Antivirus for seniors who can't be trusted.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by activeStick

This is good stuff. I was looking to get my parents a new device (mom's iPad is old as heck and she doesn't like the Amazon one I got her last year) and I think I'll get them a Chromebook.

Chromebooks are good. Only thing: Only Google accounts can sign into them, and sign in is required.

Also be careful of which one you buy, as app compatibility is limited (might not matter for them though). Also Google Docs is still awful.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Raekwon

Its so advanced these days even experienced users can be fooled. exploits are so advanced they bypass AV long before its too late in many cases. The ways hackers are coding exploits these days are bypassing AV in really unique ways, the thing with Crowdstrike is it has machine learning and can stop some of these attacks based on algorithms and behaviors. Its all in the background and wouldn't be confusing at all after initial setup IMO.

Conventional antiviruses work based on antivirus definitions, some real-time scanning on execution, and periodic scanning.

Crowdstrike is the current Ferrari solution (they even sponsor F1) and one of the most expensive options on the Enterprise side. It uses machine learning/AI on looking at your behaviors and addressing things outside those norms. I'm not sure about the consumer version

Fun anecdote, a co-worker downloaded Filezilla which had a compromised version and Crowdstrike or an actual Falcon agent went in and killed the affected process chain and bluescreened his computer in real time.

My personal strategy for seniors or even most computer illiterate folks is to get them in iPad. What do they need a full computer for?

[darockwilder]

Originally Posted by activeStick

This is good stuff. I was looking to get my parents a new device (mom's iPad is old as heck and she doesn't like the Amazon one I got her last year) and I think I'll get them a Chromebook.

I did the Chromebook for my mother in law. I don't hardly ever have to "fix" anything anymore either! It's really all she needs.

[sa226]

Thanks everyone.

Ended up going with Kaspersky, non admin account and an adblocker. To go along with a stern talking to.

I agree on the iPad and chromebook ideas. She already has an iPad, but some people are pretty set in their ways. She likes her computer for whatever reason.

Before I had the chance to see the computer, I was imagining some Celeron based PC from 1997 or something, but it's a perfectly acceptable off the shelf i5 6000 series with 8gigs of RAM. It had hardly anything on it. It wasn't really bogged down by programs or files.

But, what it did have was an expired version of Norton and an extremely average 1tb spinning disc hard drive. It was so slow and frustrating to use I wanted to pull my hair out.

A 60$ SSD later and we're good to go.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by sa226

Thanks everyone.

Ended up going with Kaspersky, non admin account and an adblocker. To go along with a stern talking to.

You've done basically all you can with this setup short of standing behind them and watching every move.

[Shazam]

Should've installed Linux. I suspect it may be the year of the Linux desktop.

[Raekwon]

Give them a little extra talk about phishing attacks and show them how to check the senders address so they can verify. My wife recently fell for this on her paypal account even though she gets thorough training on phishing attacks from work. It was crazy how fast they changed that account and made it inaccessible, she was very lucky she got in contact with paypal fast enough to terminate the whole account.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Should've installed Linux. I suspect it may be the year of the Linux desktop.

I need to learn me some of this.

Pro/cons of Linux system? I really do know almost nothing about this O/S.

Primary concern would be, is it suitable for gaming?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

I need to learn me some of this.

Pro/cons of Linux system? I really do know almost nothing about this O/S.

Primary concern would be, is it suitable for gaming?

Pro's: you will have a new hobby spending hours/days diagnosing and attempting to fix seemingly basic stuff, while hunting for solutions on forums and obscure mail lists. Your problem will be similar, but not the same, as whatever solution is presented. It will not work. This may occupy you for weeks, and the sheer joy of a finding solution will release endless endorphins.



Cons: It's now time to try to install a game.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Yikes....

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Raekwon

Give them a little extra talk about phishing attacks and show them how to check the senders address so they can verify. My wife recently fell for this on her paypal account even though she gets thorough training on phishing attacks from work. It was crazy how fast they changed that account and made it inaccessible, she was very lucky she got in contact with paypal fast enough to terminate the whole account.

I have an employee whose mother is very susceptible to all sorts of phishing attacks. She even tried to fax her CC info to someone.

[Inglewood Jack]

an Oatmeal oldie, but still accurate

Spoiler!

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by sa226

Thanks everyone.

Ended up going with Kaspersky, non admin account and an adblocker. To go along with a stern talking to.


Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

Thanks for this. I'm in the same situation with my mom and an adblocker had completely slipped my mind. I will have to add one next time I am at her place. On the this topic, and I hope I'm not hijacking the thread - any suggestions for a decent yet easy to use remote application that will allow me to access her computer. I'm her IT support but she lives in another town so not possible for me to physically be there more than once or twice a year so I could use the ability to remote in and help her. Team Viewer was good but we got flagged somehow as a business and they have blocked access to the free version.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Thanks for this. I'm in the same situation with my mom and an adblocker had completely slipped my mind. I will have to add one next time I am at her place. On the this topic, and I hope I'm not hijacking the thread - any suggestions for a decent yet easy to use remote application that will allow me to access her computer. I'm her IT support but she lives in another town so not possible for me to physically be there more than once or twice a year so I could use the ability to remote in and help her. Team Viewer was good but we got flagged somehow as a business and they have blocked access to the free version.

Windows 10 has one built in, it works well. They will have to be there, but if you go to the start menu and type help, you get a "invite someone to connect to your PC". They can click on that, give you a code, and you do the same thing on your machine and get in that way. I'm sure there are better guides than this online, but it works well, no firewall config or anything.

[RichieRich]

Some talk of Chromebooks… is there anything “decent” in that $2-300 range?
Also for a parent with limited technology awareness and skills but doesn’t want an iPad. Primary uses are email and taking photos then emailing them. Some internet and movie watching.