Safe Internet Cafe

[lordsux]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a 'safe' internet cafe in the Nana area. I need to purchase something on the net and i'm a bit worried about security issues. I have had a few friends that have had their accounts raped after using their creditcards in internet cafes in this area.

So where would it be safe to enter my credit card details?

[lopburi3]

No place can be considered completely safe but I would pay to use the facility of a 4 or 5 star hotel business section if I really had to use a public computer. Can't you pay by fax or phone?

[sjaak327]

There is no such thing as an save internet cafe. I would never use my credit card in any internet cafe in the world. Keyloggers are your main worry.

Of course there are ways to make it safe. Google Linux on a stick, you will find linux distributions which are small enough to fit on a USB stick of say 128 MB. One example is Knoppix (damm small linux) another is puppy.

Basically you install Linux onto a USB stick, then you will need a computer which supports booting from a USB stick. Of course this will circumvent anything which is installed on the computer, since you won't be using it's harddrive. Better yet is using a usb harddrive since USB sticks will die after a certain amount of read/write operations.

[Chang_paarp]

You could always assist the internet cafe owner by installing yahoo tool bar with anti spy.

Then run the anti-spy software. This will pick up the key loggers and kill them, well most of them. That way you can reduce you risk level. It can require a couple of restarts, but smile and say you will wait and pay for the time.

[p_brownstone]

No place can be considered completely safe but I would pay to use the facility of a 4 or 5 star hotel business section if I really had to use a public computer. Can't you pay by fax or phone?

Well, let me think.

If I was going to install a Key Logger - to make me rich by stealing Bank details etc. - would I install it on a Nana Plaza / Khao San Road backpacker frequented Internet Café or on a Computer in the Business Centre of a 5 Star Hotel?

Difficult decision!

Patrick

[Guest endure]

There is no such thing as an save internet cafe. I would never use my credit card in any internet cafe in the world. Keyloggers are your main worry.

Of course there are ways to make it safe. Google Linux on a stick, you will find linux distributions which are small enough to fit on a USB stick of say 128 MB. One example is Knoppix (damm small linux) another is puppy.

Basically you install Linux onto a USB stick, then you will need a computer which supports booting from a USB stick. Of course this will circumvent anything which is installed on the computer, since you won't be using it's harddrive. Better yet is using a usb harddrive since USB sticks will die after a certain amount of read/write operations.

Wouldn't it be more easier to take a Live Linux CD instead of a USB stick? PCs are more likely to be set to boot from CD than they are from USB.

[Guest endure]

You could also use the 'Onscreen keyboard' in Accessories and use the mouse to enter your details. This bypasses most keyloggers.

[sjaak327]

"Wouldn't it be more easier to take a Live Linux CD instead of a USB stick? PCs are more likely to be set to boot from CD than they are from USB."

In theory yes, a live CD is easier, actually not for the reason of booting, all pc's < 3 years are perfectly capable of booting from USB, the reason is that you might have hardware recognition problems (network card most likely) with a live cd you could include most recent drivers. Of course a USB stick is smaller then a CD.

"You could also use the 'Onscreen keyboard' in Accessories and use the mouse to enter your details. This bypasses most keyloggers."

Well, like you stated most keyloggers, certainly not all. You wouldn't believe what some keyloggers can do, I'm talking stealth mode, FTP upload and bypassing the Onscreen keyboard.

Edited May 5, 2006 by sjaak327

[uhuh]

"Wouldn't it be more easier to take a Live Linux CD instead of a USB stick? PCs are more likely to be set to boot from CD than they are from USB."

In theory yes, a live CD is easier, actually not for the reason of booting, all pc's < 3 years are perfectly capable of booting from USB, the reason is that you might have hardware recognition problems (network card most likely) with a live cd you could include most recent drivers. Of course a USB stick is smaller then a CD.

"You could also use the 'Onscreen keyboard' in Accessories and use the mouse to enter your details. This bypasses most keyloggers."

Well, like you stated most keyloggers, certainly not all. You wouldn't believe what some keyloggers can do, I'm talking stealth mode, FTP upload and bypassing the Onscreen keyboard.

when i try to use the onscreen keyboard, PC tells me "set focus....into the window that u wanna type in" or something like that. He doesnt say it anymore, but anyway, it doesnt work. I can click the letters, but they are not written.

[Carmine6]

One thing I do if key loggers may be an issue is just type garbage in between real info. You just change focus away from the form and type random numbers in between typing in the real numbers. Then the key logger will log extra numbers in there.

You should also type in real info in between your data so it doesn't look like credit card info. So in a different window, do a search for hotels or addressses or whatever in between typing in your name. Get lots of normal words and numbers in there and I'd be amazed if you have issues with the card.

You can also type an e-mail and cut and paste info from that into the form. Even more tedious, cut and paste letters and numbers from a regular website like this one to create the data in the form.

[sjaak327]

The problem here is that it doens't matter how you enter information, Using the keyboard, using cut and paste, using the onscreen keyboard. The fact is that at a certain moment you are going to submit data into a form to purchase something. It doesn't matter how you have filled the form, at the end you are going to click submit, at that time the content of that form (including your credit card number, expiration date and cvc code) is logged. Perfect keylogger is a keylogger that is capable of doing this. So the ONLY way to be safe is bypassing the Pc's harddrive by either using a live cd or USB stick. Of course there is also something like hardware keyloggers, but I don't think they are capable of logging information into a form. But for sure some keyloggers are able to do this, therefore all neat tricks are absolutely useless.

Correction: I'm wrong in suggestion they would log the content of the whole form, so it's not that bad (I just tried it myself). Still that doesn't mean the trick with cut and paste will work, because some keyloggers are able to make screenshots. Also if you use the cut and paste trick, be aware that the program I just tested also captures the clipboard.

I myself would never use a computer other then mine to purchase something using my credit card. If I absolutely need to use a different computer the only option would be a live cd/usb stick.

Edited May 6, 2006 by sjaak327

[lopburi3]

No place can be considered completely safe but I would pay to use the facility of a 4 or 5 star hotel business section if I really had to use a public computer. Can't you pay by fax or phone?

Well, let me think.

If I was going to install a Key Logger - to make me rich by stealing Bank details etc. - would I install it on a Nana Plaza / Khao San Road backpacker frequented Internet Caf? or on a Computer in the Business Centre of a 5 Star Hotel?

Difficult decision!

Patrick

But a 5 star hotel has much more to lose and are going to be much more careful - it would not take long at all for such a place to be pinpointed as compromised. But I would not use a public computer in any case and that is why I suggested phone or fax.

[ZZZ]

Use an e-web depit card for all web transactions and only keep a small amount loaded on the card. At least you are minimizing your possible losses this way.

Some of these e-web cards can be loaded from your regular credit card using fax, should be safe.

[Thaiquila]

Keyloggers commonly capture cut and paste data, nothing fancy or rare there at all.

They can also take screenshots, BUT they can only take so many before your computer will be slowed down dramatically. So, if they were taking a movie, you could tell, or even very frequent screenshots.

I find it unbelievable that there is a keylogger that can capture data when you press submit. Does anyone know of such a thing???

Edited May 6, 2006 by Thaiquila

[lordsux]

I suppose the easiest thing to do would be to take my laptop to a internet cafe and plug it in to their router. didnt think of that

Anyone know of a cafe that allows that?

[Jack Jones]

Check out stickman he has a list of free wi-fi spots in bkk. Just take ur laptop along and hook up.

[Guest endure]

If you're worried about security wifi is not the way to go. You're better off with an ethernet connection.

[kdvsn]

If you're worried about security wifi is not the way to go. You're better off with an ethernet connection.

Running a laptop WiFi with a VPN is pretty secure though. Going that route, it's unlikely anyone would able to steal your credit card info unless they were looking over your shoulder while you typed it.

Edited May 7, 2006 by kdvsn

[The Real Mandrake]

Laptop = good security, unless you don't take care of your laptop, of course. Combine that with the fact that most every credit card will offer online purchase protection... IMO, pretty safe option.

Where is your credit card issued?

[lordsux]

The card is issued in Denmark.

Im on a 'free' hotspot at the moment but am too paranoid to enter any private data as I'm a wireless n00b and dont know if it would be secure.

I think i'll settle with the ethernet option at an inet cafe.

[alexth]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a 'safe' internet cafe in the Nana area. I need to purchase something on the net and i'm a bit worried about security issues. I have had a few friends that have had their accounts raped after using their creditcards in internet cafes in this area.

So where would it be safe to enter my credit card details?

Just take a trusted friend of yours that owns a notebook if you don't own one and go to one of the internet cafe shops or in an area with wireless internet connection and do your stuff, otherwise, strongly advised not to use your credit card in any of the internet cafes in the world