Securing the device of an elderly relative ensures their online safety.
Securing the device of an elderly relative ensures their online safety.
My grandfather has encountered the "windows support had detected virus" scam twice already. We want to prevent this from continuing, so we’re focusing on restricting what he can do on his computer. He mainly uses email and browsing the web, possibly with Office software. I’m considering blocking the command prompt, task manager, and registry access through regedit since he doesn’t need or use those tools. I plan to set up a restricted account for him so scammers can’t alter system settings or gain control. I’ll also install Chrome and uBlock to reduce unwanted popups. I’m checking if there are other steps we should add to block any further access that might mimic a virus warning.
Consensus reached, seek guidance before making decisions, particularly if past mistakes have occurred. I haven’t encountered any of these fraudulent schemes on my devices. Options include:- deploy Malwarebytes and instruct weekly scans, or opt for the premium version with scheduled checks. Acquire a VPN to shield against malicious content; they offer robust filtering. Implement an adblocker to suppress intrusive pop-ups—some scams mimic warning alerts. VPNs also help block such traffic. For budget-friendly steps, use Malwarebytes and guide him through regular scans, educate him on identifying pop-ups that redirect to suspicious sites, which often resemble scams. Install an adblocker and configure Firefox to suppress pop-ups via settings. While not all threats are blocked, this approach significantly reduces risk. A stronger tactic is to install Sandboxie, which restricts OS modifications so settings remain consistent across sessions.
This is interesting. If any kind of UI change is out of the question (i.e. changing to something that makes "locking out" more trivial, as in practically any distribution of Linux with your / his choice of DE), then I'd consider running a Windows under some VM (and make it auto-boot it, so he won't even notice). Restore the setting / OS from an image at every bootup, and you're done. That doesn't rule out becoming a victim of scammers, say by typing a credit card number somewhere it should not be typed (I'm not sure anything exist that could do that).
VM is definitely an option I can see with, but I’d prefer sandboxie instead. It should also launch automatically when logging in. The user does have the ability to permit changes, which could be either helpful or risky. If they only run specific programs, installing sandboxie and restricting it to a separate disk or USB might be wise—though he might still manage to write files elsewhere. I haven’t used it in a while myself, but around ten years ago it was probably the norm, though it’s solid software if you need it.
I’m preparing to discuss this with him and illustrate how viruses might compromise his system by reviewing the event log. He hasn’t been very clear about issues, which is why I’m concerned. Virtual machines likely won’t be feasible since his computers don’t meet the required standards for such tasks. Sandboxie could be an option, but I’m more focused on preventing data loss and financial damage than worrying about actual infection. From what I understand, these individuals aim to profit from ignorance, so I’m trying to block their typical methods of demonstrating malware. When they attempt to launch eventvwr or run a red-colored command prompt, it won’t succeed. This is similar to Sandboxie, though another tool called WINSelect... perhaps?
It's tough when people lack the knowledge or tech skills to handle things properly. I often had to repeat instructions to my sister, only for her to ask the same question again when she visited. It gets frustrating. In cases like this, the best approach seems to be minimizing the impact of an infection or stopping it from spreading. Regarding the financial loss, there really isn't much you can do on your PC to stop the damage—especially since he’s sharing his card details. He might have been lucky because criminals often prefer stealing accounts rather than just unlocking a PC. I don’t see any solution for the money issues, even if he switches to a different payment method, he’d still be giving it away until it's too late. Wishing you all the best in this challenging situation.