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Groups > comp.sys.mac.apps > #1342
| From | Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | comp.sys.mac.apps |
| Subject | Re: advice for an acquaintance |
| Date | 2011-04-16 13:04 +0000 |
| Organization | A noiseless patient Spider |
| Message-ID | <ioc446$ikk$1@dont-email.me> (permalink) |
| References | <1jzu9rv.1ur1ebt1luo1eiN%jamiekg@wizardling.geek.nz> |
Jamie Kahn Genet <jamiekg@wizardling.geek.nz> wrote:
> Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> wrote:
>
>> I just saved this by e-mailing it to myself 8-)
Again
>
> Of course another option is a dirt cheap Netbook, only running a Linux
> OS like Xubuntu <http://www.xubuntu.org/>. She can use the included
> browser (Firefox), Email client (Thunderbird - unless she prefers or is
> only used to webmail), word processor (Abiword), etc.
If I can get her to take that first step, this MIGHT be doable, as she
has so little online experience that at least she's not M$-addicted 8-)
>
> Running minority apps on a minority OS that are rarely every targetted
> by hackers, will help a lot to make her secure (same goes for OSX, only
> a Mac is obviously far more expensive). In addition she probably won't
> know enough to get under the Linux hood and get into trouble, which by
> the sound of things is not a bad thing :-) She won't need any security
> software in Linux either. As with OSX, there are virtually no viruses in
> the wild likely to affect a user such as your friend.
>
> Once she has the above she needs to use strong passwords that are unique
> to each important service (e.g. online banking, email, any website that
> allows one-click purchasing like Amazon, etc); a generic but still
> complex password for stuff she'd like kept private, but it wouldn't be a
> huge disaster to have compromised (e.g. a flickr account); and a generic
> easy to remember password for everything else (e.g. a mailing list
> signup, or anything else she wouldn't lose any sleep over being
> compromised).
I can't see her ever becoming an Amazon customer 8-). Web surfing,
perhaps.
> Finally she needs to understand that she should NEVER login to any
> service on a strange, friend's, or public computer. I wouldn't even
> trust most workplace computers, especially if IT is anything less than
> conscientious.
If she gets one of her own, her native paranoia should protect her there.
>
> The password issue is likely to be the most difficult one for
> beginner-level user, and you might need to assist her with a password
> scheme. Totally random and unique for everything is best, but it's also
> sure to fail for anyone without a perfect memory, let alone a
> computer-illiterate user!
>
> One scheme I like is making strong, yet easy to recall passwords out of
> varying combinations of made up words, numbers and punctuation, e.g.
> cAStah45?Noon; - it's not totally random, it includes numbers, symbols
> and capitalisation (immediately making it stronger than 99% of the
> passwords out there, heh), and there's a pattern to the capitalisation -
> as capitalisation within passwords is often particularly hard to recall
> (can you see the pattern? ;-) Hint: it treats numbers and symbols as
> letters and determines case based on symbol height).
>
> Set your friend up with passwords based on something like my suggestion,
> have her write them down (more bad practice, but WTF - in for a penny,
> in for a pound!) and store them in a secure place - e.g. a locked
> drawer, safe, etc.
>
I think that would work for her.
> Passwords can be painful for the computer-illiterate, but web browsers
> like Firefox include password remembering and even sync between
> computers, reducing the need for your friend to remember a bunch of
> different website passwords when she's at her own computer. So long as
> she can remember just one master password for Firefox, she's covered for
> all websites (but she should still write down new passwords and store
> them in a secure location).
>
> If she's still worried about security, have her (or more likely you)
> disable automatic login to her OS user account, and require her web
> browser and email client to ask for a master password before access to
> saved passwords for websites and email servers is allowed. Then if her
> laptop is ever stolen or used without her knowledge it will be much
> harder for the criminal to gain access to her sensitive information and
> services.
> Also setup a screensaver that turns on after a few minutes inactivity,
> and requires a password to wake. Likewise waking from sleep should also
> require a password.
> If she's in a place with other people she should also get in the habit
> of activating her screensaver/sleeping/logging out of her user account
> (depending on how long she'll be gone) when she steps away from her
> computer.
> Finally if anyone else ever uses her computer, only allow guest-level
> access from a _separate_ throwaway user account.
>
> Now that might be getting a bit too paranoid if she's at home alone, but
> it's a good idea out and about.
She's worried about the cost of internet access, but there are a couple
places she might be comfortable where she could get it. For a 20- mile
round trip, she could use mine which I can't access in my own front yard
because of the way the house is built 8-)
>
> Anyway - I hope that is off some some help, and do consider a cheap
> netbook running Linux! Windows is far from the only choice and is a
> terrible one for the computer-illiterate user worried about security.
> Think of Linux distros like the excellent Xubuntu as a poor man's OSX so
> far as freedom from Window's type security issues goes :-)
This sounds like something I could set up for her.
>
> Oh, and I also wouldn't put too much stock in some people's fear on
> online banking and online shopping. Follow the above, use a credit card
> that covers liability from fraud (VISA in NZ for example only makes you
> liable for the first NZD$50 of a fraudulent transaction so long as you
> report it promptly, and even that will often be waived) and only do
> business with reputable companies, and you'll be fine :-) I've been
> online banking and shopping online for over ten years, and have yet to
> be hacked or defrauded.
I shop on line and have never had a problem. I happen to like a bank I can
walk into and pick up a roll of quarters for the laundromat while I'm doing
other things there. Besides, they pay some of my bills for me so I save
bother and postage 8-)
--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad
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advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-15 14:47 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2011-04-15 10:00 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Steve Fenwick <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-15 08:34 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-15 12:16 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam@see.signature (Richard Maine) - 2011-04-15 09:42 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-15 13:05 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Tim Streater <timstreater@waitrose.com> - 2011-04-15 18:30 +0100
Re: advice for an acquaintance dcohenspam@talktalk.net (Daniel Cohen) - 2011-04-16 17:42 +0100
Re: advice for an acquaintance erilar <drache@chibardun.net.invalid> - 2011-04-15 12:38 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-16 13:00 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 18:45 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jim Glidewell <jim_glidewell@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-16 21:15 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance BreadWithSpam@fractious.net - 2011-04-15 15:31 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-15 16:34 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-15 21:40 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jeffrey Goldberg <nobody@goldmark.org> - 2011-04-16 00:35 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-16 16:50 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jeffrey Goldberg <nobody@goldmark.org> - 2011-04-16 10:59 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 12:45 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance jamiekg@wizardling.geek.nz (Jamie Kahn Genet) - 2011-04-17 00:26 +1200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 13:04 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance jamiekg@wizardling.geek.nz (Jamie Kahn Genet) - 2011-04-17 03:00 +1200
Re: advice for an acquaintance erilar <drache@chibardun.net.invalid> - 2011-04-16 10:55 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-16 20:25 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-17 07:51 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance jamiekg@wizardling.geek.nz (Jamie Kahn Genet) - 2011-04-18 07:50 +1200
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-18 09:41 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-18 00:35 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance "John Varela" <newlamps@verizon.net> - 2011-04-15 22:07 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance BreadWithSpam@fractious.net - 2011-04-15 19:23 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jeffrey Goldberg <nobody@goldmark.org> - 2011-04-16 00:40 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance "John Varela" <newlamps@verizon.net> - 2011-04-17 02:54 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance pf@porkain'tkosher.oink (Paul Fuchs) - 2011-04-15 22:53 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-16 10:23 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 12:45 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam@see.signature (Richard Maine) - 2011-04-16 08:40 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jeffrey Goldberg <nobody@goldmark.org> - 2011-04-16 11:10 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam@see.signature (Richard Maine) - 2011-04-16 10:21 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2011-04-16 17:19 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Walter Bushell <proto@panix.com> - 2011-04-16 17:16 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-16 23:00 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-18 12:23 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-19 13:48 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-19 11:00 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-19 12:22 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-20 07:59 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-20 11:33 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-20 14:35 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-19 21:58 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-20 08:31 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-20 16:04 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-15 12:57 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam@see.signature (Richard Maine) - 2011-04-15 10:15 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-15 13:41 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Suze <replytome@thenewsgroup.com> - 2011-04-15 20:01 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-17 20:43 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Tom Stiller <tom_stiller@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-15 13:59 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-16 10:40 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 01:46 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-16 13:21 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 12:45 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-16 10:23 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-16 12:45 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-16 23:19 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-17 14:18 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-17 12:31 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jeffrey Goldberg <nobody@goldmark.org> - 2011-04-17 12:55 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-18 11:51 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Jeffrey Goldberg <nobody@goldmark.org> - 2011-04-18 11:38 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-19 12:18 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-19 22:05 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-20 11:38 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-20 16:04 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-19 07:30 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2011-04-19 12:19 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance dorayme <dorayme@optusnet.com.au> - 2011-04-20 08:03 +1000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-19 22:02 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-20 08:27 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-20 11:33 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-17 23:22 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-18 10:47 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Warren Oates <warren.oates@gmail.com> - 2011-04-18 07:23 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-18 13:10 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance BreadWithSpam@fractious.net - 2011-04-18 11:13 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Steve Fenwick <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-18 22:22 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance jamiekg@wizardling.geek.nz (Jamie Kahn Genet) - 2011-04-21 18:42 +1200
Re: advice for an acquaintance John McWilliams <jpmcw@comcast.net> - 2011-04-18 09:37 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2011-04-19 22:10 -0400
Re: advice for an acquaintance Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com> - 2011-04-16 10:15 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Suze <replytome@thenewsgroup.com> - 2011-04-15 11:36 -0500
Re: advice for an acquaintance nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-04-15 13:08 -0700
Re: advice for an acquaintance "John Varela" <newlamps@verizon.net> - 2011-04-15 21:45 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2011-04-17 19:18 +0200
Re: advice for an acquaintance Erilar <drache@chibardun.netinvalid> - 2011-04-17 18:59 +0000
Re: advice for an acquaintance "John Varela" <newlamps@verizon.net> - 2011-04-20 20:50 +0000
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