Parental Controls

Is there any way for me to have a password for my internet security (Kaspersky) that is different from the admin password on my Mac?

My teenage son knows how to reset the admin password during startup. He has behavioural issues and keeps going to adult sites. The Mac is downstairs and he sometimes creeps downstairs at night to watch stuff. I don't know enough about routers to set it up on that end. Or maybe a way to prevent the admin password being reset at startup, and having the only way to reset as a OS X reinstall?

The way it is now, it's so easy for him to break the password.

There are two things you need to do. First, use FileVault to encrypt the contents of your drive. Once that's done, change your admin password. There will be no resetting of the password. Downside is that if you lose or forget the password, you cannot recover the contents of the drive. Read more here:

Can FileVault be bypassed with OS X password reset routines? - CNET

Preventing Manual Password Resets on a Mac by Using FileVault Security | OSXDaily

The second thing you will want to do is block the ability to boot from another drive. You do this by setting a firmware password.

What is a firmware password and how do I set one up?

You may be able to skip the Filevault option entirely and just use the firmware password, as long as you remember to lock the Mac using "Find my Mac" from another device.

Thank you very much. I will give this a try. I bought a Mac simply because the parental controls on OSX were pretty much flawless and he cannot bypass them.

I would also recommend installing K9 Web Protection.

It is a free product (for home use) that filters ALL Internet traffic through Blue Coat (an Enterprise-scale proxy vendor). It runs in the background transparently. It can only be defeated by uninstalling, which is password protected (you will also receive an email warning, should it occur).

I run it on all of my machines - not just because I'm trying to protect my kids, but it also does a great job of filtering out malware.

Also, you'll be able to get rid of Kaspersky, unless you like the Russian spy agencies having hooks into your computer.

I second the recommendation of K9 Web Protection. I have installed it on several computers. You can even set it to bark if a bad website is requested. It can also be made to stay silent, block and log activity.

Lisa

I used the file vault method. Then I set up a profile for my son, and allowed him access to everything apart from the internet security. He can browse and see nothing offensive, and cannot access bit torrent either.

The only problem I have is this:

When the computer is turned on, he can't select his profile and log in with his password. Only the admin profile (mine) shows. So basically, if I can't have user profiles showing at login, he can't select his profile, so I have to be there every time he turns on the machine. Why can I only see the admin profile up for selection at login when there is another profile for my son?

I have fixed it by allowing the profile on FailVault. The only problem now is that Kaspersky, since activating FlieVault, has now stopped blocking what it is supposed to block. It lets pornographic sites through, and even time restrictions do not work. I can't find anything about this on the internet. Is there some issue with Kaspersky and FileVault? It doesn't matter if I am on my admin profile or my sons. Its blocking features no longer work.

zlick41 said:

I have fixed it by allowing the profile on FailVault. The only problem now is that Kaspersky, since activating FlieVault, has now stopped blocking what it is supposed to block. It lets pornographic sites through, and even time restrictions do not work. I can't find anything about this on the internet. Is there some issue with Kaspersky and FileVault? It doesn't matter if I am on my admin profile or my sons. Its blocking features no longer work.

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Quite frankly I would just ditch Kaspersky entirely. I used them back in my Windows days and they make (or used to make?) good AV software for Windows, but I'm skeptical that they have the chops for OS X. I have no experience with any parental control software myself, but I trust the recommendations of the others here for K9.

zlick41 said:

I have fixed it by allowing the profile on FailVault. The only problem now is that Kaspersky, since activating FlieVault, has now stopped blocking what it is supposed to block. It lets pornographic sites through, and even time restrictions do not work. I can't find anything about this on the internet. Is there some issue with Kaspersky and FileVault? It doesn't matter if I am on my admin profile or my sons. Its blocking features no longer work.

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To be quite honest, you are making this way more complicated than it has to be. Remove Kaspersky and any trace of it. Install K9 (it's a 2 minute thing), problem solved.

If you're worried about AV, Bitdefender has a free client on the App store that you can scan with periodically if you're so inclined. But fighting with Kaspersky is an exercise in futility.

zlick41 said:

I have fixed it by allowing the profile on FailVault. The only problem now is that Kaspersky, since activating FlieVault, has now stopped blocking what it is supposed to block.

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I'm guessing that, at least in part, there is a conflict between KV and FileVault. Is there any reason you need both?

I'm liking the sound of K9.

However I use open DNS to block access to unwanted sites (porn, gambling, etc.) across my whole network.

Would installing K9 on all my macs help further or just cause conflict issues?

nickyr said:

I'm liking the sound of K9.

However I use open DNS to block access to unwanted sites (porn, gambling, etc.) across my whole network.

Would installing K9 on all my macs help further or just cause conflict issues?

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If one solution works, no point complicating things by adding unnecessary layers.

K9 is more of a sledgehammer approach. I recommend it to parents for their kids. Especially if the parents had only a basic understanding of computers.

I have also had to install it on a laptop a person on parole needed for college but was court ordered to stay off certain site types. K9 would email his parole officer if he strayed. It was on a Windows computer though.

If OpenDNS does the job then I would not go with K9 just because it will use computer resources although I have not found it to be a hog.

Lisa

thanks both

open DNS works for me so I'll stick with just that then.