Security issues

[CityTrader]

Guys, I know the simple answer is be more careful, but having lost 2 laptops in the past, I need to pre plan how I take care of my data.

I keep a spreadsheet with all my open positions, cash balances at various trading accounts, bank account numbers and passwords all in the spreadsheet. I have bought a copy of "cryptainer me" with which I create a "virtual" drive to save my spreadsheet to. As a backup ( I travel quite a lot) I use cryptainer to encrpyt this file for emailing to myself. After opening one of these email files I go into the temporary internet file folder and erase ( using Eraser 5.7 - www.heidi.ie.eraser) the spreadsheet via overwriting , and ensure that it's saved in the virtual drive that Cryptainer creates. Now Cryptainer claim that the 448bit blowfish algorythm would take x million years to crack. Fine, but how easy is it for a good techy guy to access these files via a different method?

In a nutshell, how secure is this data from someone who knows what they are doing?

CT

 

[CityTrader]

Nobody????

 

[Mattybuoy]

I'm not familiar with the Cryptainer product but understand what it is basically doing. It is fine within itself but, as you have already seen with Temporary Internet Files, there can at times be un-encrypted copies of your file in other places. Applications can put stuff all over the place, unknown to the user.

As a additional solution, why not use a USB stick to save your files too? You can plug it into whichever PC you're currently using at the time. That would avoid the need to email files to yourself.

Oh, and I would advise removing the passwords from the spreadsheet. These should only ever exist in your head.

 

[Trader333]

CT,

Thanks for the information on Cryptainer which I was unaware of until I read your post. I am now going to evaluate it as I have similar concerns to yourself.


Paul

 

[oatman]

Try your question on Pitstop. I'm sure there will be some experts on security over there.http://pcpitstop.invisionzone.com/index.php?showforum=3

 

[CityTrader]

As a additional solution, why not use a USB stick to save your files too? You can plug it into whichever PC you're currently using at the time. That would avoid the need to email files to yourself.

Oh, and I would advise removing the passwords from the spreadsheet. These should only ever exist in your head.

2 problems...

1)I lose laptops. I hate to think how many USB keys I'd get through!

2) I have so many passwords - not just cashmachines, internet banking, telephone banking, burglat alarm, entrycode for gates , online trading, utility companies, and most of them use a different format - for example T-Mobile insist on password between 8-10 characters. At least 1 digit ( nothing other than digits or letters allowed) and it must start and end with a letter - it's a 'mare!!

Thanks tho'

CT

 

[Directional]

check out DriveCrypt - encrypts your entire drive and operating system so nothing useful can be retreived if you lose it.

DC can also be used for steganography, ie: hiding encrypted data within mp3 music or jpg/gif image files where the music or image is unaffected by the hidden data - keep your private information concealed unretreivably in innocent looking files.

probably about the best privacy tool out there.

http://www.securstar.com/

 

[travllr]

Invasion of The Stock Hackers

11/4/2005 (Worst case scenario.) Arriving home from a five-week trip to Belgium and India on Aug. 14, a jet-lagged Korukonda L. Murty picked up his mail – and got the shock of his life. Two monthly statements from online brokerage E*Trade Financial Corp. showed that securities worth $174,000 – the bulk of his and his wife's savings – had vanished.


http://www.investing-news.com/artman/publish/article_1460.shtml


trav

 

[oatman]

Some people won't listen :cheesy: