How to Make Sygate PFW Childproof?

I have installed Sygate Personal Firewall (v5.5) on a Windows98 PC. Seems a good product to me - shame it will no longer be supported. As this PC is used by children, I wanted to "lock-down" the firewall so they could not change any settings. By setting a password you can stop them opening the console, but you still get a pop-up when a non-approved application wants to access the Internet - and the user can answer "yes" without having to enter a password. Am I missing something?

Reply to
hotshot
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I don't have any in depth knowledge on that point - but I would be surprised if it could do what you ask - you'd in effect be asking it to Not monitor any new in or out going connections - but to Auto allow or Auto Not allow anything new without asking - ( only permit connections for items already in the rules) , I don't think that's something you can turn on or off - not at home right now or I'd take a look~ but I don't think so... But... this sale to Symantec !!!! main reason for this reply..... this has been a great Firewall for a long time now - I'm also on version 5.5, and have no intention of getting anything else ~ even if there is no more support , it does what it's supposed to and does it good! I see no reason to drop it- and certainly not for anything symantec branded, I think the last version out was 5.6.... wonder if there was anything significant in it? maybe someone can say..... Aaah well ~ not much chance of getting an update to that one now anyway . Maybe there's another way to kiddi-lock the pc ~ I may have some other suggestion.. but the program name just isnt in mind right now - I'll check up n come back later....

Reply to
neutrino

^^^^^^^^^

Not possible.

cu

59cobalt
Reply to
Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers

Yes that's exactly what want to do. The main reason I want to use a PFW is to trap spyware that is trying to making outgoing connections (I have a hardware firewall to block all incoming connections). Having "approved" all the normal applications (internet browser, e-mail) I would not want the kids to be able to "approve" other applications (which might be spyware).

Reply to
hotshot

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takes you to a piece of software called 1st security agent, which I used to have installed, I doubt if there's much we can do as far as the firewall is concerned, but this might be another way to get the result, though it migth also be a step in the wrong direction, and involve a lot more setting up of the Pc to have two or more Users profiles set into it ~ which may be a step you don't really want to get into, but with independant profiles, and a log on for each at boot time - you can then asign controls around those profiles via this program - such as the permission or not to install new programs, access or not to make any system changes, even desktop settings ~ Hmmm.. but this is controlling what the person on the pc can do or cannot do - it's not really the issue.. it's the auto "something" that might come in off the internet, without anyone doing something deliberately, ummmmm..... thinking... ~~ :) ~~ must be someway of doing this..... locking it down, restricting the impact of any unauthorized "whatever"... it should be able to be done.... could get involved, and perhaps the inclusion of another program or two - such as the one above, another one is "magic folders".... which as far as security is concerned - access to a folder or disk drive (if you have multiple disks or partition) you can set this to virtually hide any folder on the pc!! in fact as far as anyone is concerned - even the system - the folder does not exist!! untill you access m'folders via a key sequence and password.. untill then whatever it's hiding - is simply not visible or find'able on the system, and as such wouldnt be accessable even to any incoming nasty from the net! Norton Ghost ~ now we're getting even more involved! ha~.... but this will backup an entire disk!! either to another partition or to dvd - and can be reloaded if ever required... I use it to back up my C drive (operating system only) and if ever I make an ooops! or anything else causes one, even if the operating system gets corrupted, - I can restore the entire drive to as-it-was when backed up. It's all a matter of how far you want to go to get full control, if you'v plenty of disk space - it's very likley you could set the kids their very own C drive and access to nothing else on the system , and no matter what takes place - your own C drive and any other partitions are uneffected, a bit like having two pc's in one :)... now theres a thought ~ pick up an older and basic Pc just for them to use, internet and games. ha` but that might be going ~ just ~ a bit ~ too far . but have a look at the programs mentioned here.. one or more might help, or give you thoughts/ideas for an alternate solution. ! all the best.....

Reply to
neutrino

Real parenting instead of an "electronic nanny"?

Reply to
Jerry Gardner

Your post erroneously implies "Real parenting" is an appropriate substitute for technical controls.

Security is about defense in depth, which is achieved through the use of administrative, technical, and physical controls working in concert.

In general we discuss technical controls here, without assuming posters are ignorant of the other aspects of their security strategy.

Triffid

Reply to
Triffid

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