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Q: Accessing sensitive information from any computer ( No Answer,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: Accessing sensitive information from any computer
Category: Computers
Asked by: omikey-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 12 Dec 2004 07:28 PST
Expires: 11 Jan 2005 07:28 PST
Question ID: 441584
When traveling I want to be able to access credit card and bank
account and other id info from any computer.  Ideally the info could
be sent to my yahoo email account in an encrypted email that only I
can decipher.
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Accessing sensitive information from any computer
From: pushtack-ga on 12 Dec 2004 13:35 PST
 
How paranoid/risk averse are you?

If you are happy to carry a USB stick and a CDROM with you, you could
use MandrakeMove and GPG.  MandrakeMove is a bootable linux that runs
off the CDROM without interfering with the hard drives of the
computer.  The USB stick can be accessed from MandrakeMove.  Place an
encrypted file containing the information you are concerned about on
the USB stick.  You can read and edit the file on the USB stick.  When
you are finished I think there will be no data in clear text left on
the computer you use.  This should minimise the risk that your
encrypted data is compromised in the process of accessing it from an
untrustworthy computer.  I feel this is probably quite good as anyone
with spying software on the computer should be out of luck as you
brought your own operating system and software with you.  Also you
take away the encrypted file on the USB stick when you hav finished
extracting the data.  If you lose the USB stick anyone trying to read
the data should find only the encrypted file.  (You must be vigilent
to ensure you do not leave a clear text version of an encrypted file
sitting next to the encrypted file.  Only discipline will cover this.)
 Carry the password to the decryption around in your head only.

Finally, the good thing about this approach is that the CDROM is free
off the cover of a magazine or for little money from Mandrake.  I
doubt the person nicking your PDA will bother with a freebie CDROM. 
THe USB stick has a soft strap that you can put over your neck.  If
you go swimming or of to the jungle there are plastic containers with
straps to keep most of the moisture out of the USB stick.

Difficult bit is coming to terms with the software and maintaining
self-discipline.  Even if that fails and the items are stolen, the
thieves still have to plug the USB stick into a PC before they can
exploit the info.  I guess you should have noticed the thing missing
and alerted the bank ... whoever to trace fraudulent users.

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