Mom Needs Help with Teenager overriding Password

[Brink]

Well I hate to say this one but you can go to the extreme and see if your machine has an option in BIOS for a power on password. So once the machine is turned on it ask for your password before it even boots.

That's a good option, but resetting the BIOS via the CMOS jumper or battery will wipe out the password giving access again.

 

[Brink]

Well, power cords are cheap or can be "borrowed" from other devices.

My first thought is to use a product like TrueCrypt:

Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux
Main Features:

* Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.

* Encrypts an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive.

* Encrypts a partition or drive where Windows is installed (pre-boot authentication).

* Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.

* Parallelization and pipelining allow data to be read and written as fast as if the drive was not encrypted.

* Encryption can be hardware-accelerated on modern processors.


See:

TrueCrypt - Free Open-Source On-The-Fly Disk Encryption Software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux

Maximum PC | How To: Encrypt Your Entire Hard Drive The Easy Way Using TrueCrypt

Regards,
GEWB

This looks like a good option for you SuperMom since you do have Windows 7 Ultimate.

 

[wilywombat]

1 more vote for Truecrypt...best of all its FREE!!!!

 

[Shootist]

I have a first generation dell XPS running Vista. I'm all game for anything

Here is the deal with Dell notebooks, as I know them.
If you set a BIOS password and something happens that somehow locks you out of the PC there is NO way to remove the BIOS password and or use the hard drive in any other system.

Note that was the way it was a few years ago, reports all over the net of this happening to people making there PC useless.
Not sure if it the same way today.

 

[gregrocker]

I'm not sure why the feature that's built into Win7 for this purpose is not being considered here.

After all, everything mentioned besides BitLocker is only as strong as your password, which seems to be the problem.

So make the password much stronger, assure there is no keylogger reading it, then set boundaries using Parental Controls in the Control Panel.

 

[wilywombat]

Just had a thought...If you connect to your router by cable from your desktop, buy a wireless USB adaptor for your desktop. Once this is setup to use on your network you can only access the internet while the adaptor is plugged in. Remove the adaptor...remove the teenager (only don't leave the cable lying around!!

 

[Imperfect1]

SuperMom, I don’t know if this will help you, but here’s a ‘time-lock control' software app that was posted by marsmimar on the "Software which locks computer" thread. As mentioned in that post, it’s older software, but if you run it in compatibility mode it might work.

Software Time Lock - Control when and how long the Internet, specific computer programs, and the computer itself can be used each day of the week.

 

[FliGi7]

I'm not sure why the feature that's built into Win7 for this purpose is not being considered here.

After all, everything mentioned besides BitLocker is only as strong as your password, which seems to be the problem.

So make the password much stronger, assure there is no keylogger reading it, then set boundaries using Parental Controls in the Control Panel.

I'm with you on this.

I think we need to take a step back and figure out how she is actually getting on the computer even after changing the password. There's talk about "getting in to the computer" but that the passwords are figured out even after clearing the cache and temp files. Which password(s) are we talking about here? The password to log on to the computer or passwords stored in the browser? These are completely separate issues.

 

[brady]

Without giving too much info out on this topic, any password can be bypassed at startup.... Except disk encryption passwording.

 

[FliGi7]

Without giving too much info out on this topic, any password can be bypassed at startup.... Except disk encryption passwording.

And without giving too much information on that, disk encryption can be bypassed as well. Regardless, this may have nothing to do with the actual logon password, as SuperMom talks about clearing temp files but the daughter still getting the password, which has nothing to do with the logon password.

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

I like the BIOS password idea. I work for a guy who has two computers out in full display and can't say no when his bro-in-law puts BitTorrent on his machines. He's been asked more than once not to mess with the puter, but they just don't take no for an answer.

I put a password on the BIOS and he hasn't tried to sign in since he spent 45 minutes trying to figure out how to get past the password screen.

 

[Britton30]

I MAY be wrong here, but doesn't a BIOS password simply lock one out of the system BIOS settings? I had tried that due to a bozo of a step-son who likes to use Facebook, Myspace etc. The PC still started just fine.

This thread makes me feel real insecure if passwords can be bypassed so easily!

(((SuperMom))) I know how you feel.

Two suggestions I've seen seem the best, TrueCrypt or a USB drive lock. Make two USB's in case one is misplaced. Is the girl adding or deleting programs, changing your settings or what exactly does she do you consider out of place?

 

[FliGi7]

BIOS password and boot password are different things. A BIOS password simply locks you out of the BIOS, a boot password won't boot the computer without it. Both have the possibility of being reset if you can get to the CMOS battery since they are stored in the BIOS ROM which is reset when power is removed for several minutes.

The most dependable way to completely prevent boot-up is full drive encryption with PGP, TrueCrypt, or something of the like.

Regardless, I have a feeling we're talking about web passwords and not boot or login passwords that are being "broken" here. We won't know until SuperMom responds at some point.

Let's also try to keep in mind this is a Windows 7 help forum, not Dr. Phil. So as much as we would like to all weigh in with our opinions on the matter, we owe the OP Windows 7 help, not a life evaluation.

 

[allend66]

If the original poster could clarify for us what exactly sh's talking about: Win7 logon, internet passwords, what?

 

[geeve420]

Without giving too much info out on this topic, any password can be bypassed at startup.... Except disk encryption passwording.

Without giving too much info out on this topic, any password can be bypassed at startup.... Except disk encryption passwording.

And without giving too much information on that, disk encryption can be bypassed as well. Regardless, this may have nothing to do with the actual logon password, as SuperMom talks about clearing temp files but the daughter still getting the password, which has nothing to do with the logon password.

This! I use "certain things" When working on PC's for people and they forget or don't tell me there password, but want it fixed I agree we need more info on what passwords are being compromised.

Bios passwords can be easily delt with as well, especially on a desktop.....

Geeve


EDIT: Would this not work? Or is this only applying to Ultimate?

http://thecustomizewindows.com/2010/12/create-an-usb-key-to-lock-and-unlock-windows-7/

 

[Mike Connor]

This works well;

PREDATOR protects your PC with a USB flash drive | PREDATOR

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[0pp9iuy]

She might be using a keylogger to know the passwords.
they usually have a certain key combination to open them, Alt-Ctrl-k maybe?

 

[wilywombat]

I still think my option in #26 may work. The problem may be that the daughter is using either a USB stick or something like Hirens Boot Disk to boot that machine and would therefore not need any password. Removing the cable from the equation by replacing it with a wireless dongle would allow Mom to "take away" the internet connection.

 

[Zepher]

Removable drive bay and take the drive with you.
Amazon.com: Startech Black Aluminum 5.25-Inch Durable SATA Hard Drive Mobile Rack Drawer: Electronics

 

[unifex]

I might be the only one to dissent here, but I would ask this question: why do you want to forbid your daughter to use the computer in the first place? Is that really working out for you? And even if you throw away your desktop, so there won't be any computer in the house for her to use, how can that preclude her from going to a public computer in any library, internet cafe or her school?

If you want to keep her away from certain dangerous web sites - which would be the only reasonable goal here in my opinion as a parent (no offense) - you'd have to blacklist the IP addresses of the sites and then encrypt your system drive with a strong password. If she can go around this - which is certainly possible - then I'm afraid there is nothing you can do except to talk to her and explain the dangers you're trying to protect her from. You might of course use the "physical" methods to prevent her from using the machine - remove the cords, drives, etc., but just remember that yours is not the only PC in the neighborhood.

Otherwise, just to sort out the technical part of the issue, I do agree that you have to tell us which passwords your daughter is circumventing (and why do you think IE temp folders have anything to do with it).