Windows Vista in a Nutshell

General Security

Windows Vista includes many new general security tools, as well as holdovers from Windows XP. It also includes an entirely new way to access security settings, via Security in the Control Panel. This section of the chapter covers general security settings and tools. Note that there is some overlap between this section and the "Internet Security" section later on; for example, Parental Controls are covered in this section because they control access to applications and time spent on the computer, even though a major purpose of Parental Controls is to control how children can use the Internet.

Local Security Policy: \windows\system32\secpol.msc

Sets local policies for security. See "Microsoft Management Console,” in Chapter 10.

Parental Controls

Controls the way children can use the computer and the Internet.

To open

Control Panel → [User Accounts and Family Safety] → Parental Controls

Control Panel → [User Accounts and Family Safety] → Set up parental controls for any user

Control Panel → Set up parental controls for any user

Control Panel → [Security] → Parental Controls

Control Panel → [Security] → Set up parental controls for any user

Description

Many parents are justifiably worried about how their children use computers and the Internet. The Internet can be a dangerous place for children—particularly young children, preteens, and even teens. They may inadvertently come across pornography, violent images, or other unsuitable content, and they could even ...