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Trend Micro Kids Safety - PS3
- Company
- Trend Micro Inc.
- Version
- OS 4.46
- Devices supported
- Gaming Console
- Price *
- 15.95 €
- Language of interface
- chinese, danish, dutch, english, french, german, italian, japanese, korean, norwegian, polish, portuguese, russian, spanish, suomi, swedish, turkish
- Test date
- SIP Bench III, 1st test cycle, Summer 2013
EFFECTIVENESS
The overall effectiveness score is weak 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.
There is no major difference in effectiveness among the different languages.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between teenagers and children.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between web and web 2.0.
There is no major difference in effectiveness among the different languages.
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for users up to 12 year old: 1.4
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users up to 12 year old: 0.0
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for users 13 years and older: 1.8
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users 13 years and older: 0.0
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users up to 12 year old: 0.0
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for users 13 years and older: 1.8
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users 13 years and older: 0.0
Effectiveness score for users up to 12 year old: 0.7 out of 4 points
Effectiveness score for users 13 years and older: 0.9 out of 4 points
Effectiveness score for users 13 years and older: 0.9 out of 4 points
USABILITY
Installation of the tool: URL filtering for the console's internet access is possible with help of 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: Trend Micro for PS3 provides barely any options for configuration; therefore the configuration of the settings for youth protection on the consoles themselves was included in the test: The configuration process is partly incomprehensible especially with regard to abbreviations. Context sensitive explanations are not provided, but would be necessary at some points. Especially concerning the fact, that game consoles might not be familiar to everyone, the configuration is rather difficult to learn. Finding the Trend Micro service and learning how to use it, is rather difficult."
Usage of the tool: There is barely any usage of PS3's youth protection tool. The alert message cannot be customised and is not worded with respect to children's capability of understanding. The product does not provide any options to react when a web site has been blocked. There is no reporting of URL filtering.
Usability of the installation process: n/a
Usability of the configuration process: 0.7
Usability of the usage of the product: 1.2
Overall score for usability: 0.9 out of 4 points
FUNCTIONALITY
Parental control functionalities provided by the external tool Trend Micro Kids Safety:
Web content filtering:
Sony has included a bookmark in the PS3 Browser which links to Trend Micro Kids Safety Web Service for PS3 which allows web filtering features. There is no detailed customisation possible.
Parental control functionalities embedded with the device
The console is provided with a family security functionality which allows the PARENT to determine the settings both for the OFFLINE and the ONLINE features. Here are presented only the online features managed by the embedded tool. Most online features are enabled by the PlayStation Network. The parent can determine his/her own child/teenager levels of protection through
The Internet access is free (no pay-for subscription needed)
The Security Settings allow the PARENTS to restrict the users’ access to the PS3 Web browser: block/allow. The restriction applies to all users. If blocked, only the users knowing the PARENTS password will be able to access the Web.
Online communication activity
Through the MASTER Account (the PARENT) can restrict the Voice/Video Chat usage by the SECONDARY Account: block/allow. Even if blocked, the user can receive messages and invitations to chat
Content download or purchase
Through the MASTER Account the PARENT can define if and how much budget the CHILDREN/TEENAGERS can use to buy contents from the PlayStation Store The content of games and video accessible through the PlayStation Network will be filtered according to the secondary account age for those content that are labeled
Online gameplay
There is not a specific functionality to block this issue. The PARENTS can prevent the USER to play online indirectly by blocking the access to the Internet or “not creating'' a secondary account for the PlayStation Network. Filtering of online games is possible indirectly: through the Security Settings it is possible to define the level of the game that can be played offline: the higher is the level the higher the restriction. Some games have features that can be played online: these games will be played if they are consistent with the level set by the PARENTS.
Web content filtering:
Sony has included a bookmark in the PS3 Browser which links to Trend Micro Kids Safety Web Service for PS3 which allows web filtering features. There is no detailed customisation possible.
Parental control functionalities embedded with the device
The console is provided with a family security functionality which allows the PARENT to determine the settings both for the OFFLINE and the ONLINE features. Here are presented only the online features managed by the embedded tool. Most online features are enabled by the PlayStation Network. The parent can determine his/her own child/teenager levels of protection through
- the set-up of a MASTER ACCOUNT (PARENTS) and its related SECONDARY ACCOUNTS (USERS: CHILDREN/TEENAGERS) within the PlayStation Network
- the configuration of the Security Settings (mainly related to locally stored content and to CD and DVD that can be played on the consoles) protected by a password (different from the Master account used for the PlayStation Network)
The Internet access is free (no pay-for subscription needed)
The Security Settings allow the PARENTS to restrict the users’ access to the PS3 Web browser: block/allow. The restriction applies to all users. If blocked, only the users knowing the PARENTS password will be able to access the Web.
Online communication activity
Through the MASTER Account (the PARENT) can restrict the Voice/Video Chat usage by the SECONDARY Account: block/allow. Even if blocked, the user can receive messages and invitations to chat
Content download or purchase
Through the MASTER Account the PARENT can define if and how much budget the CHILDREN/TEENAGERS can use to buy contents from the PlayStation Store The content of games and video accessible through the PlayStation Network will be filtered according to the secondary account age for those content that are labeled
Online gameplay
There is not a specific functionality to block this issue. The PARENTS can prevent the USER to play online indirectly by blocking the access to the Internet or “not creating'' a secondary account for the PlayStation Network. Filtering of online games is possible indirectly: through the Security Settings it is possible to define the level of the game that can be played offline: the higher is the level the higher the restriction. Some games have features that can be played online: these games will be played if they are consistent with the level set by the PARENTS.
SECURITY
The tool allowed us to access some blacklisted webpages using a proxy.
Overall score for security: 2 out of 4 points
DETAILED FUNCTIONALITY
| Area of need | Functionality | Specific issues | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | Management of User profiles | Create several profiles | No |
| Remote Management | Manage on various devices | No | |
| Monitoring | Remote access to monitoring | No | |
| Filtering Customisation | Topics | Customisation of Filtering Topics | No |
| URLs White List | Restrict Browsing to White List | No | |
| Default White List | No | ||
| Modification OR Creation | No | ||
| URLs Black List | Creation of User's own Black List | No | |
| Keywords | Keywords | Default Black List | No |
| Default White List | No | ||
| Creation of a User's Black List | No | ||
| Creation of a User's White List | No | ||
| Time | Time Limit Settings | Set a specific time frame or web access duration | No |
| Blocking Message | Type | Ask for unblocking by parents | No |
| Redirect to safe resources | No | ||
| Usage Restriction | Web | Block Access | Yes |
| Monitor Access | No | ||
| Safe search | Availability | No | |
| Social Networks | Block Access | No | |
| Monitor Usage | No | ||
| Personal data Provision | Block | No | |
| Streaming | Block Access | No | |
| Monitor Access | No | ||
| P2P | Block the application | No | |
| Monitor Downloads | No | ||
| Skype | Block chat | No | |
| Block video chat | No | ||
| Monitor | No | ||
| Prevent new Contact | No | ||
| Windows Life Messenger | Block chat | No | |
| Block video chat | No | ||
| Monitor | No | ||
| Prevent new Contact | No | ||
| Block email client and/or webmail access | No |
DETAILED USABILITY FINDINGS
| Yes / No | |
|---|---|
| I: installation in 3 steps or less | Yes |
| I: choice of installation for beginners or advanced users | n/a |
| C: different degrees of strength for the filtering | No |
| C: different content criteria for the filtering | No |
| C: option to transfer filter configurations between target users | n/a |
| C: option to transfer filter configurations between devices | No |
| C: overall comprehensible configuration | No |
| C: overall conformity with user expectations | No |
| C: overall easy to learn | No |
| U: alert message in a child friendly language | No |
| U: option to customise the reaction in case of blocking | No |
| U: overall easily operable and comprehensible reporting | n/a |
DETAILED SECURITY FINDINGS
| The Tool prevents the user from by-passing the filter by: | Yes / No |
|---|---|
| Using the IP address instead of the URL | n/a |
| Using an alternative browser | n/a |
| Changing time and date settings* | n/a |
| Disabling or uninstalling the software without a password* | Yes |
| Closing the filtering tool trough the Task Manager | n/a |
| Using a proxy instead of a direct connection to the Internet | No |
| Accessing the web-pages through the Google Cache | n/a |
| Reaching a website through translation sites | n/a |
| Renaming a blocked application | n/a |
| Using Safe Mode | n/a |
| Filtering Content personalised by user | No |
| Filtering Content evolving through time | No |
| Filtering Multimedia content | No |
| Filtering outbound content | No |
