We could all make money doing security advice

I've had an idea.

Pretty much everyone here could make spare cash by offering computer security advice to their local community.

I'm talking specifically about computer security - not just computer repair man, etc.

There are probably tens of thousands of people in every city who have no idea about computer security. Many old people use computers, many parents have no idea, etc. They just buy a computer - some have no idea about firewalls, etc.

We now live in an age of identity theft, online scams, etc, etc - people are starting to worry more.

You go out, armed with FREEWARE apps to harden their systems - the likes of:

Zone Alarm
Spybot Search and Destroy
Spyware Blaster
Ad-Aware
Safe XP
AVG
etc, etc.

Charge a nominal amount - say £10.00 - £20.00 per customer - possibly £30.00.

Install the applications

Run updates and scans

If you find an 'infection' (virus, trojan, etc) maybe charge a nominal fee for having detected it and thus removing it.

Leave them printed instructions on the day to day use of each application.

You target novices - there is probably no point turning up at a computer-savvy person's house with freeware apps - you advertise for people who have no idea what they are doing.

It is a simple case of just installing FREEWARE security applications and setting them up.

Why should this make money? Coz retailers do not deal in FREEWARE apps. PC World, WH Smiths, Dixons, Scan, Play, etc don't distribute things like Spybot Search and Destroy - HOWEVER, it is a great anti-malware application.

These people would walk into PC World/WH Smiths and probably spend £30.00+. A lot of PC sellers make these products additional purchases with a PC - they offer them at the point of purchase - not everyone takes up the offer.


It all seems to simple to be true. Anyone see any faults with this idea? Does this seem an interesting idea?

PC World wanted to charge me £30 for Norton 360 when I bought my new laptop.

But they were crafty - they show you a price with Norton 360 included, then the smallprint says you can have the laptop without Norton for £30 less.

I wonder how many people don't spot this? I did.

If you think your time is that worthless, and you're happy to accept that anything that goes wrong with their PC after you've installed stuff is your fault (regardless of what they've actually done) then go for it.

Mmm. Maybe just install stuff, run updates and scans - then let them decide whether or not to remove any infections.


Anyway, I need someone to volunteer to do this idea first - then report back how they got on. If all goes well for you, then I might have a bash at it.

Actually puki, I think you're on to something. Seriously, you could make some serious money there, and if you put a disclaimer in your contract, the customers won't have any damage claims on you.

One thing though: I'm not really sure about the potential legal repercussions of using any APPs, freeware or otherwise, for your own personal financial gain. Just check the EULA of the APP before you use it, okay? Don't get yourself slammed, mate.

So, you install a shedload of software on a complete stranger's PC, take their money, then get them to sign a contract saying that if their computer buggers up, its not your fault?

Yeah right. Can see a LOT of people doing that!

Ah, good point.

Where is "Amon" when you need him? He can test the idea for us.

It seems to me that people will always trust the Geek Squad or Firedog or whatever services large retailers offer more than someone working out of their home.

In order to gain that trust you would have to spend a ton on advertising.

Plus how many smaller computer repair companies offer this same service?

Touch my hugeness!!!

The main money-spinner here is they will keep contacting you for advice. Everytime Spybot, or any other app spots something, they'll be on the phone for help. Some of them will constantly need help - old/retarded people.

ding, ding - 'What do we have for him Johhny?'
£££££££££££££££££

Sniff my Large!

Well go ahead and start this business. If it works out I'll handle the Midwest and you can handle.... wherever it is you are from (I tend to picture an Alice in Wonderland type of thing).

They should give you £30 for installing Norton on the laptop. :)
In the past it has been more than occasionally the source of problems when I had to fix other people's computer (such as random crashes fixed with proper uninstalling).


Actually, this is the point. The concept isn't novel since virus scanning and preventing is one of the tasks technicians are often called for (most of the problems inexperienced users have are virus related). However a specialized task force aimed at security issues for consumers (not enterprise) isn't a bad idea, even though in my opinion a technician operating in this field should be able to recognize a wide range of problems since rarely the user will understand where the issue lies: in my experience when something doesn't work right, the first user's thought is always "I have a virus!". So if their problem isn't solved with virus and spyware scanners (maybe because a virus didn't have anything to do with it) the customer won't be happy to pay you again in the future and will probably consider you incompetent. Moreover, you can't always restore the functionality of the OS if system files or even master boot records are compromised by a virus, so in these cases you still have to know how to sort out the issue while backing up and/or recovering data if required.

However, you could always state from the beginning that your job goes as far as scanning and removing viruses if the system hasn't been already compromised, or just to aid in preventing infections, and it could still be enough to build a good business.

Anyway, even realtime scanners are often powerless against users deliberately running MSN and e-mails attachments, and most of the infections I faced where taken this way even though adequate protections were installed.
I recognize the most efficient way to keep a system up and running for a fair amount of time is to provide the user with a bit of education about security, phishing, trojans and firewalls.

That would explain alot...

I offer these services to friends and family free of charge, but certainly not to others. As a dual CCIE (Routing & Switching and Security) I certainly have advice to offer.

I am sorry if this has been covered, but I honestly did not take the time to read each post. I read the first post or two and skimmed over the rest. One thing I noticed was mentioning of desktop based protection software. Here is where the real issue is. Security does not begin at the desktop and CERTAINLY should not be the job of the desktop. A properly secured network is done so well ahead of the workstation/computer in question. This should be maintained via proper firewall rules and a good logging system.

I am not saying that antivirus and spyware are unneeded as you certainly can not train some users to "not click that" -- however even things like that can be prevented, for the most part, before it reaches the desktop.

One of the issues is that the consumer market seems to accept underfeatured SOHO routers and are happy with their statefull hardware firewall -- and then turn around and PAT 65535 ports to inside machines.

I do, however, agree that those who know should at least share. I have made it a point to ensure all wireless networks in my area are secure by tracking down the owners and letting them know exactly what could be done with their unencrypted, WEP 40/128, and even WPA based encrypted signals.

oh, btw, there is quite a bit of money to be made. I decided to pay for some of my game development by actually doing work on sites like Rent a coder and Guru.com -- I made over $1400 USD last week fixing various hacked servers, setting up PIX/ASA firewalls, unblacklisting and securing SMTP servers, and various other monotonous tasks.

I've done this in the past. Had about 5 customers (I didn't advertise much). I did exactly this: I turned up, installed Spybot, ad-aware and CCleaner, ran them all, rebooted the PC, checked that all the normal apps still loaded fine and had the customer use the internet for a few minutes. Then you just leave the system defragging and tell them to leave it until that's finished. That's it, they've seen the system working fine so they can't blame you for something that goes wrong later. And the simple answer to give them is that computers either go wrong straight away or they don't. So if a problem doesn't arise for two weeks, then it's not your fault, it's something they've done. People will accept that and call you out again.

There's no legal problems using freeware programs, you're not using them on a company computer, so it's not business use, and your not charging for the software, you're charging for you time.

perhaps install the software, then while they are out of the room strip off naked ... no hang on... that was something else:)

I pretty much do this anyway. :-)

Had one guy tell me in no uncertain terms that I had broke the computer, I went back around to find the motherboard plugged in wrong and held down with a single screw, the CPU shorted, an ISA card hanging out of its socket...

He kept telling me how <x> person was good and he'd had a look and couldnt figure it out.

<x> turned out to be a 6 year old boy!!!!




Heh, watch out for dodgy sneaky looking asian guys. They'll ignore the fact and still insist it's your problem! :-(

One could consturde that as racist.

perhaps that was a discription of his 'bad' customer with the 6 year old expert

but aye that is a rough tar all generalization

i never told anyone i was semi good at pc's cos i knew id be doing tech support for any old bugger who i worked with

Personally I have just affiliated myself with a local computer shop. So everytime I send someone their way they give me a % of the total bill or a fixed cost depending on the work. I don't get actual money but I get credit at their shop.

Everyone's happy, I get free stuff and no hassle and they get customers.

Me myself got sick of people f@#k$ng up their pc and expecting me to fix it for a few euro's.

I think my free time is worth more than a few lousy euro's and rather spend time on my hobbies and who knows, maybe I create something worth selling and make a few bucks (or more) then...