www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Would this work?> http://portableapps.com/

_________________

Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

Yes and no. PA is good if you want you use your own apps and avoid using the host's computer browser and apps -- but you're still using the host computer's OS, so if there's an active keystroke logger it'll still capture keystrokes, mouse clicks, etc.

Best thing is to create a boot USB or CD (preferably Linux but if using PA you need Win), boot from it, then plug in PA on the USB drive. Then you're safer (except from HW based solutions).

...and key stroke loggers are just the TIP of this ICEBERG....some programs report back, IN REAL TIME, what you're doing.....where you're surfing and what you is typing...do NOT be fooled by that ****** when you enter your password on an infected machine.

Hopefully, J0sie will weigh in on this subject as he is far more advanced in security than I am....he lives large and phat because he knows what he knows.....

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Steven,

Simply put, you don't know what you're talking about. Well, you kindof do, but you don't know as much as you think you do.

The pirate software business is alive and well, and no.. they don't prevent you from downloading updates. Not unless you're a completely incompetant pirate. There are literally hundreds of different cracks and legitimate volume license keys floating around that Windows is perfectly happy with, as is Windows update.

Yes, it's true, some of the ones you find out there have hidden (or not so hidden) malware, but that is, again, incompetance if you get struck by those. There's lots of malware free stuff out there, and most of the techs in costa rica know which is which.

It's definitely true that most of the public computers out there are loaded with spyware and malware. Mostly this is because the IT guys are too lazy to do anything about it, and the hotel staff doesn't know the difference.

The only public computer systems i've seen that are safe are the ones where they re-image the drive after every session. Those work nice, and i've seen them in use in many public internet cafes in europe and the US, but not generally in small cafe's or hotels.

Bull butter. The corporate licenses (you're calling them "volume licenses")are being disabled as fast as they're discovered. Perhaps you're the high roller type that runs some company or thinks he runs some company....and have access to one that has not been overly circulated, but use of the corporate license en masse is a thing of the past.

The bottom line is that the public terminals in CR are dirty. That was the function of my post; to so inform. Why big dummies feel the need to pull their coccks out and stroke them/it for all to see on this forum escapes me. I really don't care what the blowhards think or "know"; I DO care about those who rely on those of us who make money in the business to lend them a helping hand (...and who don't have the fancy technical know how you obviously have, far superior to mine I'm quite certain... ), and are members of this group. CR ain't Europe or the USA and if you think the cafe's on either of those continents ain't badly infected, just keep using 'em. Old timey groups such as Cult of the Dead Cow and far more better outfits like Sourceforge.com might help you escape the stupidity you clearly embrace.

Concluding, Mad German, GFY.

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Why don't the so called 'IT techs' there run Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc. on a daily basis? I guess that would be too much work for them.

_________________
"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

I for one appreciate the reminding / warning posted by Steven. Thank you sir! Don't let the haters get to you.

Just ran into this thread and I agree %100 with Steven1 and like I have said in many previous post, if you use one of those community/lobby/hotel/public computers you should assume that everyone else can see your data. I think that they are a great tool if you need to do a quick Google search or just get some directions. Anything that requires a logon should be done from your own personal computer.

They are some interesting posts,



This is true; hackers are getting better at fooling the licensing programs. The problem is that they are also getting better at adding code to the pirated software and this is what Steven1 is referring too. Just because you are able to patch the OS, it still a compromise OS. Unless you know where the piece of code resides and be able to delete and recompile the code, then you are toast.



Great question. Although this will be one of the most basic IT function to do, I doubt many of this places even commit themselves to do it. Why? It cost money. How many of this places will have an IT guy 24/7. And even if they automate the function, what then when something pops-up? Monitoring needs to be in place and that cost mucho dinero.

To summarize, guys use public computers at your own risks. I agree that buying one of those netbooks, now under $300 might be the best investment you can make to keep your information safe.

_________________
Hit them fast, Hit them hard and NEXT!
A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

An always-and-everywhere reminder from Steven1 about computer security. Folks, these guys responding are experts in the field; heed their warnings and advice, and remember, as Admin1 says: NEVER KNOWINGLY REVEAL PASSWORDS OR GIVE ENTRY TO THIS SITE!

Our ongoing Thread on netbook computers including intel up to 3/9/09 is here: https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=26841
Pretty much what you need to know to make an intelligent buying decision.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Thanks, JB......J0sie is the pro....I'm just a wanna be....although I *might* have some intel that is useful......

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Good point -- if the cafe isn't using DHCP internally and/or is using an Internet gateway, you probably won't be able to get out to the Internet using your own boot USB/CD. Unless of course you can get the static IP address/gateway/DNS addresses before you reboot, then reset your config to match it. And if they're savvy enough, they can still prevent that -- many cafes do these days, or they set a BIOS password so you can't change the PC to boot from CD or USB -- they WANT you to use their nasty infected PCs .

And of course there's always the good ol' network packet sniffer -- "Hey, there come some gringos! Quick, fire up Wireshark!"

Then again, if these places don't even bother running scheduled malware scans, what are the chances they will have anything other than a basic network setup?

Steven1's and J0sie's main point is very valid - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Practice safe computing, folks.

miamiheller

I do IT security also and this doesn't surprise me in the least. I set up a special 'throw-away' web email I use in CR. Also before accessing web mail, be sure to check the little box that says to use added security 'for public terminals'. This will help prevent anyone from sniffing your passwords --although the key loggers tend to grab everything. I would NEVER do any online transaction on one of the hotel computers!

_________________
The sexiest part of the human body? The brain.

I think the points been well made that important information should never be conveyed on a public computer. It's just foolish to do banking on one of them. Booting to a public computer using Linux (like Knoppix) is a safer idea.

As far as the discussion about pirated XP and updates I can only speak of my personal experience of reloading hundreds of XP operating systems on Dell computers. If you use the XP OS disk that comes with a Dell computer you can load the OS on almost any other Dell computer built to use XP. You will never be asked for a CD key to register the computer and there won't be any problems with getting the online Microsoft validation tool so that you can get security updates and service packs. The computers I reconfigure usually come from offices that have updated to newer computers and rarely come with the original Dell OS or drivers disk. I usually create a ghost disk with the OS, drivers and any other applications needed for that model of a Dell computer. I've noticed that Pentium III Dell Optiplex GX150's are pretty popular with some Internet cafes in San Jose. Though not that powerful, their suffiient for email and web surfing. I'm sure most of those computers were configured with a bootlegged Dell disk.

_________________
"Guess what?! I've got a fever, and the only prescription... is more cowbell!"
Christopher Walken