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Spyware and Adware

Never Trust a Public Computer with Private Information

SUMMARY: Be careful before you access private information in a public computer setting! Spyware and keyloggers may be present.

With the growth of adware and spyware, it is becoming less safe to access private websites or your email with a public computer in a library, Internet Cafe, or other area. Even if you connect to web sites over HTTPS and read your e-mail with a secure server, public computers may have spyware or other installed keyloggers tracking everything you do.

Traffic may be encrypted between the computer you are using and a remote server, but this is easily circumvented if installed spyware or backdoor software records every key you press! Your password may be sent encrypted to the remote server, but it might also be sent encrypted or via plain-text to the spyware or backdoor software's author as well. As the saying goes, Let the [user] beware.

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