Windows Family Safety - SIP

NAME
Windows Live Family Safety
Company
Microsoft
Version
2012
Type of product
Client
Devices supported
Computer
Operating systems
Windows 7 (32 or 64 bit edition)
Windows Vista Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2
Price*
Free, with OS (or freely downloadable)
Language of interface
All EU and other countries
≤ 12 years old users: 9/21 (points 1,80 out of 4)
GLOBAL RANKING
≥ 13 years old users: 12/21 (points 1,94 out of 4)
*Prices might change according to the latest company offers
User's voice
Comprehensibility:

“Easy to use.”
Test user placed in:
Poland
Test user´s degree of Internet literacy:
Look and Feel:

Time to install and
configure:
30 minutes
FUNCTIONALITY
In Windows 7, web restrictions and activity reports are not included in Parental Controls. The tool Windows Live Family Safety is
indicated by the provider for the activation of the filtering tasks.
In order to customize the protection, the Parent needs to create Hotmail account. Since the filter is based on Windows OS, it is
important to protect all Windows accounts by a password (especially the admin). The parent is provided with a list of filtering
levels but websites categories are not transparent. There is no specific category dedicated to web streaming or web mail
blocking and it is possible to block them only if the parents choose the "white list" only browsing mode. Social Networking is
blocked since it is included in the filtering levels provided.
FUNCTIONALITY SCORE:
2,8 OUT OF 4 POINTS
EFFECTIVENESS
The overall effectiveness score is good on adult content and very weak on other harmful content.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between teenagers and children.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between web and web 2.0.
The tool performs better on English and French than on other languages.
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for ≤12 years old user: 3,2
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for ≤12 years old user: 0,0
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for ≥ 13 years old user: 3,4
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for ≥ 13 years old user: 0,0
OVERALL SCORE FOR EFFECTIVENESS FOR ≤ 12 YEARS OLD USER: 1,6 OUT OF 4 POINTS
OVERALL SCORE FOR EFFECTIVENESS FOR ≥ 13 YEARS OLD USER: 1,7 OUT OF 4 POINTS
USABILITY
Installation of the tool: The tool can be downloaded by Windows 7 users as an external application. Installation of the application
works nearly automatically, therefore the installation has not been tested with regard to usability.
Configuration of the tool: The configuration process is mostly comprehensible and how to find and start the configuration is
rather difficult to learn. The process contains some inconsistencies and does not always meet users' expectations. There are
barely any options to individualise or influence the process except for the language. The design could be optimised a little.
Usage of the tool: The tool supports a dialogue between children and parents, when a website has been blocked. The alert
message cannot be customised, but it is worded with respect to children's capability of understanding. The reporting is well
comprehensible.
Usability of the installation process: /
Usability of the configuration process: 2,64
Usability of the usage of the product: 2,76
OVERALL SCORE FOR USABILITY:
2,68 OUT OF 4 POINTS
SECURITY
It is important to set the filtering level on child safe in order to block by-passing attacks through proxies or Google Translate.
The password protection is managed by Windows OS, but in this case it is acceptable since the tool is a Windows suite.
It was possible to view a blocked site accessing it through the Google cache. It is also possible to launch a blocked application
when renaming it.
OVERALL SCORE FOR SECURITY: 1 OUT OF 4 POINTS
DETAILED FUNCTIONALITY FICHE
AREA OF NEED
MGMNT
FUNCTIONALITY
SPECIFIC ISSUE
Management of
users profile
Create several profiles
YES
Monitoring
Remote access
YES
Topics
Customisation of filtering topics YES
ASSESSMENT
Restrict browsing to a white list YES
Urls White lists
FILTERING CUSTOMIZATION
Default white list
YES
Modification OR Creation
Modification – NO
Creation – YES
Urls Black lists
KEYWORDS
TIME
BLOCKING MESSAGE
Keywords
Time limit settings
Type
Web
Safe Search
Social Networks
Personal data
provision
Creation of user’s own black list YES
Default black list
NO
Default white list
NO
Creation of a user’s black list
NO
Creation of a user’s white list
NO
Set a specific timeframe or web YES
access duration
Ask for unblocking
YES
Redirect to safe resources
NO
Block access
YES
Monitor access
YES
Availability
YES
Block access
YES
Monitor usage duration
NO
Block
NO
Block the access
Application - YES
Web - NO
Streaming
USAGE RESTRICTION
P2P application
Skype application
Windows Live
Messenger
E-mail
Monitor the access to the
application
Block the application
YES
Monitor downloads
NO
Block (chat, VoIP, Video-chat)
YES
Monitor the access
YES
Prevent from new contact
NO
Block the application
YES
Monitor the access
YES
Prevent from new contact
YES
Block email Client and/or web
YES (Client)
YES
DETAILED SECURITY FINDINGS
The Tool prevents the user from by-passing the filter by:
YES/NO
Using the IP address instead of the URL
YES
Using an alternative browser
YES
Changing time and date settings*
YES
Disabling or uninstalling the software without a password*
YES
Closing the filtering tool trough the Task Manager
YES
Using a proxy instead of a direct connection to the Internet
YES
Accessing the web-pages through the Google Cache
NO
Reaching a website through translation sites
YES
Renaming a blocked application
YES
Using Safe Mode
NO
Changing the port of Peer-to-Peer application
N/A
*As managed directly by the tool and not by the device.
DETAILED USABILITY FINDINGS
YES/NO
I: installation in 3 steps or less
YES
I: choice of installation for beginners or advanced users
NO
C: different degrees of strength for the filtering
YES
C: different content criteria for the filtering
No (games only)
C: option to transfer filter configurations between target users
YES
C: option to transfer filter configurations between devices
YES
C: altogether comprehensible configuration
NO
C: altogether in conformity with user expectations
NO
C: altogether easy to learn
NO
U: alert message in a child friendly language
YES
U: option to customise the reaction in case of blocking
NO
U: altogether easily operable and comprehensible reporting
YES