Nickname: awkuhn

Review: Strange...we got all these super smart tech writers showing up in various online tech publications and nobody writes about PCs equipped with Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) These new generation PCs are available from many OEMs particularly DELL... It is high time that the intelligencia start talking about this technology...I for one have now a PC with TPM...and nobody, not even the most sophisticated virus can steal my log-on credentials as they are in a safe hardware TPM safe... If you get hacked, dont't complain...you had a chance to buy a TPM equipped computer! http://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org

Date reviewed: Nov 10, 2005 4:15 PM

Nickname: arldoll

Review: This article is a real wake-up call. I'm horrified by David Kalt's comment that brokerage customers will have to learn to fend for themselves. Let readers know that Schwab has the best security of any brokerage house I deal with - they will not honor any account wipe-out orders (or wire money transfer orders) without voice contact with the customer and a signed (with affidavit) instruction letter mailed to the brokerage house. Why can't every brokerage house do likewise? It will slow down things for the legitimate user but so what?

Date reviewed: Nov 9, 2005 1:11 AM

Nickname: cryptodendrum

Review: Do not fall for the false sense of security some of these devices provide: Banks in Europe (and their customers) are just as likely victims of this type of fraud, if not bigger, because these devices do not stop Man-in-the-Middle attacks which are introduced also by trojans and spoofed websites. As a Technical Security Analyst for a major international company, I can tell you the majority of companies are not doing due-dilligence when it comes to these devices. For more information, see: http://www.emergentchaos.com/ https://www.financialcryptography.com/mt/archives/000577.html http://www.schneier.com/blog/

Date reviewed: Nov 7, 2005 2:00 PM

Nickname: dulaurence

Review: One solution fits all: MacIntosh. No spyware, no viruses, no hacked accounts, no fear!

Date reviewed: Nov 6, 2005 2:51 PM

Nickname: Greg

Review: We here in Europe are routinely issued a card reader that reads the chip on our bank card. When we log in to the bank's server, we get a one-time code, which we enter into the reader, which provides a one-time response code, which we type in. Easy, available, cheap, secure. Why don't the US brokerages provide this?

Date reviewed: Nov 6, 2005 1:09 PM

Nickname: Curious

Review: Alarming, but only part of the story. See the below Marketwatch article. It is foolish to believe that companies are immune from hiring folks who would take advantage of access to the information. As a customer of an online broker I have seen several software bugs. These kinds of bugs could easily have been detected with thorough testing. Most programmers working for a company could, if so inclined, access sensitive information. Crooks have been breaking into banks and financial services since day one. As the article illustrates, it is much easier to obtain information on hundreds or thousands in one swoop at a company than going after them one at a time. "Are merchants doing enough to prevent ID theft?" By Andrea Coombes, MarketWatch Oct. 7, 2005 http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?dist=śm=archive&siteid=mktw&guid=%7B2BDBB36A%2D6584%2D42D0%2D8661%2D574B75374F76%7D&garden=&minisite=

Date reviewed: Nov 5, 2005 6:28 AM

Nickname: Donn

Review: Credit card companies should stop sending out unsolicited convenience checks. Some were stolen from my curbside mailbox and used by thieves who also gained access to my bank, E-Bay, and e-mail accounts, changed passwords and looted them of thousands of dollars. Took months to recover my money and regain cotrol of my accounts.

Date reviewed: Nov 5, 2005 5:14 AM

Nickname: Bertrand

Review: Unfortunately, I think that these situations are helpful. In a world where the users do not do anything to protect their computers, such situations will make them learn that they have to protect their computer, as they protect their house. We get spam and scams everyday, simply because some people are naive enough to believe in these. Some experts tried to teach regular users that patches have to be applied and that the computers have to be regularly cleaned and checked for viruses and worms, and it didn't work. Users are, most of the times, extremely lazy, and they don't care about their computer as long as it seems to work properly. So people now have to learn the basics of computer security the hard way !

Date reviewed: Nov 4, 2005 7:34 PM

Nickname: John

Review: "Hackers" commonly only target PCs because it represents the majority of computers. You can purchase antivirus software for OS X, but most people feel it is useless at this time. Maybe someday it will be a problem, but currently it seems like the security of OS X and the lack of interest from the hackers have kept it safe.

Date reviewed: Nov 4, 2005 6:22 PM

Nickname: GoctoBert

Review: A word to the wise use different computers for surfing and shopping/banking financial uses. Password protect the machine, have a full array of AV and anti-spyware software and never let the machine out of your site or control. Keep it under lock and key when not in use.

Date reviewed: Nov 4, 2005 5:07 PM