Latest trend - Linux Boot CDs for Online Banking

[lyematt at gmail.com (Matt Lye)]

Overall the risk is lower comparing unpatched Windows with unpatched Linux.
Typically as long as the live CD is a recent version I wouldn't see much
wrong about this method.

-Matthew Lye

You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision,
determination, and and endless supply of expendable labor.
<No tree's were harmed during this transmission. However, a great number of
electrons were terribly inconvenienced>


On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 12:55 PM, Keith Pawson <keith at winnetworks.com>wrote:

> Seems that a few people in the public arena have started spreading the word
> about using a Linux Boot CD is the most secure way to do Internet Banking
> now :-0
>
> Not just one source either:
>
> http://www.itnews.com.au/News/157767,nsw-police-dont-use-windows-for-interne
> t-banking.aspx
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=5813&tag=nl.e589
> http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=2492&tag=nl.e036
>
> http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/10/avoid_windows_malware_b
> ank_on.html?wprss=securityfix
>
> http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/10/e-banking_on_a_locked_d
> own_non.html?wprss=securityfix
>
> http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/erosion-of-trust-for-online-banking.
> html
>
> Am I right in saying this is actually a bad thing?
>
> I've listened to Paul and the gang go on about using live CDs such as
> Backtrack and so forth is a bad thing due to components being out of date
> and vulnerable - use them in a test network for research and education.
>
> So imagine people doing this and not updating the live CD for say 6 months
> or never and suppose they leave the thing running for a week or even worse
> all the time. In addition this does not mitigate against DNS spoofing,
> browser XSS and so forth, right?
>
> What do you guys think about this latest trend and what do you think the
> risks really are with this scenario?
>
> Cheers
>
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