[LINK] Browser Add-on

[Craig Sanders]

On Mon, Jun 03, 2013 at 02:00:35PM +0000, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
> Reply 3
> [...] I use Chrome as my only browser.  [...]
>
> Reply 4
> [...] I'm now worried at this point because I need this to use Xoom   
> to do my pension transfer to my bank account.                         

for maximum banking safety, reboot to a CD or USB stick "live" linux
distro, do your banking, and then reboot back to your normal working
environment.

IMO, this is Internet Banking Safety 101 - it's the easiest and most
reliable way for even non-technical users to securely use internet
banking. Rebooting to an OS on a CD or USB stick clears everything in
the computer, so even if it is infected with a virus, the malware will
NOT be running when you boot the CD/USB.


i initially wrote a long reply describing various other techniques
(using a separate browser only for banking, a second login account,
virtual machines, etc) that could be used to provide some level of
privilege separation safety but scrapped it all except for the above two
paragraphs. None of them provide any security at all if the operating
system itself is compromised.

another alternative is to acquire an old second-hand computer (free or
cheap), install linux on it, and use it ONLY for banking and nothing
else. turn it on only when you need to do your banking and turn it off
immediately afterwards. a laptop is convenient because it has its own
keyboard and screen (and it really doesn't matter if the battery is dead
because you won't be taking it anywhere), otherwise a KVM switch can be
used.

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>