Whats a quick way to check for spyware?

[jayyy]

I often do banking at net cafes, but spyware is all over the place, so I'm paranoid about typing sensitive information.

Is there any fast way to check for spyware? In most cases I only have a few hours, so I'd need a quick program thats easy to find and downloads fast.

[DAVE]

even if you can check or any software
never ever do banking on net cafe
it's not safe at all

but if you want something fast and free

this is the one for you
http://www.download.com/Bazooka-Adware-and-Spyware-Scanner/3000-8022_4-10247783.html?tag=lst-0-4

[jayyy]

Thats perfect, thanks :)

I'm not sure I'd do it back in canada, but Japan is a really safe country, I'm not worried about the locals so much...its hard to find trouble here even if you want it.

[Rivas]

never ever do banking on net cafe
it's not safe at all


:nod: :nod: :nod:

[in2deep]

its hard to find trouble here even if you want it.

PM me your credit card and bank details... ;)

I wouldn't dream of doing banking or anything that involved passwords etc., on a public computer.

[TonyT]

Banking via net cafes can be safe IF your bank site uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and has strict security standards that force login info to be transferred in an encrypted format.

However, email is definitely UNSAFE to use in a net cafe unless your isp or mail provider supports APOP or similar protocol. In regular POP email, usernames and passwords are transferred in plain text and can be easily sniffed at a net cafe. All it takes is some user there in tnhe cafe or nearby to run a network sniffer app and grab packets being sent. The passwords are readable in plain text. APOP mail is secure and passwords are sent encrypted.

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'd not trust public computers simply on the idea that they could have local keyloggers that someone setup and checks every few hours.

[TonyT]

Some netcafes are wifi hotspots where you use your own laptop, that is what I was referring to above. If have to use a cafe desktop, then forget it, don't do anything too personal on them period.

[Norm]

Make yourself a BartPE bootable CD (basically a live Windows XP cd) use that to bootup.
or Knoppix

Spyware can't infect a CD ROM, they're not writeable.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Wifi hotspot with my own laptop...oh, no problems at all. I'd have no hesitation doing anything I needed. Spyware is treated the same as if I were surfing at home, it's up to what you surf and download, regardless of connection type.

Now you'll want to have your computer protected properly, as you'll be on the same IP scope as other users....so technically, the same network. There are viruses 'n worms out there that hop across networks, to unprotected machines. You don't your computer sharing drives 'n what not, with <blank> administrator passwords, stuff like that. I'd want to be firewalled, and have my networking services shut down.

[jayyy]

geez, it sounds like a deathtrap now..

My bank has extremely good security, I know because I used to work for them. as far as this aspect goes-

I'd not trust public computers simply on the idea that they could have local keyloggers that someone setup and checks every few hours

back home I'd agree, but you have to sort of come here to know what its like...

I do most net cafe stuff in a government funded international center, located in a building that cost the government tens of millions of dollars. My member ship card has a cartoon of small children in various ethnic costumes holding hands, and the clerk comes by every so often to fret about whether or not the desk is too short for my tall caucasian body. Thats about as unpeaceful as it gets.

first city I lived in, people would just walk out of their cars with the keys in it, sometimes even with the engine, running to pop into a store. We're not talking a bout a small village here, we're talking about the downtown of a city of 500,000.

Our instinct is to think they do that because they're stupid...but the real reason is because out here, they actually can.