Information Technology Cloud: Internet Security- Safety When Using Public Computers

Many times, you might find yourself having to use a public computer. Perhaps the internet is down at your home or you have moved and it hasn't been set up yet. Or, you might be traveling and need to use an internet cafe or a internet site in the airport. These are generally okay to use, but you must use caution when you are accessing sites that ask you to use your password. The following article will give you some information safety measures when using public computers.

First of all, when you are at home and you are accessing Expedia or Amazon or even your bank
account, you might have your password already stored on your computer so that you can enter the site with a click of the mouse. And why not? It's a lot easier to do it that way. You don't have to remember your password and you're at home so you feel safe.

However, while this is a not a good idea even in the first place, it's an even worse idea to do it while you're using a public computer. More often than not, when you enter a site on a public computer and it asks you for your password it will ask you if you want the site to remember it or not. Always answer no.

Some public computers will actually reset everything once you have logged off. Your browsing history and any information you entered while you were using it will be erased. However, this isn't the case with every public computer. So, to protect your internet security you are better off ensuring that nothing personal is left behind.

Have you ever entered your pin number at the store or at an ATM machine and had someone standing right behind you? Were you afraid that they might read your number and use it themselves? You should use the same caution when using public computers. The person sitting down after you, or standing behind you, might easily find out your passwords and use them to their advantage.

This is not to say that you should be paranoid. When you are finished, it helps to erase all of your browsing history, as well as any cookies that you might have used. Check under “internet tools” at the top to see if any passwords were remembered. It is better to be safe than sorry at any rate.