blocking IM download

I hope I'm posting in the right place. I'm removing Yahoo instant messager from my computer. Is there is anyway to prevent others from downloading it back on my computer, as well as AIM, ICQ, etc., using filters or something similar? A personal ban on IM programs, if you will...

Thanks.

 

Only way would be to not allow downloads from IE. There really is no way on a home network to block IM downloads or downloads in general, without third party software.

 

Set up the other users with Guest/Limited accounts. This would prevent them from being able to install the programs.

 

Is there a way to specifically block the downloading of Yahoo IM, AIM, and so on with use of my firewall? It's Sygate Personal.

 

If there isn't a program to block the download and/or installation of the programs, there should be. If I were able to do programing I would make one, but I'm just a hardware geek. I have customers asking me about that all the time.

 

If you wanted you could block access to the pages that these files are download from and not the programs themselves.

 

Thank you to everyone replying. I'm trying to do that by use of the Content Advisor, but doesn't always work.

 

I wonder if there is a way to block specific .exe files from running on a computer. They keep changing the name of the download file but I think the executable to run the program is usually the same. So then you would have to block the .exe for each program be it AIM, Yahoo or what ever.

 

Thought about this?

 

I did notice this post but most parents of teenagers don't want to be there 3 times every evening trying to evaluate what their kids want installed and eventually the kids learn their parents username and password negating the whole thing anyway. I have customers who would like to be able to set those kind of parameters for the kids accounts.

 

Sorry Jerkyking, I hadn't ignored your post. There's only one account on my computer; I didn't think I needed another. But now my husband, who I'm positive has Internet addiction, keeps spending hours online with God knows who off of Yahoo IM. I've already blocked off access to chatrooms and deleted the IM program. Besides some communication and counceling, I just want to be able to add some security to my computer, seeing as I use it for my job. To give him his own account would be like telling him it's ok to run rampant, even if it's limited.

Sorry for the aired laundry.

 

We'll I'll leave this one alone then. I do understand your concern for computer specially since you need it for work. But do keep in mind anything you do to prohibit installs or sites, he can undo.

 

Try a key-logger, but you'll need to find one that won't be tagged as "spyware" by your monitoring tools.