Safe way to access email etc from Internet cafes?

buglawton

A gaping hole in everyone's security is that when they travel and use an internet cafe, there is no sure guarantee that the machine does not have a virus that can capture your keystrokes so get your passwords. Once I think heard of a service that allows access to favourite password protected websites using partial passwords or challenge/response but could never find it again when I searched. Was I imagining it?

kingmonkey

Having a look at the back of the PC?

Using a Linux Live CD such as DSL?

Using common sense? ie Ask if they check their computer daily for viruses? Your in charge! No one can force u to log in unless they have an ak47 pointed to ur head!

Lovin_It

If you're that scared, why not open notepad, type in your password in out-of-order chunks (e.g. ordpassw), then copy and paste the chunks together in the right order, into the password field...

John_Gray

Maybe do Start -> Run -> OSK and press Enter to get the On Screen Keyboard, where you can have all the fun of clicking the pictures of the keys with your mouse!

John

Reluctant_spender

John_Gray wrote:

Maybe do Start -> Run -> OSK and press Enter to get the On Screen Keyboard, where you can have all the fun of clicking the pictures of the keys with your mouse!

John

I never knew that - it's even better if you set it up just to hover over the key instead of clicking on a button.

buglawton

Many internet cafes do not allow access to the Run button or access to even Notepad. You really have no control over these unknown computers. Yet, if you can't access your email then no point of having an internet cafe. Once a hacker gets your email access they can locate other accounts you have and reset the passwords. Internet cafes must be prime targets for Tojans and people can even visit the cafe to install them deliberately (never mind the ones that install unwittingly). Very unsatisfactory if the only secure travel access is to take your own laptop to wifi spots.

superscaper

buglawton wrote:

Very unsatisfactory if the only secure travel access is to take your own laptop to wifi spots.

I'd hardly call access to uncontrolled wifi spots secure!!!!

mobfant

buglawton wrote:

Many internet cafes do not allow access to the Run button or access to even Notepad.

But there will be somewhere where you can write text randomly and then copy the parts of your password to the relevant place.

Blacksheep1979

you can get applications that will run of a usb key (can't remember where just google) and these can safely store your settings, with different passwords for them. Using these you will be fairly safe.

espresso

Blacksheep1979 wrote:

you can get applications that will run of a usb key (can't remember where just google) and these can safely store your settings, with different passwords for them. Using these you will be fairly safe.

You can but will you be able to plug a U3 USB flash drive into an internet café computer?

superscaper

Blacksheep1979 wrote:

you can get applications that will run of a usb key (can't remember where just google) and these can safely store your settings, with different passwords for them. Using these you will be fairly safe.

I've not used it but one I can remember is torpark http://www.torrify.com/. Secure encrypted tunnelled browsing running off flash drive.