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'Extreme Security' Web Browsing

Posted by Zonk on from the i-think-i'm-paranoid-and-complicated dept.

Sarah S writes "The application security researcher Jeremiah Grossman described to CSO magazine how he takes extreme measure to stay safe online. The simplest tip he uses: two separate browsers: 'One, which he calls the 'promiscuous' browser, is the one he uses for ordinary browsing. A second browser is used only for security-critical tasks such as online banking. When Grossman wants to do online banking, he closes his promiscous browser, opens the more prudish one, and does only what he has to do before closing it and going back to his insecure browser.'"

10 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. "Promiscuous" Browser by aquatone282 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hell, mine's a slut.

    But then, so am I.

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    What?
  2. Re:Not sure how "secure" this scheme is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Knoppix...what version of Windows is this knoppix thing? I don't understand...

  3. That's nothing by east+coast · · Score: 5, Funny

    I browse the web via correspondence.

    That's right. I snail mail the institutions for the answers I seek and they write me back after looking it up on the web.

    Even this post was done via correspondence. I mailed this letter to CmdrTaco a couple of days back and let him know to post my thoughts on the matter when the article hit the front page.

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    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    1. Re:That's nothing by polar+red · · Score: 5, Funny

      Doesn't protect you from the man-in-the-middle attack though ...

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      Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
  4. The only way to do your banking safe by emj · · Score: 3, Funny

    Only use a separate computer for banking, shouldn't be connected to any network. Preferably all I/O ports should be fit with epoxy, especially the keyboard.. A large faraday cage over the monitor to prevent Van Eck as well.

    But I might be paranoid.

  5. 'Extreme Safety' driving by MagicM · · Score: 5, Funny

    I do the same thing when I have to go somewhere. I have two cars, one that's reliable, and one rusty piece of crap that's ready to fall apart any minute. When I need to go somewhere important, I take my reliable car so I know I won't die before I get there. When I just need to take a quick trip to the grocery store, I take my junk car and just cross my fingers.

  6. Re:Not sure how "secure" this scheme is... by Jaliyl · · Score: 3, Funny

    I use a similar scheme, I use XP in VMware for shady downloads/torrents and pornsites while my Vista install stays clean.

  7. Re:Not sure how "secure" this scheme is... by geminidomino · · Score: 5, Funny

    why even bother with a "promiscuous" browser at all? I prefer my security to be 100% at least 100% of the time. Translation: My computer is on the top shelf of my closet, the keyboard is stored off-site, and the power cord has been cut into 8 seperate pieces, hidden in the 8 underworld dungeons spread across Hyrule.
  8. Re:Not sure how "secure" this scheme is... by moonbender · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes but then again Bruce Schneier's password has so much entropy, that gzipping it results in a stream sixty four times as long. And yet he can type it with a single roundhouse kick to the keyboard.

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  9. Re:Not sure how "secure" this scheme is... by ubrgeek · · Score: 2, Funny

    > Asking for only certain characters from a password (e.g. characters 1,4,8 & 9)

    That's amazing. I've got the same combination on my luggage!
    *grin*

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    Bark less. Wag more.