Toolbar/Malware - blocker for chrome?

James_Lahey

Hi all,

Full version above TLDR below

In the past I've removed Delta and Babylon (fully) from this computer after kids have been on it clicking pop-ups faster than whack-a-mole, and it wasn't a lot of fun. The kids are now trained to be careful when installing freesoftware to unclick relevant offers/boxes. Being young and having techno minds it posed not problem.

My darling mother has lost internets at work - of course I offered her use of my web and puter whilst at work. However her computer, although a better spec than mine runs about as fast as an upside down turtle!

She only uses Internet Explorer (gah facepalm) with no extensions - and seriously no joke on her 17 inch monitor her toolbar zone covers more than half the screen (including 3 google search boxes on different levels....)

I've told her she's welcome to come around but must use Chrome (shortcut placed on my empty desktop - hers is full of 95% useless shortcuts!)

I have asked her not to download anything - but I'm worried she doesn't know when it's happening, is there some software that'll block all toolbar/malware and similar resource hogging programs, either for chrome or the whole pc?

In her defence she is incredibly intelligent and can complete broadsheet cryptic crosswords faster than I can finish the junior wordsearch with the lilluns!

Any suggestion on what I could install and toggle to prevent tedious time rummaging through config?

TLDR: Start here -

Windows 7 - 64 bit ultimate - latest google chrome browser

Would like to block any toolbars/malware/software from user known to add these willy-nilly by accident.

Either a windows program or a chrome app would be fine -

huge thanks in advance to anyone who can help (I'm working 8:00am-8:30pm tomoz while they'll have access so any swift answers would be much appreciated!)

esuhl

I'd definitely suggest installing a sandboxing program. That way, you create an icon that will run (say) Chrome in a sandbox. Anything done to Chrome, any files downloaded etc. will be isolated within that sandbox. If anything untoward happens, simply delete the sandbox.

Slightly tricky to explain, but simple to use! Have a look here:

http://www.sandboxie.com/

James_Lahey

Thanks a lot esuhl - I've used sandboxie in the past whilst running some dubious programs iirc.

edit: as you've recommended sandboxie I'll go with that (did the job before too) will have installed and set up ready for her tommorow

closed

just tell her not to.

most toolbars can be uninstalled in control panel.

tldr makes it longer.

wongataa

Also, create a new user account for your mother and do not give it any sort of administrator priveleges - just a normal account. That will limit what can be installed.

James_Lahey

closed wrote: »

just tell her not to.

most toolbars can be uninstalled in control panel.

tldr makes it longer.

tldr; explains why "telling her not to" does not work - I'm sure she did't realise that she was installing all the junk on her computer at the time

It also mentions babylon/delta which are a pita to remove and can't be done just using the control panel (probably lots more, those are the two I've had to deal with.)

TY Wongataa, that might be worth a try as sandboxie not running super smooth (and have no time to tinker with it.)

edit - yes I'm late for work....

Update - created new user account and set strict controls using "parental setting" lol @irony - tested, chrome works fine and can access email but no ability to install anything. Thanks for the help - now off to work!

closed

As I'm clearly not down with the kids, I had to google TLDR, which to me appears a rude and pointless acronym

Don't get the point of putting two versions of a story and putting TOO LONG DIDN'T READ, people will still have to read it all, and now it's three times as long. MIWIHB

You can train your kids, but can't train your mum?

They dont install themselves, just don't install crap, custom install and watch the tickboxes, and backup, and use a good av along with malwarbytes and adwcleaner/avast browser cleanup if necessary.

sandboxie isn't much use, because the software that's been installed will also be uninstalled, not just the unwanted toolbar.

James_Lahey

Sorry I thought tldr; was common interwebs code - I'm certainly not "down with the kids" more of a "no life internet nerd." Usually after someone posts a long detailed thread then people will post just tldr; - from what I've seen elsewhere (a meme maybe?)

I wish that I could train mum and dad to use a computer (or a phone/dvd/vcr etc.) and have tried to no avail. I'm sure you would laugh if you saw her IE configuration which is half a screen of toolbars - I've told her many times to untick boxes and read what she's installing :wall:

The kids have a natural talent with technology - although after my ranting when I had to sift through the registry and about:config to fully remove babylon & delta they are double cautious!

Anyway I've now set up her own user account with parental controls so she can click blindly away without doing damage, my background is now an MS paint labeled screenshot tutorial of how to switch user just in case I forget to log out ....

closed

go into IE, tools, internet options, advanced, block 3rd party add-ons

esuhl

closed wrote: »

sandboxie isn't much use, because the software that's been installed will also be uninstalled, not just the unwanted toolbar.

But... that's the whole point, isn't it? The OP wants his mum to be able to browse without installing anything.

closed

java installs ask toolbar, no browsing required, most of the toolbars on peoples machines are due to installing some software, which presumably the op's mother wants to use.