General Security

[BradleyT]

Interesting Article

Here's one I'd never heard of.

4. Keystroke catchers. These small devices are attached to the cable that connects your keyboard to your computer and can be bought online for a little over $100. The "catcher" resembles a standard connector, but contains a memory chip that records everything you type. It's typically used in public places where computers are available, such as libraries, Internet cafes and college computer labs. To protect yourself when using a public computer, never shop online, check your bank account, pay bills or enter your credit-card information.

[MrMoo]

One of the common beliefs in computer security is that if someone has access to the box, they essentially own the box. You shouldn't be entering passwords, credit card info, or any personal information in a public computer.

The keystroke logger you mention is hardware based. It's pretty easy to check for these by looking at the back of the computer. However, keystroke loggers can also be software based and you'll have a difficult time detecting these.