Big Mistake By Thai Internet Cafes

[jan1van1hooten]

About a year ago I noticed Thai internet cafes were starting to use software that cleaned the entire computer (of viruses and downloaded programs) when it was rebooted.

They have started using this instead of keeping anti-virus programs (AVG) updated, because they do not want to pay for licenses.

When they reboot, it protects THEIR computers, but it does not protect us, the users, when we use USB storage devices or re-writeable DVDs.

The only storage device we can use safely now at a Thai internet cafe is a non-rewriteable DVD, which we cannot edit.

If we try to use a USB stick, a virus can invade the system through the internet. Rebooting the computer will not save our data from from being destroyed. For users this is like closing the barn door after the horses have escaped.

This means we can no longer do serious work at a Thai internet cafe. We must now only use our own laptops.

Edited July 26, 2010 by jan1van1hooten

[Kan Win]

We must now only use our own laptops

Yes

[dumball]

No way am I a computer nerd , I am still at the rapid two finger typing level LOL , I use my computer mainly for some sort of mind exercise , forum trolling and the like . What I would like to ask is why you have a need for an internet cafe on which to do your 'Serious ' work , surely that is what owning a lap top is all about ??? Why would you trust those computer systems controlled by people who are only in it for the revenue ? Most of the staff know less than me and if there is a problem you get "Wait for boss come , he know how fix " .

Just curious .

[crazygreg44]

It's true ! I have lost several USB sticks, one of them a Voyager flash USB 32 GB, worth 200 US Dollars, because I handed it over to a printshop in order to print some documents. After returning home, my KASPERSKY flashed a BIG RED warning, and from then on my USB Stick was useless. My computer, luckily, got saved by Kaspersky.

It happened two more times in two different stores, So I will never again walk into a Thai print shop again without being willing to loose my USB stick to a virus caught on any of their computers, the same goes for any Thailand based internet cafe. I now am EXPECTING to loose the stick, so no worries, I always make data backups or buy a cheap stick, which I am willing to loose, or as the author mentioned, a non- rewritable CD.

It is amazing how many Thai computers are virus-infected ! My Thai Wife's nephew used the laptop I bought for her, only on 3 occasions, he downloaded some chat programs and some stuff the Thai like to play with ( yes they OH like it soo much !! ) in order to chit chat with his gay friends. When I started her laptop again, I knew instantly something was wrong. After three weeks of use the laptop crashed.

The viruses are all over the Thai social network. I want to issue a big warning here, anyone attempting to use Thai social networks should know the risk. Don t expect nothing !! Use a super-good antivirus software or be willing to loose your computer !

[Vertigotogo]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but why doesn't a good anti-virus program just remove the virus from the memory stick when you plug it back into your own machine?

[bendejo]

Another one I've seen them do is when the system boots it reads from an image file and installs a configured Windows, and does this every time. I don't recall what the software is called, but if you saved anything to their disk (presumably to then copy it over to your thumb drive) and then rebooted due to a system crash there will be absolutely no trace of anything of yours. Maybe that was only for XP, as Win7 images would be huge.

I try not to use public internet places these days. In Malaysia it seems most public systems have viruses.

[daveh]

I wouldn't be surprised if the fresh image they install have a virus as well. Most of these places are using pirated copies of software and lots of pirated software come with viruses.

I just assume that if I use an internet cafe, they (viruses) are watching everything I do. I've never used a USB drive in an internet cafe, but the warning it still valid.

Dave.

[rgs2001uk]

It's true ! I have lost several USB sticks, one of them a Voyager flash USB 32 GB, worth 200 US Dollars, because I handed it over to a printshop in order to print some documents. After returning home, my KASPERSKY flashed a BIG RED warning, and from then on my USB Stick was useless. My computer, luckily, got saved by Kaspersky.

It happened two more times in two different stores, So I will never again walk into a Thai print shop again without being willing to loose my USB stick to a virus caught on any of their computers, the same goes for any Thailand based internet cafe. I now am EXPECTING to loose the stick, so no worries, I always make data backups or buy a cheap stick, which I am willing to loose, or as the author mentioned, a non- rewritable CD.

It is amazing how many Thai computers are virus-infected ! My Thai Wife's nephew used the laptop I bought for her, only on 3 occasions, he downloaded some chat programs and some stuff the Thai like to play with ( yes they OH like it soo much !! ) in order to chit chat with his gay friends. When I started her laptop again, I knew instantly something was wrong. After three weeks of use the laptop crashed.

The viruses are all over the Thai social network. I want to issue a big warning here, anyone attempting to use Thai social networks should know the risk. Don t expect nothing !! Use a super-good antivirus software or be willing to loose your computer !

Every time I need something printed I load onto a cd-r and give to the print shop.

Blank cd's are about 6 baht each, after printing I destroy the original cd.

[ilyelol]

mini computers are like 10 000baht nowadays..no reason to use those crappy computer while being surrounded by 50 sweaty 15yo thai nerds screaming about their new love conquest in world of warcraft...

[IanForbes]

It's true ! I have lost several USB sticks, one of them a Voyager flash USB 32 GB, worth 200 US Dollars, because I handed it over to a printshop in order to print some documents. After returning home, my KASPERSKY flashed a BIG RED warning, and from then on my USB Stick was useless. My computer, luckily, got saved by Kaspersky.

It happened two more times in two different stores, So I will never again walk into a Thai print shop again without being willing to loose my USB stick to a virus caught on any of their computers, the same goes for any Thailand based internet cafe. I now am EXPECTING to loose the stick, so no worries, I always make data backups or buy a cheap stick, which I am willing to loose, or as the author mentioned, a non- rewritable CD.

It is amazing how many Thai computers are virus-infected ! My Thai Wife's nephew used the laptop I bought for her, only on 3 occasions, he downloaded some chat programs and some stuff the Thai like to play with ( yes they OH like it soo much !! ) in order to chit chat with his gay friends. When I started her laptop again, I knew instantly something was wrong. After three weeks of use the laptop crashed.

The viruses are all over the Thai social network. I want to issue a big warning here, anyone attempting to use Thai social networks should know the risk. Don t expect nothing !! Use a super-good antivirus software or be willing to loose your computer !

Thanks for the important message. I use my flash card all the time when I want prints made. I'll get them to format the card after they've finished using it. Maybe that will stop a virus from spreading. I know I've picked up viruses in the past when I use to use a CD.

[wolf5370]

When I use a print shop I usually email it to them or use a once write CDR/DVD. Impossible to get a virus then. I would never use an internet cafe for anything more than check my emails (even then they may have keylogger on that an capture your password etc). These days, a cheap laptop and a free cafe wifi is much more handy than an internet cafe, or a wifi enabled mobile (or IPhone/PDA Phone for emails etc).

[Lakegeneve]

We must now only use our own laptops

Yes

I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would stick their USB into an internet cafe comp or do anything important that they wanted to save on one of those comps given all the shit that is downloaded and the crappy sites users visit.

It is almost like a guy who is prepared to have unsafe sex with someone who has unsafe sex with 20 different people, every single day of the year.

If your prepared to do that, then yes by all means connect your USB into an internet cafe comp. Print shops are not much better.

[roamer]

I have a friend who despite my best efforts, uses internet cafes to check his HSBC offshore account that contains a substantial balance....well it does at the moment The best I have been able to get him to do is to vary the cafes he does it from in a probably ultimately futile attempt to defeat keyloggers gaining enough data to access the account.

If you consider that there are now cardreader terminals that have been found with loggers preinstalled at the factory and able to phone the data out....gives you an idea of how careful you have to be.

[Forethat]

This means we can no longer do serious work at a Thai internet cafe. We must now only use our own laptops

Maybe it's just me, but for some reason I've never looked at an Internet Cafe as anything but a virus-distributing scam central. It sure as he** aint a place where anything serious is going on.

[sarahsbloke]

Turn off autorun on your PC

Open USB sticks by right-click explore (not double click)

Delete virus using free commander

Unhide USB folders using free commander

It's not hard, and anti-virus programs usually don't work on USB stick infections anyway.

There is no way a virus can kill or damage USB memory.

Edited July 27, 2010 by sarahsbloke

[sarahsbloke]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but why doesn't a good anti-virus program just remove the virus from the memory stick when you plug it back into your own machine?

The virus on USB sticks is just a little autorun file, or making a file look like one of your folders, so when you double click on it, it runs.

Anti-virus programs usually don't spot them, but if you don't have autorun on and you dont double click on anything in your USB stick, it's not going to be a problem.

[Vertigotogo]

It is almost like a guy who is prepared to have unsafe sex with someone who has unsafe sex with 20 different people, every single day of the year.

New product line; condoms for USB sticks

[Vertigotogo]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but why doesn't a good anti-virus program just remove the virus from the memory stick when you plug it back into your own machine?

The virus on USB sticks is just a little autorun file, or making a file look like one of your folders, so when you double click on it, it runs.

Anti-virus programs usually don't spot them, but if you don't have autorun on and you dont double click on anything in your USB stick, it's not going to be a problem.

Thanks sarahsbloke

[craigt3365]

Yeah, thanks Sarahsbloke!!!!! Good info for me, too!

[TAWP]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but why doesn't a good anti-virus program just remove the virus from the memory stick when you plug it back into your own machine?

The virus on USB sticks is just a little autorun file, or making a file look like one of your folders, so when you double click on it, it runs.

Anti-virus programs usually don't spot them, but if you don't have autorun on and you dont double click on anything in your USB stick, it's not going to be a problem.

Not true, any of the major 10 AV apps will detect USB drive viruses and have for the past 2 years atleast.

[siamshot]

Use Linux!

[jackdawson]

you mean people still use internet cafes ?

who knew ?

[bangkockney]

Internet Cafes are so 1990s.

I've never used memory sticks, always hated them.

Proofs go to printers by email, allowing any corrections to be made before leaving.

Any data can easily be transferred online, there are so many free services offering it., negates the need to carry something else with you all the time.

[winty]

All these virus programs are nothing but scammers to me,pointless and memory hogging.check out a program called sandboxie,then you will wonder why you ever bothered with crappy virus programs. I use sandboxie and it is simple but genius. It basically keeps everything inside a box,until you close it and nothing can affect the os and it runs like its not even there..you can even set it up for usb sticks.

Edited August 20, 2010 by winty

[Beetlejuice]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but why doesn't a good anti-virus program just remove the virus from the memory stick when you plug it back into your own machine?

It does.

There is no way that a virus can destroy a memory stick, only the data contained on it.

I always do a virus scan when I plug in a memory stick to my computer, this is common sense.

[lucky2103]

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but why doesn't a good anti-virus program just remove the virus from the memory stick when you plug it back into your own machine?

It does.

There is no way that a virus can destroy a memory stick, only the data contained on it.

I always do a virus scan when I plug in a memory stick to my computer, this is common sense.

I sometimes use the services of an internet cafe in order to download huge files because my connection at home is not fast. After the download finishes, I will copy it straight to my USB flash drive. At home, I plug it in my machine and use the files on the drives without any precautions.

I urge every average Joe user to use Linux, because its way safer than Windows.

[organic]

I've run internet cafes in Koh Samui and Krabi in the past and managed to keep my machines virus-free though it was hard work at times. It would be a lot safer if the cafes went over to linux, but an awful lot of customers will only use Windows. Perhaps it's changed a bit now, but I found it difficult to get customers to even use Opera as opposed to IE.

One of my favourite comments ever:

"But is it as secure as Internet Explorer?"

[OhMyCodBangkok]

It is a shame there is so much misinformation in this thread. First of all I do own a couple of Internet cafes in Thailand along with another business. None of our machines have a single virus on them, they are all very quick machines with nice big 20" LCD screens. We have since opening used software that "freezes" if you will for the lack of a better term the system files and applications on a Windows machine. It does make a lot of sense, anti virus programs generally cause a lot more issues than they fix, not to mention all the resources they eat up. If your machine is configured correctly and all drivers loaded THEN you freeze the drive using the software the machine will stay pristine until a piece of hardware fails. Or in the rare case the "freezing" software has an issue, but in my three years of owning and operating net cafes in BKK that has yet to happen.

As for Viruses coming across the internet, well that is what firewalls are for, of course we employ a firewall on the routers and at each machine. Secondly our machines are rebooted so they are re-imaged after every client session finishes so each customer in effect starts with a totally fresh and clean install of windows. Not sure how you can complain about that, not to mention that if you do manage to get a usb stick infected after that, you are likely bringing it on yourself by where you are surfing.

Also worth noting that we have our Internet Cafe licenses from the Gov't which shows that ALL our software is legal and licensed and YES they do in fact send someone out to check and validated the licenses, I also keep the EULA agreements on site for every piece of software we own for customers that would like to see them.

For the person that complained the "freeze" software wipes out their files if they copied any to the client machine and then had to reboot for some reason, they must have been dealing with someone who had no idea what they were doing when they set up their machines or they used poorly written software. With our software we have created what one could call a "virtual drive" and all client files are saved there by default and that virtual drive is NOT frozen so a reboot does not have any effect on it, meaning any files you put there will still be there if you reboot for some reason. I do of course run a script once a day to clean out that virtual drive so it does not get too large.

Of course we do offer wifi and laptop stations for those that just must use their own computers. For the record if through some quirk of fate we did muck up someone's flash drive I would personally repair it for them, if I could not I would replace it for them. Any data lost or misplaced I would as the owner of the shop cover any costs involved in getting it back as it would be almost act of GOD for one of our machines to create such an issue in the first place.

I too actually would love to put Linux on my boxes, but then I would have no customers, people like to use what they know and sadly it is windows... and whether net cafes are so 90's or not I guess is a personal point of view but we are always busy quite often full and have many many monthly members so I guess we must be doing something ok... :-)

Just wanted to set the record straight on a few of the issues brought up in this thread.

[Daffy D]

New product line; condoms for USB sticks