Laptop security -- paying online?
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Laptop security -- paying online?
| Wed, 04-02-2008 - 1:27pm |
Okay I broke down and got my laptop anyway...work was overloading me (I'm freelancing) and our old computer was having issues.
Anywho...I've never had a laptop and am wondering what (if anything) I need to do to "secure" it as far as paying bills online, basically going all those places where I have financial stuff (on-line banking, credit card stuff, etc).
We are running thru a wireless router, but wasn't sure what else to do. Right now I'm doing all that at the "old" computer.
TIA



Definitely secure your wireless network. That's your biggest protection to your information (from what I understand, that part I'm not to clear on the technology of), plus it keeps people from using your internet connection for free. I think of it in the same way as stealing cable - you wouldn't want your neighbor's to splice into your cable so why let them "splice" into your internet?
As for security - well, I've always used a laptop and never had a problem with security. If there is a little lock on the bottom right corner of the website you are going to, you are entering a secure site. As long as you have secured your wireless and put up a firewall you'll be fine. All (or at least all that I've seen) websites that hold financial/personal information of that sort log you out after a certain amount of idle time, but I still log out as soon as I've finished.
If your site doesn't have that lock, or a pop-up comes up telling you the certificate has expired, you should still be fine - as long as you've secured your wireless. That's happened to me before, but I've still gone ahead with what I was doing, and again, nothing bad has happened to me. It a risk you'll have to decide for yourself - if it's something that you routinely do and you are concerned give the company a call. Personally, I've never gone that far, but I'm sure plenty of people have.
-Boston Run to Remember Half Marathon, 5/29/11 (2:35:11, no training!)
-Corporate Run, 3.5 miles 6/2/11 (36:38, 4 days after running the half!)
-BAA 10k, 6/26/11 (1:04:52, wanted to be under an hour...)
-Tavern to Tavern
In addition to all of the 'above', you can always tell if you are on a secure sight if the address bar says https:
The "s" indicates secure.
-Boston Run to Remember Half Marathon, 5/29/11 (2:35:11, no training!)
-Corporate Run, 3.5 miles 6/2/11 (36:38, 4 days after running the half!)
-BAA 10k, 6/26/11 (1:04:52, wanted to be under an hour...)
-Tavern to Tavern
Thanks for all the tips.
Jennifer
Our laptop crapped out recently. Time to get a new one. Are you the one who bought the Dell a few weeks ago and are you happy with your choice?
I've only had it since Monday, but I do like it so far.
Jennifer