Location independence (the ability to work from anywhere) is one of the most exciting benefits of being a blogger. Anywhere there is an internet connection and a computer (or even a mobile device) you can update your blog. But not every blogger likes the idea of lugging around their own laptop (myself included) which means a reliance on public computers, such as those at internet cafes or libraries, will be required.
Public computers however are known for their security issues which can make them very dangerous for bloggers, who often have a number of online accounts that could be compromised such as their Wordpress admin account, email inbox, Flickr account etc.
The less passwords used on unsecured computers, the better, but you don’t always have that option. If you’re ever in that situation then it’s important that you understand both the threats and the solutions to the most common (and dangerous) security issues.
How to Securely Blog from Public Computers
IronKey
This thing is a beast. If you’re a security nut (and I hope you are by now) no other device will satisfy you after checking out this bad boy. The IronKey is a titanium USB drive that uses military-grade encryption to protect your data (including the passwords stored on the device) and will physically self-destruct if 10 incorrect passwords are used to try and unlock the device in a row.
But wait, there’s more!
Firefox comes pre-loaded on the device, which integrates with the custom-built password management software, and has been specifically optimized for security purposes. Oh, and it’s waterproof. And if anyone tries to open up the device itself to access your data, it’ll break, making your data inaccessible.
So if you’re James Bond, or want to log into your bank in a room full of hackers on a computer with every keylogger in the world installed, then the IronKey is the device for you. For the storage capacity it is pricey, but the security features easily outweigh the extra expense.
PortableApps
PortableApps is a collection of free applications that have been made available as USB applications. There are plenty of great apps available in the collection but I mention it mainly because of KeePass Password Safe which is a free password manager.
RoboForm2Go
Earlier in this manifesto I mentioned RoboForm, the password management application for Windows. RoboForm2Go is essentially the same application but it’s installed on a USB drive and can then be used on any Windows machine.