Comment from Janet on 2010-03-17

2010-03-17T14:01:59Z

Carin-- using a public computer, at a library or internet cafe-- is exactly the situation that Leo is warning you about. You have NO reason to trust the other people who have had access to the machine before you. Unfortunately, Leo is right: if you don't have physical control of the machine, there is NO way to be sure that malicious hardware or software hasn't been installed. There have been criminal convictions of people who installed keystroke loggers on public computers to gain access to bank accounts, steal identities, etc. This is also one of the many ways that e-mail accounts get hijacked on a daily basis. Please don't think this is a hypothetical risk; real people have had their lives messed up by exactly this sort of thing.

If you're using a public computer, you should not access a password-protected financial or business site, or a site which has your private information (to include credit card info) on file. It's fine to use public computers for non-sensitive stuff like reading your hometown newspaper when you're travelling. If you're OK with running the small-but-real risk of having your e-mail account hijacked by spammers, you can use e-mail-- better yet, get a "disposable" travel account with a free provider and abandon it after your trip.

Bottom line, assume that someone is watching everything you do and everything you type when you're on a public computer. If it's harmless, go ahead; if it's private, DON'T DO IT. A better choice: buy a cheap netbook to go with you, get a simple VPN solution to secure it, and then you have control over your situation.

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Comment from Tony on 2009-11-12

2009-11-13T02:29:56Z

I just tried going into Properties and marking a file as Hidden. Now I can't figure how to find it again. ??

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A comment on: How do I keep my information on a shared computer private?

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Comment from carin chapin on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T16:14:00Z

How can I protect myself from spyware on a public computer? We use computers at libraries when we are traveling. We do delete our history before logging off. Are there other issues we are not aware of? Thank you

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A comment on: How do I keep my information on a shared computer private?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
Leo's Answers Newsletter - Ask Leo! in your inbox every week.

Comments for How do I keep my information on a shared computer private?

Comment from Janet on 2010-03-17

Comment from Tony on 2009-11-12

Comment from carin chapin on 2009-10-27