Comments on: 5 Tips Every Traveler Should Know About Internet Security http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:15:16 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ian MacKenzie http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-95033 Ian MacKenzie Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:09:40 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-95033 Great extra tips Richard - thanks for sharing! Great extra tips Richard – thanks for sharing!

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]]> By: Richard @ The Bewildered Brit http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-95016 Richard @ The Bewildered Brit Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:09:30 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-95016 These are good tips and present a good balance for someone with only a limited computer knowledge. I would personally probably carry around a thumbdrive with two partitions on in. One would have a live Linux distribution on it (e.g. Ubuntu), the other would have a bunch of portable apps on it for Windows. Using a Linux live distribution is preferable since you have complete control over the operating system (i.e. you don't need to worry about what crap the internet cafe has installed on their computer). You'd have the portable Windows apps in case there was a problem, e.g. that there's no working network driver for the specific machine you're trying to boot Linux onto. You absolutely must do what you can to confuse keyloggers, and you must use encryption whereever possible. That said it can be a little tricky sending unencrypted email (a) to people without the techological knowhow of how to read your message and (b) people you weren't expecting to have to email and who don't have your encryption key. Dave's comments on the Asus eee are good, but that potentially opens up a whole other can of worms: wireless internet security. It's pretty much impossible to truly secure a network that you are entirely in control of, you have no hope of doing so on someone else's network. Things like encryption become utterly essential here. And unless you're 100% certain, don't plug your password in for anything. All wireless can be hacked pretty easily, even WPA2. Another very useful tip, if you find yourself having to use a pre-booted Windows machine is to hit ctrl+alt+del before you plug in any passwords. Look closely at what processes are running there. If you see anything that's dodgy, you might want to look it up online. If you're not sure if it's legitimate or not, just type in the name of the process into google and see what it comes back with. A final point is to make sure that you seriously diversify your usernames and passwords. So that if someone logs into e.g. your gmail account they can't use the same login info to get into your bank account. You really need to use an encrypted password manager (which you can install on your thumbdrive next to Firefox) Oh and one absolutely final tip--you know when you have those questions for when you've forgotten your password? You know "What's your mother's maiden name?" Don't put the real answer in there. Just make something up. Treat it as another password. Save that, too, in your password manager. If someone's been keylogging your IM chat with your mum, that person may have your email address, password and mother's name. Then s/he is only one step away from your bank account. These are good tips and present a good balance for someone with only a limited computer knowledge.

I would personally probably carry around a thumbdrive with two partitions on in. One would have a live Linux distribution on it (e.g. Ubuntu), the other would have a bunch of portable apps on it for Windows. Using a Linux live distribution is preferable since you have complete control over the operating system (i.e. you don’t need to worry about what crap the internet cafe has installed on their computer). You’d have the portable Windows apps in case there was a problem, e.g. that there’s no working network driver for the specific machine you’re trying to boot Linux onto.

You absolutely must do what you can to confuse keyloggers, and you must use encryption whereever possible. That said it can be a little tricky sending unencrypted email (a) to people without the techological knowhow of how to read your message and (b) people you weren’t expecting to have to email and who don’t have your encryption key.

Dave’s comments on the Asus eee are good, but that potentially opens up a whole other can of worms: wireless internet security. It’s pretty much impossible to truly secure a network that you are entirely in control of, you have no hope of doing so on someone else’s network. Things like encryption become utterly essential here. And unless you’re 100% certain, don’t plug your password in for anything. All wireless can be hacked pretty easily, even WPA2.

Another very useful tip, if you find yourself having to use a pre-booted Windows machine is to hit ctrl+alt+del before you plug in any passwords. Look closely at what processes are running there. If you see anything that’s dodgy, you might want to look it up online. If you’re not sure if it’s legitimate or not, just type in the name of the process into google and see what it comes back with.

A final point is to make sure that you seriously diversify your usernames and passwords. So that if someone logs into e.g. your gmail account they can’t use the same login info to get into your bank account. You really need to use an encrypted password manager (which you can install on your thumbdrive next to Firefox)

Oh and one absolutely final tip–you know when you have those questions for when you’ve forgotten your password? You know “What’s your mother’s maiden name?” Don’t put the real answer in there. Just make something up. Treat it as another password. Save that, too, in your password manager. If someone’s been keylogging your IM chat with your mum, that person may have your email address, password and mother’s name. Then s/he is only one step away from your bank account.

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]]> By: chris. http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-94925 chris. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:37:31 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-94925 great stuff! thank you great stuff! thank you

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]]> By: Andreas Doe http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-91099 Andreas Doe Mon, 11 May 2009 10:00:44 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-91099 There is a detailed comparison of technologies / approaches at http://kyps.net/home/comparison There is a detailed comparison of technologies / approaches at http://kyps.net/home/comparison

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]]> By: J http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-87296 J Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:08:25 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-87296 Actually, while the LiveCD is a great idea for security in a lot of ways, it does not eliminate the threat of hardware keyloggers. Actually, while the LiveCD is a great idea for security in a lot of ways, it does not eliminate the threat of hardware keyloggers.

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]]> By: Eric http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-64300 Eric Sun, 04 May 2008 05:28:28 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-64300 You can also carry around a LiveCD of a Linux distro, which will eliminate the threat of keyloggers while giving all of the benefits of Firefox mentioned in the article. If you're a little more technically inclined and have a spare USB thumb drive, you can make a LiveUSB thumb drive that will give you your own portable operating system that it faster than a LiveCD and easily modifiable. You can also carry around a LiveCD of a Linux distro, which will eliminate the threat of keyloggers while giving all of the benefits of Firefox mentioned in the article. If you’re a little more technically inclined and have a spare USB thumb drive, you can make a LiveUSB thumb drive that will give you your own portable operating system that it faster than a LiveCD and easily modifiable.

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]]> By: Dave http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-60179 Dave Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:41:32 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-60179 another good tip is to always delete the cookies or history when using another Pc, or why not eliminate the Internet Cafe all together and invest in a very light laptop like the Asus Eee which is around $300 which is very affordable and may work out the total value of visiting Internet cafes at the end of the trip, 900g you cant go wrong another good tip is to always delete the cookies or history when using another Pc,

or why not eliminate the Internet Cafe all together and invest in a very light laptop like the Asus Eee which is around $300 which is very affordable and may work out the total value of visiting Internet cafes at the end of the trip, 900g you cant go wrong

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]]> By: Paul Freeman http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-59089 Paul Freeman Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:07:53 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-59089 These are really useful tips - but when I was out in Thailand I noticed that huge numbers of people aren't even using basic security measures; In half the places I went online I found people had left websites, Instant Messengers or skype logged in. Remembering to logout, and if in Firefox use the "Tools -> Clear Private Data" option when finished is something easy enough for anyone to manage and should be done as a matter of habit. These are really useful tips – but when I was out in Thailand I noticed that huge numbers of people aren’t even using basic security measures; In half the places I went online I found people had left websites, Instant Messengers or skype logged in. Remembering to logout, and if in Firefox use the “Tools -> Clear Private Data” option when finished is something easy enough for anyone to manage and should be done as a matter of habit.

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]]> By: Carl http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/comment-page-1/#comment-59082 Carl Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:50:35 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/31/5-tips-every-traveler-should-know-about-internet-security/#comment-59082 Great tips! The tricks to defeat key loggers is especially useful. With travelers managing everything from email to bank accounts while on the road, the amount of sensitive data you access with a simple username and password is downright scary. These tips will certainly give you a running start in trying to protect yourself. Great tips! The tricks to defeat key loggers is especially useful. With travelers managing everything from email to bank accounts while on the road, the amount of sensitive data you access with a simple username and password is downright scary. These tips will certainly give you a running start in trying to protect yourself.

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