Compu-machine / intranetweb question

[balthazar]

Main machine here at the Balthazar Ranch is a Dell running Windows XP. As such- there are 'user profiles' so you can log on to each desktop- there are 4 of us, each with his own, and both the adults have password-protected profiles.... and only those 2 profiles are set-up to access the internet. My 2 sons' profiles cannot access the internet and they don't have our profiles' passwords.

In due dilligence, I try and keep an eye on the older son's activities (he's 14), esp when on the 'net. He DOES have AIM. Can any internet-based pages be accessed thru AIM, because he's looking at some sort of text and what looks like harmless, amateur-level B&W drawings... but they are not stored on his profile anywhere, and I cannot find any activity date-wise sourced from the HD. I have not asked directly yet, because I have not determined what it is up close yet.

Anyone have any knowledge about accessing things thru AIM, because I have no idea otherwise how he could be looking at what's obviously sourced from somewhere abroad (vs, his having created it). Thanks.

[loki]

if he's using aim, i'm guessing he is on the net.... not sure if windows can do it, but sounds like you may need a port blocker program. and block all except aim.... obviously pictures and text can still be sent through aim though.... but also know that if you really want to be nosy, aim is typically unencrypted....so you can "intercept" those messages and read them, how this is done.... i know some switches can port forward, but i'm not heavily into networking.

[Intrepidation]

IF he's using AIM he's online. He can be sent images fromw ho he's talking to. It's also possible he cane view webpages through provided hyperlinks, unless XP is set to block them from connecting.

[loki]

key logger? if you really don't trust him.... but that's pushing it.

[balthazar]

I trust him, and I understand curiosity, but I don't need to go military on him either.

Can I block hyperlinks for a particular user only?

[loki]

I trust him, and I understand curiosity, but I don't need to go military on him either.

Can I block hyperlinks for a particular user only?

that sounds like you'd need a third party program for that....you can prolly do that in aim, but then he could prolly just turn that option back on.

are you worried he'll go to bad websites or you just try keep track of what he does (not as a spy, just good parenting)?

[balthazar]

Basically I don't want him visiting 'bad' sites- I respect his privacy otherwise- he's a good kid.

He's not especially computer-saavy- turning it off in AIM is likely to be effective for a while.

So the only way his profile can access the web thru AIM is via received hyperlinks? Wierd.

I'll poke around in AIM.

[FAPTurbo]

My parents had me try to do the similar stuff for my brothers. Although it was a different program that had features to block links, it still didn't do much good. I also tried fiddling with ports on our network, but it ended up causing more trouble than it was worth.

After trying to fight it for a bit, I figured I'd just download them an e-condom (Firefox), and explain to them the sh*t that is out there is not real, etc., and let them use their best judgment.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Captainbooyah

[loki]

maybe the best way to do it is just randomly check his history, some times, in the browser when he's out...and just watch for "warning signs"......?

[schuby87]

I have AIM 6.5.9.1 and it stores all my conversations. Maybe that could help...

[Robert Hall]

If I were a parent I would set up keystroke logging software on their machines first (looks like Refog's Keylogger is pretty effective) and for further analysis, use Wireshark to sniff all the network traffic to and from their machines.

www.refog.com

www.wireshark.org

[Charger4U]

Rather than hiding your children from the vast amont of knowledge there is on the net why not just punish them when they see something they shant be seeing. I cant imagine any good reasons for not letting children on the net.