Re: Need recommendations on security

"Mike Easter"

| > I've been doing her updates, system and spy checks on a weekly basis.
| > For whatever reason she's set on having some functions as fully
| > automatic.
|
| I'm interpreting that as saying, "Altho' your human oversight is simply
| fantastic, I would rather there be some equally fantastic automated
| system so that you won't be sticking your nose in my system on a regular
| basis."  The fact is, that you won't be able to come up with an
| automatic system which is the equivalent of your or something security
| conscious human oversight.  Maybe she should hire a different human
| which she doesn't mind that overseer sticking their nose into the system.

Not  a problem with respect to access to her private data as I've power of
attorney for her bills, her health care and designated executor of her
estate.

Like I said she is accustom to paying for whatever she gets (took us a long
time to convince her that we WOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE accept payment
for anything we might do under the color of our friendship.)

You are probably correct in the desire for an automated system which is
clear from her purchases of Norton and McAfee.

| > I'm only using the free software with my 'clients' as they are all low
| > income and often disabled.  She OTOH has the money (she often
| > purchases stuff my clients need but cannot afford) and apparently
| > wants to have something for which she has purchased rights.
|
| I'm hearing that it is her impression that bought ware is better than
| freeware -- when in fact, freeware in the hands of the competent
| security manager is far far better than bought ware only in the hands of
| the security incompetent.  She is progressively convincing me that she
| is trying to make bad decisions about her security management, perhaps
| for good reasons, but with a poor idea of how to execute her notions.

See above on power of attorney etc.
| I'm also feeling that she isn't being entirely honest about what her
| concerns are because you are a good friend, helper and baked goods
| eater.
|
| >  BTW
| > she's gone through Norton and McAfee software leaving me to clean up
| > the mess.
|
| That's telling me that she isn't at all competent to be managing her
| security issues entirely on her own or 'automatically'.

She has ZERO clue when it comes to computer, the internet and security.
|
| > (not that I mind as she is a good baker and we visit over
| > there several times a week)
| >
| > For the time being she is using my WIFI connection and has asked me to
| > install one for her system.  Something I've not gotten around to
| > quite yet.
|
| If she is insecure within her own system, she is going to be way
| insecure with improperly managed wifi insecurities.

There is zero personal information on her computers (I've made sure of that
early on) that would be even a minor concern if the machines were
compromised except for the damage a compromised computer might do to the
rest of the net.

FWIW she gets a few spam emails and the occasional offensive porn email on
the account I've set up for her to use in the 'wild' but nothing more. She
does pay attention and while she sends more than an occasional joke/cartoon
to her circle of friends she does so with UNDISCLOSED RECIPIENTS in the TO:
field and the personal addresses in the BCC.

>From post in .geeks  it seems that the free stuff is more than adequate and
I've now a task to convince her of that eventuality.  If I'm wrong I presume
someone here will correct me.