F-secure SAFE parental control???

gizmo1

Hi, I've just removed my Kaspersky and installed F-secure SAFE on childrens' computer and set up the content blocking to block unsuitable content. The problem is when they try to enter blocked content, they get prompted with two options; either to go back to home page or to allow the blocked site. If they click allow they can get through to that website. What is the point of a content blocker if children can just click allow and enter unsuitable sites. It is not doing it's job. I can use windows to prompt for the administrator password but that is not practical. If I did this, every time a site is blocked windows would request a password to allow the site but it would also then ask for this windows admin password if the children are downloading anything at all or if they try to make changes to other general computer settings which I want them to have access to. I don't want to be constantly running up and down entering password to allow these functions. If anyone has a solution, please help. Many thanks.

Simon

Bump - anyone?

icemist74

I have the same issue. For a top rated security sysytem, I thought the blocking of websites would not be overcome by simply 'click here to allow' and not even asking for a password. Not really parental control is it.

 

hoping someone can help

 

gizmo1

It certainly isn't parental control like it is at the moment, but I'm hoping that there must be a way to resolve it without having to use the windows administartor password prompt. I have been looking but have not had any success yet. Hopefully someone will be able to assist. Help, anyone!!!

Simon

I've PM'd the forum Admins, so hopefully one of them will be able to get an FS techie to take a look at this.  In the meantime, I suggest that you both raise support tickets, as those may also get attention, and it might be an idea to include a link to this thread, so the support guys can respond here as well.

Simon

Guys, have you viewed the video on Parental Control? 

 

http://community.f-secure.com/t5/Security-for-PC/How-to-use-Parental-Control-Self/ta-p/30746

gizmo1

Yes I've seen the video, but that doesn't mention the issue at all.

icemist74

even did online chat with support and they just said use a different user. but still had the same issue. So I have switched the Stay Safe option on aas it blocks any adult websites. 

but the issue of bypassing a bocked website by clicking 'allow' needs addressing. Its meant to ask for password but despite me setting up a new user profile it never asked for a password.

Going to try it for a few weeks, maybe longer seeing as Virgin Media have given it to me for free for 12 months. but i would be mad if i paid for this

 

NikK

I haven't used the content blocking myself, but the Help section for it says:

 

"The product allows you to use different settings for each Windows user account that you have set up on your computer. Only users who have administrator access can change the product settings for other user accounts. Anyone else except administrators should only have normal access rights, so that they cannot change the settings that you have defined for them."

 

So if you create a new user, make sure this new account is NOT an Administrator. It should be a Standard/Normal user account.

gizmo1

I've addressed the administrator option in my first post. The problem with that is then children will have to  constantly ask me to imput my admin password every time they attempt to download anything, even perfectly suitable content. They'll even be asked for the admin password if they just wish to make changes that most parents would wish to allow their children to be able to do. If I had just the one child then it wouldn't be that much of a problem, but with six children it becomes an issue. Thus, it is not practical and is more parental nuisance than parental control.

Simon

I don't think parental controls will work correctly without setting up some accounts that don't have admin permissions. It should only block inappropriate content, as set in the settings anyway, so it shouldn't be a case of inputting passwords for every website visited.

NikK

gizmo1,

 

If all your children has administrator accounts, then they can do ANYTHING on their computers, including changing their own permissions, creating new administrator accounts. They can even uninstall any program, including the F-Secure product.

 

Another example, Microsoft Windows has a "Parental Controls" feature for blocking applications. But you can't configure it for other administrators, for the same reason as mentioned above.

 

An administrator account isn't supposed to have limitations. That's the purpose of the account.

Although, a confirmation or explanation from an F-Secure expert would be nice!

gizmo1

I don't mind the children having unlimited administrator access as long as they are blocked from unsuitable content.  Up until now I had kaspersky. The children had access to everything else on the computer but they were blocked from unsuitable content by Kaspersky. Although, the kids had the admin password for windows, they couldn't change the Kaspersky settings or get access to adult material because of the kaspersky parental control for which only I new the password. They couldn't remove Kasperky even with their admin password because they didn't have the Kaspersky password. This same method of parental control was possible with every single security package we've had in the last 8 years but it is not possible with F-secure SAFE. The fact that F-secure have not even bothered to offer any explanantion is not a good sign.

NikK

Ok, I understand. And totally agree! It sounds like the Kaspersky solution is exactly what you need, and how it should be. I too would be disappointed if the F-Secure solution doesn't have this kind of master password or similar approach.

I will notify a forum admin to help clearing this out.

 

As additional information, if you have many computers to maintain, one option is to check if your router has content blocking functionality. You then set static IP's to every computer and for example content block every IP but your own. Then you don't need to access every computer to enable or change settings for it.

This is not the solution to your problem, I just wanted to mention it in case you didn't know about it. That's all.

Again, I'll pm a forum admin.

 

Simon

I know this relates to the 2011 version, but it does at least show that a password facility was once there:

http://community.f-secure.com/t5/Security-for-PC/Setting-up-Parental-Control/ta-p/19214

It would be very disappointing if this has been removed, however, I did have a look in the Online Safety component earlier on, and couldn't see anything.

Nik, I PM'd Ania and Chrissy yesterday, but haven't had a response, so hopefully you'll have better luck.

NikK

Simon, I'm as confused as you are. I've even tried myself now and the only thing I'm prompted for is an administrator password(for non-admins), otherwise you just have to click Allow. I never get a chance to SET a password, so it looks like that functionality has been removed. Very strange!

 

I've PM'd too. I guess they're on weekend holiday so we'll have to wait until Monday.

Simon

It's a shame when functions that users want and need, seem to be being removed from the later versions.

Blackcat

Old thread; http://community.f-secure.com/t5/Idea-Exchange/no-parental-control-password/idi-p/16980

 

 

Simon

Good find, Blackcat!    I think that answers the question of where the parental controls password has gone to,  It just makes me wonder how many more functions F-Secure is going to use Windows for.  Let Microsoft Security Essentials be the anti virus, perhaps?  Sooner or later, the program won't be worth having, as Windows will be doing all the work!

NikK

I'm hoping that day never comes! It would be interesting to get an explanation on why the parental control once had its own password and why it was removed after the 2011 version. I can only understand the current solution if you have younger children that aren't allowed an administrator account.

[Deleted User]

Hello all,

 

As mentioned by NikK,
"The product allows you to use different settings for each Windows user account that you have set up on your computer.
Only users who have administrator access can change the product settings for other user accounts.
Anyone else except administrators should only have normal access rights, so that they cannot change the settings that you have defined for them."

@gizmo1
We understand your view but F-secure has decided to use Windows accounts because with administrative rights you can do pretty much anything on a machine, rendering somehow parental control obsolete as it can anyway be bypassed. The advice above being also valid from a general security point of you.

 

In addition that is also one less password to remember.

 

Finally Blackcat's post concerning the idea related to this thread, despite being old, still reflects the current reality of our products.

gizmo1

As suspected, this product is not fit for the purpose I had hoped to use it for. If this requirement of having to use windows to control access was mentioned at the onset in the product description, It would've saved me, and I'm sure countless others the trouble of installing the software and then having to unistall it. This argument of children being able to bypass the blocking feature of other security software if children have admin account doesn't carry any weight because It is far easier to bypass a windows admin password then it is to bypass the password for most internet security products even if you have admin account. You can get a cd online for about £2 (or download for free) that alows even a novice to access any windows admin password in a couple of minutes or less.  My thanks to everyone that has contributed to this thread. Back to Kaspersky it is then!

Simon

So, if I understated correctly, F-Secure Internet Security has now given parental controls over to Windows, as well as the Firewall. Personally, I feel this is a disappointing direction to be taking, as it means that the IS suite offers little more than the basic AV product does, in terms of functions in addition to basic Windows tools. I think purchasers of a security product would expect that product to have its own independent levels of security, and not be too reliant on features that are already available within Windows.

NikK

gizmo1, "children have admin account doesn't carry any weight because It is far easier to bypass a windows admin password then it is to bypass the password for most internet security products even if you have admin account"

I agree! This is actually the reason I started using encrypting functions like EFS and TrueCrypt, because I know I cannot fully trust my admin account, it's to easy resetting the password. As I've said before, the current solution is suitable only for younger children.

 

Simon, I agree. It feels like FS wants to remove options and simplify the products. Personally I have no problem with that, but obviously many others do.

Simon

Further, not everyone wants to have multiple user accounts on their machine, as they can be a faff to set up, especially on an already well used computer with lots of existing shared data.