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The Problems of Web Surfing in Public Places
Krishna Dagli writes to mention a New York Times article about the dangers of public web surfing. The article looks at the sloppy habits people have when using public terminals, and the issues that using a wireless signal in a public place. From the article: "Michael Sellitto, a graduate student studying international security at Harvard, said that even though he encrypted any sensitive data on his laptop, he planned to sign up for a service like HotSpotVPN to add another level of security when he is traveling, especially when using poorly protected networks at cafes and hotels. 'The problem is, the really good people have written sniffer programs so that the less-sophisticated people have access to the same technology,' Mr. Sellitto said. 'Say a Microsoft Word document gets transmitted. The sniffer program will collect that and someone could open it up on their computer.'"
It used to be a hobby of mine. tcpdump and ethereal. Chat, email, documents, http requests, password snarfing. Then I discovered that most folks had nothing of any interest to say. One step above listening to teenage girls talk on their cell phones.
First entomology, then virology, and finally bioinformatics systems. Bugs follow me wherever I go.
I used to work at an Apple store across the street from a high school. I would estimate that 75% of the packets coming into that store came from myspace.com. Of course, these kids would never log out, which meant you could walk up to just about any computer, launch safari, go to myspace and start editing the profile of whomever last used the computer. Favorite edits included
- Changing interests to include homosexuality, drugs, etc.
- Changing background images
- Changing profile photos
- Joining a group of people who check their myspace at the apple store. (I'm in that group too)
I couldn't bring myself to break off any friendships, that's a bit too mean.The article looks at...the issues that using a wireless signal in a public place.
Next we're going to look at the issues that posting without editing.
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
How many websites you use have a "log me in automatically" checkbox, ticked by default?
What gets me is sitting down to a mocha double soy and finding all these post it notes under the table with elegantly written little bits like 'bad1983girl', 'iluvpuppies' and 'password'...
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
"The article looks at the sloppy habits people have when using public terminals"
When I first read that, I thought it was going to talk about people picking their nose/teeth/ears while using the terminals. I wonder what those dangers are? "What's that green thing on the key there? EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWwwwww..."
I have this 20 rolls of tinfoil in my basement...
:)
And people call *ME* paranoid
This is why you RTFA. There's, right there: HotSpot VPN.
Pull out for security. Where have I heard that before?
Then Browse at -1
So what exatly is wrong with visiting the Pen Island web site?
Am I missing something?
JB
While this might not be in the direction of the article, getting a URL wrong can be equally as dangerous.
I was at a public access terminal in an airport. The terminal was set up so no new windows could be opened. Ever heard of the web comic Sinfest ? I read it daily. Did you know there is also a sinfest.org ? I got confused. Never have I had to close so many pop-up windows so quickly while also trying to click on the HOME button