Thinking about getting a dedicated laptop or tablet for financial transactions

[classical_buff]

I am thinking about getting a dedicated laptop/desktop or tablet for financial transactions over the Internet. This machine will only be used for banking, bill payments or online purchases on very few sites. No emails, no surfing the net, no Netflix, no file sharing and no online games.

The reason for this is that I am trying to prevent online financial fraud.

A few questions though...
1. Do you think this idea any merit?
2. If so, what mind of machine should I get and what configuration should I use?

Let me know if what you guys think.

[armygunsmith]

How about using a bootable operating system? Linux is what you would be using. Take a look at Linux Mint. You can run the OS from the bootable DVD and no changes are made to the host machine. Plus, you get a fresh OS every time you boot the DVD.

[vintagearms]

Might help but probably not. A lot of financial fraud is done once a vendor/retailer gets a hold of your CC number.

[Victor Cachat]

I have used a second PC for financials for years.
Every time I upgrade the gaming/internet browsing PC, I move the old PC to the financial side by swapping drives or getting a new one.
I would not get a laptop because it is more likely to fly away in a break-in than the older of two PCs.

[AreWeFree]

All three of the posts above are correct.

1. Linux Mint is great and using a bootable disc is great if you specifically limit use to only your banking site. The reason for this is you can't apply updates between image releases and you wouldn't want your current session compromised by casually browsing random internet junk
*likelihood of this is very slim, just taking your use-case in to consideration: a low exposure, secure, clean system for financial use

2. CC fraud does stem from retailers. It's a numbers game; why target thousands of individuals when you can get a huge payoff from exploiting a single entity. Less work and more money.

With that said, it is still smart to protect your personal accounts and having a dedicated system, again with low exposure, is a good idea. Malware on your primary system can't capture what you aren't doing (logging on to your financial website.) You need strong, unique passwords.. don't reuse passwords between sites.

3. Setting up a dedicated system is ideal. If you have an old computer laying around, install Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Debian, Fedora, SuSE, whatever you want.

The reason I think this is superior is because you'll still maintain some convenience of having bookmarks, a place to save statements, receipts, etc, you'll receive security updates, and best of all, you can use an offline password manager to generate and store secure passwords.


I find your goal very worthwhile and smart.

[gabe123]

From what you said, I guess you are afraid of spyware or virus that can capture your financial information and send it off to some hacker somewhere. If that's your fear, buy an iPad. This is not your only option, but by far the easiest way, and can have it for multiple use too. Because of the way it is designed, spyware cannot automaticly install itself into your system. You can even watch porn on safari without worry about virus. But here are what you should do:
1> never jailbreak. Get apps from Apple app store and be done. Bank apps should be secure.
2> if you input credit cards information into website using safari, make sure 2 things: there is a padlock icon, and domain name is the site that you are doing business with, not something with similar spelling.
3> enjoy

[the86d]

Apple devices have 100% success with NSA malware injection, per hacker conferences, and the NSA's own documents, I understand.

Avoid iFruity devices.

Live CD/DVDs are pretty quick if you have a moderately fast rig, after boot of course.
Knoppix...

[lorax3]

Apple devices have 100% success with NSA malware injection, per hacker conferences, and the NSA's own documents, I understand.

Avoid iFruity devices.

100% success rate? Wow....

Please don't listen to this FUD.

[the86d]

100% success rate? Wow....

Please don't listen to this FUD.

Yeah... FUD, don't READ any of these "Shaka, when the walls fell", "Kiteo, his eyes closed":

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=nsa+100%25+ios&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t

It has been stated many times by many...
"Sokath, his eyes uncovered/opened"

[lorax3]

Yeah... FUD, don't READ any of these:

I have read all of them. Trust me. They are just jailbreaking the device, which requires physical access and the phone has to be running certain firmware versions. This has nothing to do with what the OP is asking.

An iPad connected to the internet is not vulnerable to such attacks via the methods they describe. Android phones have the same holes.

All these methods in your documents require physical access. If an attacker (especially with the server power of the NSA) has physical access it really does not matter what device you are using, you're hosed.

[the86d]

I have read all of them. Trust me. They are just jailbreaking the device, which requires physical access and the phone has to be running certain firmware versions. This has nothing to do with what the OP is asking.

An iPad connected to the internet is not vulnerable to such attacks via the methods they describe. Android phones have the same holes.

All these methods in your documents require physical access. If an attacker (especially with the server power of the NSA) has physical access it really does not matter what device you are using, you're hosed.

Androids ASK (by default) when su'ing (gaining root-ish ) every time, do iPhones every su (root) access by default after jailbreak/root? Mine didn't, so I gave it away.
Even when jailbreaking I didn't have to touch the screen on my former iPhone.

[lorax3]

Androids ASK (by default) when su'ing (gaining root) every time, do iPhones every su (root) access by default after jailbreak/root? Mine didn't, so I gave it away.

Before rooting an Android phone lots of process require root access for the phone to function, these low-level requests don't ask for permission. Only when you run one of these "rooting" pieces of software is there code installed that will prompt you when certain processes start asking for root access.

This code is used purposely to let the user keep track of process that can now access the entire filesystem. If the NSA had physical access to your device they could get root access using the same exploits as the other rooting software, but disable any sort of superuser notifications.

[the86d]

I'd rather trust BT Linux or Kali Linux than an iPhruity device... myself. Since Apple is tracking you (and can be subpoenaed) via iTunes, iCloud, and AppleCare accounts anyway, and NOBODY really uses a fictitious name on those. Gmail... well I don't have a gmail account with my name on it, and I have about 10+ of those... just another monkey-wrench one can throw in to the mix. Jose Iglesias sounds good for my next one... Can they make you prove that your name isn't John Smith, or Jose Iglesias-Fuego? Only if you have to use a credit card or ID.

Knoppix, like I said is still one of my favorites for Live distros (ElemetaryOS Luna and Pear, but they take longer to boot)...

If you boot to a Live CD/DVD everything you do is usually temp. and gets whacked upon boot (unless you enable a swap partition or file, or save to a drive after mounting it [depending on the distro]). Some automount /dev/sd*, but I don't think they save anything there, other than manually.

[AreWeFree]

From what you said, I guess you are afraid of spyware or virus that can capture your financial information and send it off to some hacker somewhere. If that's your fear, buy an iPad. This is not your only option, but by far the easiest way, and can have it for multiple use too. Because of the way it is designed, spyware cannot automaticly install itself into your system. You can even watch porn on safari without worry about virus. But here are what you should do:
1> never jailbreak. Get apps from Apple app store and be done. Bank apps should be secure.
2> if you input credit cards information into website using safari, make sure 2 things: there is a padlock icon, and domain name is the site that you are doing business with, not something with similar spelling.
3> enjoy

I'm sorry but this is a horrible idea. I interpreted this thread as a question of securing your data through a trusted system, and tablets are so untrustworthy it's ridiculous. If you can't control what happens to your system, and you don't have access to view/monitor the events on your system, then it by nature can not be trusted.

[tommyboy619]

Chromebook?