I hope you do have different user names and different passwords too for the banks. Each user name gets its own cookie.

Agree with Mikie, but let's differentiate between need.

Sites you VISIT but require logging into are not critical so if you use a common alias with/without different passwords so be it. They should be attached to a "throw-away" e-mail address to begin with.

Any type of financial, shopping, medical site, or one containing pertinent personal data are critical. The aliases should be varied and independent. Likewise the passwords varied and independent as well as strong in nature.

DA

Almost every money type business I will do online.. first thing; run ccleaner & quick a/v update scan then use a lone fresh browser start.. no other sites in the tabs or anything.

Then when I'm finished business, close that browser & CCleaner again to get rid of any cache or cookies for that site. I'm paranoid.. I know someone that got had and his troubles ,.. not as easy and call the bank.

If you want to be extremely safe you can use any Linux live cd to do your banking etc with. Boot to the live cd run it from there use the browser from the Linux cd do all your business then close out, remove the live cd, boot back to your normal windows. Nothing gets saved to the pc. The banks have started providing Linux cds to customers in some areas. The cd can be downloaded and burned as an iso totally free. Google this banking using Linux live cd for more information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Using Linux live cd

So even if running a dedicated Linux computer you should bank with a live Linux CD?

RC, verrrry interesting reading including follow-up posts on the link at the end of the article you reference.

mxyplx I run linux as my primary pc and I do my banking generally just using it, however when using the installed linux it is quite different from using a live cd, with the live cd nothing gets written to the hard drive and nothing is saved so it is even more of a safety feature. In addition it would be advisable to use your browser session to do your banking first with out opening any other tabs, when done fully close out your browser prior to doing any other surfing. That way you are using a new clean browser window. Doing that is advisable on any system actually.

I keep several linux live cds handy for various reasons including should I need to travel and use other computers, I boot from my linux cd and use it then when I remove it I know nothing from my session was saved to that pc. You can also do the same using a usb version of linux.

this is another article by Brian Krebs about the live cd
E-Banking on a Locked Down (Non-Microsoft) PC

an interesting option
Lightweight Portable Security (LPS)-A Linux distro from the US Department of Defense

there are a few good reasons to keep one handy
Why You Need to Have a Linux LiveCD

I know I love interesting reading too.

RC,

Had absolutely no interest in Linux until I read your "Why.....LiveCD" link. Having read it it makes too much sense not to have one. Just a question of accessibility for me, and time to do it.

DA

DA. Yes especially since they are available free, if you don't want to do it yourself you can order free cd of ubuntu and kubuntu it only took me about a week to get them. Another great way to get one, pick up pretty much any good Linux magazine and there is usually a live cd of some distro inside.

I have used them many times to save the files from a borked windows machine. If there's any chance I have to use a pc when traveling a cd goes with me.
Plus it is even safer than setting up a guest account when letting people use your pc, boot up the live cd, bring up the browser and let them do their thing, it can't hurt your system. Most of them have no idea they are not on windows.

Raven: Thank you for your explanation of how a live Linux CD works and for the helpful links.

I took the plunge, burned a Unbuntu CD, logged onto my bank, and it worked!

Unbuntu was somewhat slow booting and I think it's probably my computer and/or the media I used. The computer is an HP 2005 XP Media Center Edition. The DVD hardware is "TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H652M" and the media I used is Nexxtech DVD-R "up to 8X".

I guess that's all pretty ancient considering the speed of change in the tech world, but the PC works well under WIN XP with the use I give it. Would I gain anything by reburning onto a faster DVD or is the computer going as fast as it can?

DVD play back is a lot slower than hard drive, Its gotta run the whole operating system from a slow drive.. so it will seem slow.

It is always going to be quite a bit slower when booting and running from the cd that is just the way it is. When Linux is actually installed in general it will run much faster than windows. So you are probably seeing the norm.
Glad you had good success in your trial.

There are many distros of Linux some lighter than others, that can help with speed a little. I use Mepis, there's a light version called AntiX, you might want to try burning a few more iso of different distros and try out the live cd, you may find one you like better. I personally much prefer ones that have KDE instead of Gnome, I think it is easier to transition to from windows. So instead of Ubuntu, I would go Kubuntu.
Since all are free downloads try a few.

If you are impressed with Linux you could always set the computer up with both operating systems installed. Dual booting was very popular years ago when computers were new and exciting gadgets, most self builders tried it at least once.

Search using 'dual boot XP and Linux' and you will find hundreds of tutorials to show you how. The only down side is during boot up each day, there are a few seconds lag time to allow the user to decide if Linux will be booted, by default XP would start after the time out.

I appreciate the advice (and specific names) of lighter distros. I've got lots of blank DVD's left from the pack I bought when I made the original recovery discs for this computer so media on which to burn distros isn't a problem.

Owbist, I do recall hearing about dual booting. My purpose in the live CD, however, was the security it offers in financial transactions. I haven't had a problem yet, in this area and hope to keep it that way.

Now I have to google Gnome and KDE because Raven has introduced more language that is new to me.

June

Just for drill and for anyone who might be curious I did enter one of my financial sites with a live cd tuther day (Mepis 8.5 I think) being quite curious if it was possible to download/save a statement or other doc.

Yes, it is. I dragged it to a thumb drive then ultimately to another system. PDF is especially easy. A linux file might need to have the extension changed.

And the live CD approach did take a long time - made me nervous. MAN did it make me nervous. :-)

you could drag it to an externally connected drive but it will not save to the actual drive of the pc.

as to KDE and Gnome those are 2 of many desktop managers that are offered in linux distros. Ubuntu comes standard with the Gnome desktop manager. So they made Kbuntu and put KDE on it rather than Gnome. They both do pretty much the same thing but I think KDE is more similar to the windows type.