Advice on using untrusted computers 1

[2ffat]

Window's Secret has published an article, Prevent keyloggers from grabbing your passwords , with advice on using passwords on untrusted computers (think computer cafes).


James P. Cottingham
^{I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!}

 

[BadBigBen]

Thanks for the info, one cannot stress this often enough...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[hawkdaddy]

Would the following work? Type your pass word in notepad surrounded by gibberish select and copy the password paste it into the password box maybe do the same with username.

 

[kjv1611]

I doubt that would have any effect if it's a decent tracking program. For that, all they'd have to do is watch the clipboard.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[hawkdaddy]

thanks that did not occur to me but a simple Google search gave me this:
is a keylogger which allows you to find out what other users do on your computer in your absence. It is designed for the hidden computer monitoring and the monitoring of the computer activity. Keylogger ******** is capable of catching all keystrokes, capturing the screen, logging the programs being run and closed, monitoring the clipboard contents.

 

[kjv1611]

I thought of that specifically, b/c it doesn't take all that much effort, really, to monitor the clipboard from Office VBA applications, so I'm sure it's pretty strait-forward with other more likely used languages for such apps.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[2ffat]

Yeah, this issue of Windows Secrets talks about that very thing. The article is towards the bottom of the page.


James P. Cottingham
^{I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!}

 

[manhunter2826]

^Thanks for that. Interesting little read, and the marked differentiation between USA and European online banking.

 

[Diancecht]

Never enter your password in an untrusted computers. There are hundreds of ways to get your credentials there. I'd not bother about it.


Cheers,
Dian

 

[manhunter2826]

^Absolutely, and yet many folk still log in to their online banking on a public computer. Ditto online shopping etc. The most I am prepared to do on a public computer (apart from browse) is access my email (and then clear out the session, and log off).

 

[kjv1611]

is access my email (and then clear out the session, and log off).

I'm not so sure I'd go that far. A keylogger or snooping app of any sort will grab your login data, and then if they like, they can just log into your email account... where you might have other personal data. And besides that, they may can use your login info there to get into other accounts, if they can just grab a few tidbits of info from your email. Not only that, but they could take that info, and use your email account to start sending out SPAM.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[manhunter2826]

^^Very true. Thanks.