You can never know what happens on your computer when you are sharing it with your family or with your friends. That’s why a wise decision is to keep a track of all websites visited assuring in this way that your computer is used in a proper way and there are no activities that can damage it.

In this way, I would like to briefly describe an easy to use application, named Stealth Website Logger that will record every website visited from a specific computer in complete invisible mode. The application records the information and sends the logs to a specified e-mail address for a detailed analyze. The advantage of this software is that when the 5 days trial ends, there is no message popping up asking you to buy it. Stealth Website Logger will simply stop sending you e-mails with the websites visited and further is your decision. Once you buy the license and register the application, the settings made in the trial version will be kept so there is no need to set them again.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 4% [?]

The reason why requests for websites monitoring software have increased, it’s because Internet took a whole new dimension. Due to the risk of being exposed to malware or Internet thievery Internet became an unsecured environment where as in the real world, you need to keep your eyes wide open.

The main user category is the parents, which choose to use this type of software in order to protect and keep an eye on their children. Below, I have resumed and reviewed 4 of the best websites monitoring applications, that everyone can use to find out every website visited from a specific computer. I will also do my best to reflect the pros and cons of each application in part.

1. I will start with Application Blocker which is not just a website monitoring software, but also a parental control tool. The application allows you to select and block specific websites while it can also record the ones visited. So if you see a website that is visited by your child and you find it inappropriate you can easily add it into the blocking list and restrict access to it. More than websites monitoring and blocking, the application can also block access to applications, chat, multimedia, browsers etc. You can define blocking sessions, enable notifications and many other things specific for a parental control software. The price is $29.95 so I think it’s the best deal for a parental control software.

   

2. Stealth Website Logger, as its name says it’s an invisible, easy-to-use application that records every website visited, indifferent the browser your children is using. The recorded activity is organized in logs and sent to a specific e-mail address so you can have a further analyze. Stealth Website Logger has also a password protected interface and hot-key combination for accessing the application. The price is only $9.95 so I guess it’s a good option that everyone can afford it.

   

3. Website Spy is another website monitoring software that works in complete stealth mode. A small difference between this application and the one mentioned above is that the last one exports the messages to HTML files in a directory for later analysis, or FTP server but also to a specific email address. Regarding the security measures, this is also password protected and has a hot-key combination for accessing its interface. The disadvantage is the price which is $49.99, pretty much for an application of this kind.

   

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 9% [?]

If you want to monitor certain PC activities, a software keylogger is one of the programs that you can use. You can install one in the computer that you want to monitor and you can monitor PC activities remotely via this software. It would basically log ‘keystrokes’ or user defined data, including username and password.

How to choose a good software key logger
A good and efficient keylogger would allow you use just a little memory and little CPU cycles. This way, it would not any attention and would not cause the user you are monitoring any alarm. A good keylogger should not cause your computer to froze.

When a user observes that his PC usage is quite slow, he would often check the Task List. An effective keylogger should hide itself from the Task List as well as from the Uninstall List. It should be virtually invisible. There are key loggers that can actually be used remotely and can retrieve keystroke logs at anytime.
A good software key logger should use very little memory and very few CPU cycles, so as not to attract attention to itself. A good key logger should also hide itself from the Task List and from the Uninstall List. A good key logger should be invisible to the person being monitored. A better key logger will support remote installation and the ability to remotely retrieve keystroke logs. A better key logger should also be able to log only user-defined types of data, such as usernames and passwords.

Popularity: 36% [?]

If you are worrying whether or not your employer is checking on your monitor use and tracking your work terminal every now and then- the answer is yes. An employer has access to computer networks and work terminals. He is also free to check on it and to monitor his employees’ computer activities. In most cases, there are certain limitations that restrict an employer in monitoring electronic devices, including computers. For instance, your union group may have written policy and regulations in monitoring PC use of employees. Depending on your work location, you may find minimal rights under your country’s constitution that protect your privacy. For instance, the US Constitution’s fourth amendment can protect unreasonable and unfounded search and seizure. In the sate of California, there are additional rights stated on ‘Privacy Rights of Employees Using Workplace Computers in California’ that aims to protect employee’s privacy rights.

Employers find it a need to monitor employee’s computer activities to ensure work efficiency. There may be times that workers would just sit on their computer, do an entirely different thing apart from their work. This can actually cost the employer a lot of money and can cause an environment of inefficiency in the workplace. Most employers would also block certain websites from working on their employer’s computer that they deemed are not related to their line of work. Most websites that are blocked from the workplace are social networking sites and the like. If an employee believes that there is an eye watching on his computer use- then he is compelled to do his job and such a workplace encourage productivity.

Popularity: 29% [?]

If you are an owner of a computer and several members of your household are using it, you may want to block certain websites. You can block sites that are harmful and contain virus and trojans. You can also block pornography sites. For employers, blocking specific websites is also important so you would be assured that your workers focus on their work and not waste their time surfing the web.
In blocking a website, you do not actually need a software. You can do it yourself. Here are the steps to get you started.
(This procedure is for computers using Windows XP)
• Click on “Start”, head to “All Programs”, go to “Accessories”, then to “Command Prompt”.

• Open “Command Prompt” and you would be directed to the DOS command window

• Type in this “notepad C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc/hosts”
• Locate the line “127.0.0.1 localhost”
• In order to block specific websites, you can just add the website name to the text after “127.0.0.1” For example, to block MySpace.com, you need to enter this text:
127.0.0.1 www.myspace.com or
127.0.0.1 myspace.com
You can add as much websites as you want.
• Save the file. MySpace.com would now be blocked in your computer’s entire web browsers.
This is such an easy way to block certain sites from being surfed on your computer. You do not need to buy any software. This is a simple yet very effective process of safeguarding your PC from harmful sites or you can use this process to block sites that are inappropriate for your kids. Check the video below!

Popularity: 31% [?]

The main objective of monitoring computer use is not to stalk on other people’s web activities. One of the major reasons why people have to monitor PC use is to safeguard the computer against harmful components like virus and trojans that can easily get through your computer by visiting specific websites or downloading certain files.

Surfing the Internet can cause a lot of computer problems, this is why you are encouraged to install a software that can block certain websites that are known to be harmful. If you are looking for such software, you can check out Cyber Sieve.

Cyber Sieve can restrict users to visit specific websites and news groups. It can also be a handy parental control software because it can effectively block messages that contained inappropriate words that may be sent through email, chat, or instant messaging. If you want to limit your kid’s computer time, this software also comes with time limiting features. It also stops anyone from sending private information such as credit card number over the Internet.
Parents or owners of the computer can opt to receive an email notification that contains detailed descriptions of any blocked operations that may have been used by your kids or employees. It would also contain a screen shot of the computer for remote monitoring. You would also get full information of Internet resources used by your PC.

Cyber Sieve is CIPA Compliant and you can try it for 14-days at no cost to see if it works for you. A single license is sold at $34.95.

Popularity: 31% [?]

MySpace is one of the leading social networking sites on the Internet today. It is a good portal to stay in touch with your old friends and family members but it can also be a haven where predators can prey on your kids. Parents just won’t know who their kids are talking to on the web. Here is one way that you can monitor your child’s activities on my space.

• First off, ask your child’s MySpace URL address
• Log on to that web address and go to its blog section and click on “view all blog entries”.
• Right click on the URL or web address located at the box on top and click copy
• Go to this site: http://makedatamakesense.com/myspace/ and paste your copied URL
• Click on “create RSS”
• You would be directed to a page where you have to copy the web address.
• On your feed reader, (you can get this for free on blog sites) add the feed that you just copied.

This process just made you a subscriber to your kid’s MySpace blog.

This neat procedure would not only allow you to read your kid’s blog entries, but you can actually edit them too. Make sure that their blog don’t expose their personal information such as complete name and home address.

Another advice- it is always a good thing that parent’s create their own MySpace profile and comment on their kid’s page every now and then just to make them feel your presence.

Popularity: 37% [?]

If your kid is someone who spends hours on the Internet playing computer games or surfing the web, it can be a real problem. No longer would they have time to do their home works or do more productive tasks. You may even catch them fighting with their other siblings just to get a chance to sit on the computer. If you are struggling with a similar scenario, you can make good use of TimesUpKidz.

This software can limit the amount of time your kid can use the Internet or play PC games. You can also set the specific time of the day when your kid can use the computer. It works like a time cop and would send signals when “time is up”. With such a feature, your kid cannot spend long hours in front of the computer even if he wants to.

TimesUpKidz is very user-friendly for parents. You can fill up a simple form that schedules your kid’s computer use on weekdays or weekends. You can also opt to customize the schedule of use for each day of the week. You can also set a “break time” for every use.

TimesUpKidz can work on Windows XP or Windows Vista. It’s has a strong password security so only you can open the software and modify its settings. If you want to test drive this parental control software, you can take advantage of its free 30-day trial offer. If you decide to purchase the software, you can get it for only $29.95.

Popularity: 33% [?]

Application Blocker is a smart software that blocks all kind of applications, including browsers, chat clients, multimedia applications, etc.

Now, you can get a free license if you provide feedback about the product.

Every person that will send his feedback on Application Blocker will receive a free license key for this parental software. The offer is available until 15th December.

So, if you find this software useful, hurry up!

Read more on Amplusnet’s blog.

Enjoy!

Popularity: 37% [?]

The market of the parental control software is a busy one. There are many product available and all of them advertise that they are the best and they do a great job. That is actually what we are all looking for.

Recently I came across Application Blocker Pro from Amplusnet http://www.amplusnet.com/applicationblocker/internet-parental-control.htm . Considering that we are talking about a new product I took the time to evaluate the product and see what it is capable of.

The installation it is easy and at the end of it a password protected user interface it loads. The user interface looks very professional (I personally like the colors) and provides accurate information (tips) about the usage.

The product main features are: block access to applications and web sites and monitor computer usage. The email reporting is a function that I personally like a lot and I can tell for sure that it worked for my gmail account.

I have used the trial application for 5 days and I can say that the purchase price $29.95 is fair for the features provided. The product provides many features that only other products which are more expensive provide and this is definitely a big plus. We will provide soon – by the end of this month (November 2008) a comparison chart of parental control software that might be useful for our readers.

Enjoy!

Popularity: 41% [?]