Computers are great tools. However, a computer cannot, on its own, control the way in which it is used. However, this may be necessary to prevent problems, as when employees download pirated software from the web, or when students use a school computer for unintended purposes, or trade show attendees change the settings on a public computer. Our software is designed for small and medium-size companies, schools, public agencies, and, of course, also for individuals who are interested in protecting their computer.
User Control can prevent specified applications from starting and block access to blacklisted websites. It can also prevent access to operating system components. This keeps users from altering system stettings and changing the appearance of the desktop.
Restrict access to applications completely, or at specified times
Rules are often established that limit the use of a computer to specific purposes defined by the owner, but employees, students or users of public computers sometimes do not follow these guidelines. User Control applies the rules you have set up in a friendly, but efficient manner. To play it safe, you could provide access only to predefined applications and block everything else. This will eliminate the possibility of unexpected surprises. Alternatively, you could block only specified applications, such as the popular download wizards, copy-protection crackers, auction site clients, or CD burners. And if you want to allow access to harmless games at lunchtime or after work, you can relax application blocking at the times that you specify.
Complete control over Internet use
The Web is a great tool for research, education, and communication, but it also has a dark side. User Control can allow access only to specified sites, and block all others. It can also block only certain categories of “bad” sites, such as entertainment, online auctions, “adult” sites, or online games. All you need to do is set up filters that search for specified expressions and block any pages on which these appear. These filters can be user-modified at any time to add additional websites or keywords. This functionality can also be relaxed from time to time. You can also specify times when blocking will not be in effect.
Hands off system settings!
It can take a while to set up a home or office computer so that it is ideally configured. At this point, no further modifications to settings should be allowed. All too often, however, this is not the case. User Control can completely block access to certain system settings. For any user or user group, you can specify which Start menu options are available or which functions are available through Control Panel. You can also hide specific drives in your file manager, limit Internet functionality (by preventing downloads or changes to browser settings), or prohibit changes to the appearance of the desktop.
The desktop stays the way it is!
Unauthorized changes to the desktop can be a problem whenever multiple users share a computer, as when they download and install exotic wallpaper from the Web, for example. User Control freezes the desktop appearance as you set it up. This can include the ability to move icons, or use of the context menu on any school or public-access computer.
Automatic Logging
The Administrator has complete control. He or she decides which users or groups any restrictions will apply to. Only the Administrator can access the automatically generated log files. You can decide which applications can run on a particular computer at any given time, and which websites can be viewed. (If data protection laws prevent the use of this functionality in your company, this feature can also be shut off.)
Making the Administrator’s job easy
The Administrator’s tasks in User Control are easier to perform than you might think. Since it is a simple matter to define user groups, your Administrator no longer needs to establish settings for each individual user—he can instead apply settings to an entire group.