On Fri, Mar 22, 2002 at 08:45:18AM -0600, Ben Stallings wrote:
> Now let's say you foresee this situation and do in fact install some sort of 
> back door.  What software do you use?

Personally, I'd set myself up an account on her machine and install
sshd to let me connect to it.  I don't really consider that a "back
door", though.

> How do you secure it so that other 
> people don't hack her computer?

Keep the sshd up-to-date in the event of exploits, tell sshd to disallow
root logins, and only allow login via rsa/dsa key exchange.  Distribute my
public ssh key to grandma's machine.

> How do you make it easy enough for her to 
> start when she needs to without being so obvious that she starts it 
> unnecessarily?

Just let sshd run at all times.  She doesn't need to start it and, if
you find out about a new exploit for any of the software on her
machine (not just sshd), you can hook up and update the program
without having to worry (or bother) her.

-- 
When we reduce our own liberties to stop terrorism, the terrorists
have already won. - reverius

Innocence is no protection when governments go bad. - Tom Swiss