode or a power failure will not lead to the removal of protection - you can unlock the computer only by knowing 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 becomes impossible to use basic keyboard combinations: Ctrl+Alt+Del, Alt+Tab, etc. On a locked computer, any images, including those created independently, can be displayed as screensavers GIF formats, JPEG, BMP and animated GIF. 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 at his disposal own computer(for example, an old laptop), then the most reliable way to “freeze” the operating system is to use a “freezer” program - for example, such a recognized commercial solution as Shadow Defender, or free utility ToolWiz Time Freeze.

These kinds of programs take a “snapshot” of almost everything 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 in an unknown direction system folders etc.), the computer will not be afraid. 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 “freezing” programs in practice does not help in all cases, in particular, it does not provide protection against rootkits. Therefore the presence antivirus solution on a 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.

Using “freezer” programs in practice is not difficult - in fact simple version It is enough to indicate to the utility the disk to be protected (Fig. 5) and configure the program so that the “freeze” 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 - in case of shortage free space The program may not work correctly on a protected partition. 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 establishments 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 starts in virtual environment Shadow Mode ( shadow copy, emulating 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 - simple program to “freeze” the system. The utility can be launched when booting Windows immediately in the “freezing” 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 “freeze” mode. Access to application settings can be password protected.

Restricting access to system resources

When using a computer together with a child, the system’s “freezers” are quite difficult to use. Why? For normal operation You will have to turn off the “freeze” mode every 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 possible: configure the PC so that parents can normally work with 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 his preferences system settings, and also 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 available applications built-in means to restrict 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. Configure parental control settings for a child's profile in Windows 7

You can go the other way and through the editor group policy 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 be logged into Windows. 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

Other ways of setting restrictions on changing system data are also possible, but with connection to the case third party applications. These may be specialized tools aimed at system administrators(for example, the WinLock program, which is affordable and relatively easy to use), 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 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, launching the system registry, opening the control panel, changing user accounts, etc. (and taking into account the selected security level), as well as hide some drives (Fig. 12).

Rice. 11. Restricting access to system operations in TimeBoss

Rice. 12. Installation system limitations with 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 system registry and control panels, disable hot Windows keys(for example, Alt+Ctrl+Del, Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Esc, etc.), hide the Start menu and block the taskbar from changes, 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 from important information. It is possible to prevent access to dubious web resources based on black and white white lists(the blacklist is compiled by keywords) and setting 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 usage system resources and website visits, can send generated reports to parents at 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, taking into account the selected security level, preset categories, keywords, official blacklists of websites 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 system components Windows - you can block access to the system registry, command line, control panel, date and time change component, 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 - 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 the 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 time computer activities child (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 on different profiles. For security purposes, the use of a password to access the program, operation in hidden (“Stealth”) mode, as well as protection against application deletion when loading Windows in a safe mode have been implemented. Safe mode mode.

Restricting access to personal folders

Using different profiles for your child, coupled with a connected parent profile Windows control will in no way limit your child’s access to folders and files on the disk with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, without additional protection not enough. 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” checkbox is enabled in the properties of the parent folders containing them hidden files, folders and disks" (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 certain folders- for example, allow only their viewing, which will prevent accidental deletion of important data. To do this, just right-click on a disk, folder or file in Explorer, select from context menu team 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 display ban. hidden folders and files. Unfortunately, hidden using built-in Windows tools folders 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 prying children's eyes, you can go the other way - use a specialized solution, for example Free utility Hide Folder or Protected Folder. 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. 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 also 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 with the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option enabled, they will be displayed in other applications, such as FAR, Total Commander, etc. Access to the program is restricted by 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 and hide them from children’s eyes system unit with valuable stuffing, strengthening the monitor, and then move on to studying a variety of software (for example, what was discussed in the article) to limit the younger generation’s access to the computer, operating system, as well as important folders and files. However, if a real computer genius, then even after protecting everything and everyone, you are unlikely to be able to rest on your laurels. In this case, all that remains is to admit defeat, which may be for the best, because then it will immediately become clear that computers are your child’s true calling.