Saturday, January 17, 2009
Microsoft Steadystate
I initially looked at Microsoft Steadystate as a method for preventing employees from visiting websites on single purpose computers. Though it did not satisfy that need directly, I was intrigued by the promise of the software.
Steadystate is available via Microsoft's download site, and it is free for users of Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. As is required for much of Microsoft's add-on software, you will be required to validate your installation of Windows. Protected disk drives will need to use the NTFS file system.
First a word of warning. Microsoft lists the minimum requirements to be a measly 300 Megahertz processor and 128 megabytes of RAM memory. This is a gross misrepresentation. First it would be painful to run just Windows XP with those minimum requirements. Adding Steadystate would take the experience to beyond painful. I installed it on a AMD 1.6 gigahertz, 512 megabyte memory test computer and the extra load on the system could be felt significantly.
The first lesson that I learned during my testing is that you want to install Steadystate on a fresh copy of Windows. This means either a new machine or one that recently been refreshed. You are unable to convert current users into Steadystate managed users easily. It is recommended that you also setup any software or features that you want available on the computer. This is mentioned in the Steadystate documentation, but first-hand experience really makes the point.
Once you have to-be-shared computer ready installation is straightforward. You download the software from Microsoft and then proceed through the standard installation.
During your initial use of Steadystate you are immediately given options. You can setup overall computer security as well as settings for individual users. You can also setup disk protection and scheduled software updates.
There are many options in what can be limited in SteadyState. You can limit the access to web sites in Internet Explorer. You can also limit access to certain disk drives, programs, and system settings. The computer can also limit the amount time that it used or left idle before it will log off the user. For the security sake of data, you can also disable the ability to save files on USB drives.
Be sure to test any profiles and users by logging in as a user and ensuring that they can perform any functions that you might consider them using day-to-day.
If you have taken a great amount of time to carefully setup and test your profiles be sure to back them up using the export function. This will also allow you to copy the same settings to other workstations with SteadyState installed.
Try it out. SteadyState is free to users of genuine Windows XP and Vista. Just be sure to test it on a non-production environment computer.
Steadystate is available via Microsoft's download site, and it is free for users of Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. As is required for much of Microsoft's add-on software, you will be required to validate your installation of Windows. Protected disk drives will need to use the NTFS file system.
First a word of warning. Microsoft lists the minimum requirements to be a measly 300 Megahertz processor and 128 megabytes of RAM memory. This is a gross misrepresentation. First it would be painful to run just Windows XP with those minimum requirements. Adding Steadystate would take the experience to beyond painful. I installed it on a AMD 1.6 gigahertz, 512 megabyte memory test computer and the extra load on the system could be felt significantly.
The first lesson that I learned during my testing is that you want to install Steadystate on a fresh copy of Windows. This means either a new machine or one that recently been refreshed. You are unable to convert current users into Steadystate managed users easily. It is recommended that you also setup any software or features that you want available on the computer. This is mentioned in the Steadystate documentation, but first-hand experience really makes the point.
Once you have to-be-shared computer ready installation is straightforward. You download the software from Microsoft and then proceed through the standard installation.
During your initial use of Steadystate you are immediately given options. You can setup overall computer security as well as settings for individual users. You can also setup disk protection and scheduled software updates.
- Computer Restrictions - Set computer wide protection settings.
- Schedule Software Updates - Be sure that your antivirus software is setup to automatically update and scan.
- User Profiles - Now is the time to decide what your users will be able to do with the computer.
- Add a New User - This is where you finally add your user or users.
There are many options in what can be limited in SteadyState. You can limit the access to web sites in Internet Explorer. You can also limit access to certain disk drives, programs, and system settings. The computer can also limit the amount time that it used or left idle before it will log off the user. For the security sake of data, you can also disable the ability to save files on USB drives.
Be sure to test any profiles and users by logging in as a user and ensuring that they can perform any functions that you might consider them using day-to-day.
If you have taken a great amount of time to carefully setup and test your profiles be sure to back them up using the export function. This will also allow you to copy the same settings to other workstations with SteadyState installed.
Try it out. SteadyState is free to users of genuine Windows XP and Vista. Just be sure to test it on a non-production environment computer.
Labels: SteadyState, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hearing Voices
I got the call this past weekend from a computer user that she was hearing voices in addition to a notice from her anti-virus software about malware on her computer. I could tell in the message that she was intrepid about relaying the information about the voices. I must admit I was skeptical, but I went in with my eyes open.
I did find some out-of-place processes including afinding.exe and wserving.exe. I knew these did not look right and began a search via Google. Sure enough. These processes are part of a Trojan-Downloader that will play short snippets of music or speech through the computer speakers. Maybe someone can tell me what the purpose would be for this malware to do this. The only explanation that I could find is that it would make the computer user sound maybe just a bit crazy.
A fairly quick run through with SDFix corrected the problem. The lesson is do not discount any explanation as a clue from your computer users.
I did find some out-of-place processes including afinding.exe and wserving.exe. I knew these did not look right and began a search via Google. Sure enough. These processes are part of a Trojan-Downloader that will play short snippets of music or speech through the computer speakers. Maybe someone can tell me what the purpose would be for this malware to do this. The only explanation that I could find is that it would make the computer user sound maybe just a bit crazy.
A fairly quick run through with SDFix corrected the problem. The lesson is do not discount any explanation as a clue from your computer users.
Labels: malware, repair, Windows, Windows XP
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Free Tech Support from Microsoft
Microsoft is growing concerned about the reception that Vista is getting with businesses. Needless to say, businesses are not jumping onto the Vista band wagon. Matter of fact, I do not personally know any business with more than one employee which has begun implementing Vista.
To get the ball rolling, Microsoft is offering free telephone technical support for small businesses that purchase a new computer with Windows Vista Business or Vista Ultimate installed. The purchase must be made between July 1st and September 30th of this year. The Windows Vista "Small Business Assurance" technical support program will offer support through October 31st.
What is a small business. For the sake of this program, Microsoft considers you small if you have 50 or fewer employees or 25 or less computers. It is unsure how Microsoft will validate those figures.
I am unsure if this alone will help Microsoft. The last thing that small business people want to do is wait on hold for a Microsoft tech support person. They want the machine fixed so that they can get on with business. I think that just the stoppage of selling Windows XP back on June 30th will give Vista a push. There are far fewer options for those that want to stick with XP. The only three options for obtaining Windows XP at this point are buying an ultra-mobile notebook, purchasing a system builder version, or buying a computer with an XP rollback.
To get the ball rolling, Microsoft is offering free telephone technical support for small businesses that purchase a new computer with Windows Vista Business or Vista Ultimate installed. The purchase must be made between July 1st and September 30th of this year. The Windows Vista "Small Business Assurance" technical support program will offer support through October 31st.
What is a small business. For the sake of this program, Microsoft considers you small if you have 50 or fewer employees or 25 or less computers. It is unsure how Microsoft will validate those figures.
I am unsure if this alone will help Microsoft. The last thing that small business people want to do is wait on hold for a Microsoft tech support person. They want the machine fixed so that they can get on with business. I think that just the stoppage of selling Windows XP back on June 30th will give Vista a push. There are far fewer options for those that want to stick with XP. The only three options for obtaining Windows XP at this point are buying an ultra-mobile notebook, purchasing a system builder version, or buying a computer with an XP rollback.
Labels: Microsoft, Vista, Windows, Windows XP
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