Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ask Slashdot: Protecting Home Computers From Guests?

Posted by timothy on from the quick-name-an-os-that's-never-been-compromised dept.

An anonymous reader writes "We frequently have guests in our home who ask to use our computer for various reasons such as checking their email or showing us websites. We are happy to oblige, but the problem is many of these guests have high risk computing habits and have more than once infested one of our computers with malware, despite having antivirus and the usual computer security precautions. We have tried using a Linux boot CD but usually get funny looks or confused users. We've thought about buying an iPad for guests to use, but decided it wasn't right to knowingly let others use a computing platform that may have been compromised. What tips do you have to overcome this problem, technologically or otherwise?"

5 of 572 comments (clear)

  1. Guest wifi... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think they call it guest wifi and byod.

  2. Linux Boot by Sylak · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Have a dedicated Linux boot just for them, and if they give you funny looks tell them too bad.

  3. Virtual Machine by FiveLights · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Set up a VM in Virtual Box for them to use. Take a snapshot of when it was healthy and new and just revert to that each time someone wants to use it. Even paying for a Windows install for the VM would be cheaper than an iPad.

  4. Virtual Machine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Something like VirtualBox or VMWare that supports snapshots. Install an OS into the virtual machine and set some firewall rules to keep it from accessing anything else on your network. When they ask to use your computer, launch the virtual machine and set it to full screen. They won't know the difference. When they're done, revert to snapshot.

  5. Re:Linux Boot + PRINTER by QuasiEvil · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I consider myself to usually be on the bleeding edge of technology, but phone-based boarding passes are right out. I've never had a piece of paper run out of power, but I've had my phone die halfway through the travel day for reasons unknown (turned into a little toaster and burned through its battery - presumably the radio got in a weird state) and have had it stolen while traveling. I keep two boarding passes, typically - one folded in my pocket, and one in my carry-on. If I lose one, I just grab the other one.

    And yes, most of the time when my guests want to borrow a machine, it's because they need a printer for boarding passes.