12 replies to this topic

[Humpty]

Don't use or advocate the the toolbar but some interesting phishing stats here.

Also contains a link to the phishiest countries.

Quote

The Netcraft Toolbar blocked more than 609,000 confirmed phishing URLs in 2006, an enormous jump from just 41,000 in 2005. The volume of attacks grew gradually until the final quarter of the year, when the number of blocked sites soared as attackers perfected techniques to automate and propagate networks of spoof pages.

Netcraft article

[DennisD]

Only once have I ever bought anything on the web using my credit card.
I`m really really nervous about doing this.

Forgive me if this seems like a stupid question, but why is it not possible to purchase something, and then with one mouseclick completely remove all details of your card from your pc.

Am I right in believing that once you make a purchase, your credit card details are there for anyone clever enough to find them.

If I am wrong, I would love to know.

Regards

[Humpty]

Don't really know Dennis.

I don't have any credit cards and have never put any other banking details online, not even to check my savings balance.

Paranoid, eh!

[DennisD]

Humpty, on Jan 16 2007, 03:03 AM, said:

Don't really know Dennis.

I don't have any credit cards and have never put any other banking details online, not even to check my savings balance.

Paranoid, eh!

If that`s paranoid Humpty, then I think we`re both on the same page.

Anyone know if card details are embedded somewhere on your HD ?

Regards

[Eldmannen]

I good idea for doing credit card purchases might be to boot up a clean LiveCD of Linux.

Since a CD is read-only, and you don't need to mount the harddisk, nothing can be written to the system.

[DennisD]

Eldmannen, on Jan 17 2007, 04:44 PM, said:

I good idea for doing credit card purchases might be to boot up a clean LiveCD of Linux.

Since a CD is read-only, and you don't need to mount the harddisk, nothing can be written to the system.

Hi Eldmannen,

That sounds really good.

But I hope I`m not the only one here to say:- How on earth do you do that ? I know exactly zilch about Linux.
Have heard of it, but that`s about all.
Never tried, or had the need to boot from a CD.

If it`s too complex a subject, I`ll understand a non reply.
But if it`s not too difficult, I`m happy to be further educated. I would appreciate knowing how to do that.

There has been a few things I could have purchased on the web, but as I say, not too comfortable about it.

Running XP SP2 if that`s any help.

Regards

[Eldmannen]

DennisD, on Jan 17 2007, 09:48 PM, said:

Hi Eldmannen,

That sounds really good.

But I hope I`m not the only one here to say:- How on earth do you do that ? I know exactly zilch about Linux.
Have heard of it, but that`s about all.
Never tried, or had the need to boot from a CD.

If it`s too complex a subject, I`ll understand a non reply.
But if it`s not too difficult, I`m happy to be further educated. I would appreciate knowing how to do that.

There has been a few things I could have purchased on the web, but as I say, not too comfortable about it.

Running XP SP2 if that`s any help.

Regards

Most stuff is possibly to learn if you have an open mind and is willing to learn or have an interest in it.
Linux on Wikipedia.
LiveCD on Wikipedia.

There are many different Linux distributions, some are geared towards advanced users who want lots of control and ability to customize and alter stuff.
Others are geared towards novice users who just want something to work.

Easy LiveCD Linux distributions are Puppy Linux, Knoppix, etc. You download an .ISO image, and use a CD-burning software that are capable of burning ISO images (most CD burning software can do this), and you burn the ISO image to the CD. Then you put the CD in the computer, and restart the computer and (on most computers) it will boot up from the CD. There you got a Mozilla Firefox icon on your desktop which you just double click, and you're good to go.

[Humpty]

Haven't booted from my Puppy linux CD in a while but if I remember right I had to go into some control to enable or find network then I could use Firefox.

May just dust it off a bit later and give it a run.

[DennisD]

Eldmannen, on Jan 18 2007, 03:41 AM, said:

Most stuff is possibly to learn if you have an open mind and is willing to learn or have an interest in it.
Linux on Wikipedia.
LiveCD on Wikipedia.

There are many different Linux distributions, some are geared towards advanced users who want lots of control and ability to customize and alter stuff.
Others are geared towards novice users who just want something to work.

Easy LiveCD Linux distributions are Puppy Linux, Knoppix, etc. You download an .ISO image, and use a CD-burning software that are capable of burning ISO images (most CD burning software can do this), and you burn the ISO image to the CD. Then you put the CD in the computer, and restart the computer and (on most computers) it will boot up from the CD. There you got a Mozilla Firefox icon on your desktop which you just double click, and you're good to go.

Thanks for that Eldmannen.
There`s a lot of stuff on the links you kindly provided. Have dl`d Puppy.2.13-Seamonkey-Fulldrivers.iso.

Hope I`ve got the right one. Let you know.

Thanks again.

[DennisD]

Re. Linux.

Puppy 2.13 booted directly from the CD, got as far as setup interface, and then hung.

Had a look round the puppy forum, and this appears to be a recurring problem with this latest version.
Acquired Puppy 2.12, which booted up fine and took me through to the Desktop.

Unfortunately, I couldn`t find any way to set up an internet connection. Appears, as far as I could ascertain, to have no support for my type of modem, i.e. ISDN Channel-Speedtouch USB ADSL PPP.

It`s my USB type connection that it won`t configure. I have RealTec ethernet adapter installed, but not that type of modem.

Unless, you can tell me something I`ve missed.
Like a different, USB compatible version maybe ?

Anyway, it was a good exercise, and my education continues.

Regards.

[fireryone]

DennisD, on Jan 18 2007, 06:48 AM, said:

Hi Eldmannen,

That sounds really good.

But I hope I`m not the only one here to say:- How on earth do you do that ? I know exactly zilch about Linux.
Have heard of it, but that`s about all.
Never tried, or had the need to boot from a CD.

If it`s too complex a subject, I`ll understand a non reply.
But if it`s not too difficult, I`m happy to be further educated. I would appreciate knowing how to do that.

There has been a few things I could have purchased on the web, but as I say, not too comfortable about it.

Running XP SP2 if that`s any help.

Regards

Try the Ubuntu or Kubuntu CD's they are 100% free including postage.
http://www.ubuntu.com/
http://www.kubuntu.com/

easy one to use the internet/network should be picked up, I havent used it much yet but you should be able to get help from http://www.ubuntuforums.org/

[Eldmannen]

DennisD, on Jan 18 2007, 04:56 PM, said:

Thanks for that Eldmannen.
There`s a lot of stuff on the links you kindly provided. Have dl`d Puppy.2.13-Seamonkey-Fulldrivers.iso.

Hope I`ve got the right one. Let you know.

Thanks again.

Not sure, but it probably is. I never personally used Puppy, just heard about it.
I've used the liveCD that came with Ubuntu though.
I ordered the CD at shipit.ubuntu.com, they send free CDs, you don't even have to pay shipping. It took some weeks for it to arrive though.

[DennisD]

Linux:

Thanks guys, the Ubunto site is a completely different animal to Puppy Linux.

The other big difference is that the Puppy ISO is approx 68mb.
Ubunto file I`m downloading at this moment is 698mb. Gonna take some time.
Will order CD if this dl don`t work.

That is some difference in size. Does that surprise any of you ? Surprised me.

Will let you know what transpires.

Regards