In the past, public computers were more common in developed countries. They were usually located near libraries or other government buildings, and people could use them for free. However, with the advent of smartphones and other forms of internet access, many people now find themselves needing to use a public computer at some point. This is especially true in developing countries where there is no wifi or coverage.
When it comes to public computers, many people don’t realize the risks they face. So when the time comes, it’s important to be aware of how to use these machines safely.
Why Are Public Computers a Risk?
However, with these new machines, the risk is much greater. If someone were to gain access to your computer and use it for malicious purposes, they could potentially steal all of your data, including your confidential files and even your personal photos.
The problem with public computers is that anyone can leave anything they want on them. This is a big problem because with modern computing you’re leaving information left and right like digital dandruff. Usually without knowing it.
The other risk of these machines is from people who have used them before you sat down. Not just because the typical public mouse and keyboard is a bio-hazard, although that’s another issue, but because they could have left all sorts of nasty surprises for you.
These surprises are aimed at skimming information from you in a variety of ways. Which means you should really only use public computers if its an emergency.
Check For Anything Suspicious
If you find a USB keylogger device plugged into your machine, be sure to remove it and any other devices that may be connected to it. This will help protect your computer from being hacked and used for malicious purposes.
A USB device that sits between the keyboard and computer records every single keystroke made on that machine. The owner of the logger will come back at some later time to dump its logs. The logger will then search for email addresses, passwords and credit card numbers. ..
If you see anything strange or weird plugged into your computer, it’s best to go somewhere else.
Browser Privacy Modes Are Your Friends
If you’re browsing the web on a computer, it’s a good idea to switch to privacy mode. For example, in Google Chrome this is called incognito mode. ..
When you browse the web from a private window, the browser doesn’t save any of your information permanently. When you close the window, all your browsing history, passwords, logins and other similar information will disappear.
Privacy mode doesn’t hide anything from the proxy server or ISP though. So don’t visit prohibited sites. If you want to hide your internet activity on a public computer you’ll need to use a VPN and perhaps also the Tor browser. However, that’s a slightly different discussion.
Portable Apps & Live Operating Systems
Avoid using any of the software on your computer when you’re not absolutely sure who is watching. Even better, use a separate computer or device for sensitive tasks. ..
Portable apps are a great way to get work done on the go. They don’t require installation, so you can take them with you wherever you go. ..
A portable antivirus package, a portable browser and a portable office suite are all important pieces of security for anyone who uses computers.
You can use portable virtual machine software to run a clean OS image of Linux, which has the advantage of not requiring a reboot.
If you are allowed to, you can also boot a live operating system from a flash drive or optical disc. This ensures that none of your personal information ever touches the public machine’s permanent storage at all! ..
Clean Up After Yourself
One of the biggest challenges when traveling with a laptop is that you need to take care of it properly. You need to make sure you have a way to store your laptop and protect it from being damaged or lost. One way to do this is by using a portable app and live operating system. This way, you don’t have to worry about taking your laptop with you and having to worry about it getting lost or damaged.
You should make sure your entire browsing history and all browsing data has been deleted. You might also want to run a free space file shredder on the machine to make sure your deleted information cannot be recovered. Likewise, make sure you didn’t leave anything in the computer’s recycle bin. ..
If you use a public computer, it’s a good idea to change your passwords as soon as possible. If you don’t have two-factor authentication enabled on all of your accounts, you should do that too. ..
A Byte Of Prevention Is Better Than a Gig Of Cure
In a world where cybercrime is on the rise, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself online. By following these tips, you can keep yourself safe from identity theft and other online threats.
Don’t be caught unprepared when it comes to emergencies. Make sure you have a ready-made emergency flash drive today so that you’re never caught out.
