Safety protocols using Bitcoin from a cybercafe...

[Fog Fence]

Hey,

I've been studying alt currencies for a couple of years and this is one of the best I've found. I'll be setting up an account soon. I'm currently on business in the middle of Indonesia, and can only use Internet Cafes.

Does this make using BC difficult or impossible?

If I had a few safety protocols, like changing my password everyday, checking for keyloggers etc, is it doable?
Any other security measures I could take?

I'll be using the wallet to receive donations so I might end up with a fair amount of cash in there.

Or maybe I should just ask a friend with a fixed line to run the software from his house. This'll be hard though.

Any ideas?

Thx.

[1714920800]

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[1714920800]

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[1714920800]

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[FreeMoney]

If you run the software then there is no 'account', just the ability to create keypairs and to watch your balance and send coins. You only need to make sure your wallet file is not copied.

If you mean an account on mtgox or mybitcoin then you don't even need to run the software. They will give you an address to send coins to deposit into your account and you can give that address to anyone who might want to pay you. I think you can get as many addresses as you want, but i'm not sure. You can use those sites to send your coins also of course.

[grondilu]

Hey,

I've been studying alt currencies for a couple of years and this is one of the best I've found. I'll be setting up an account soon. I'm currently on business in the middle of Indonesia, and can only use Internet Cafes.

Does this make using BC difficult or impossible?

If I had a few safety protocols, like changing my password everyday, checking for keyloggers etc, is it doable?
Any other security measures I could take?

I'll be using the wallet to receive donations so I might end up with a fair amount of cash in there.

Or maybe I should just ask a friend with a fixed line to run the software from his house. This'll be hard though.

Any ideas?

Thx.

If you don't have access to a machine you actually own, then you have to trust someone to hold your bitcoins for you.   Most famous here is mybitcoin.com.   But you should definitely try to install bitcoin in a machine at your home.  Maybe a smartphone if you don't have any PC where you currently live.  bitcoind has been reported to run on the Nokia N900.

An other possibility would be a SSH access to a distant machine.  Some organisations offer free unix shells, which could be accessed from a web interface, I guess.   I personnaly use freeshell.org.

[Fog Fence]

Such is life on the road...

I've saved this page and I'll study it later.

Seems like you've got a helpful community here.

[genjix]

Such is life on the road...

I've saved this page and I'll study it later.

Seems like you've got a helpful community here.

Don't you have a laptop? I live on the move and it's always possible to find a net cafe, plug my laptop and be on the go!

[grondilu]

Don't you have a laptop? I live on the move and it's always possible to find a net cafe, plug my laptop and be on the go!

Plug a laptop in a cybercafe ?  In my country I doubt it is possible.

However, here in Paris there are plenty of hot-spots.  Public libraries are perfect for instance :  you have a chair, a table and even an electric plug supply.

I've heard that Indonesia is quite an advanced country, even more than most western countries.  I'd be surprised if they had no public access to internet.

[Mike Hearn]

Given that BitCoin is very small the risk of wallet theft is largely theoretical at this point.

That said, longer term if BitCoin continues to grow, it could become a problem in the same way CC fraud is an issue today. The right way is to hold your wallet on a secure mobile phone and then have it handle all the stuff the official client would do.

[genjix]

Plug a laptop in a cybercafe ?  In my country I doubt it is possible.

Did you ever try unplugging the ethernet cable or asking at the desk? I do it all the time.

[ShadowOfHarbringer]

I myself would not ever dare to do anything serious on cyber cafe's computers. I mean the problem is not only the operating system. They can also install hardware keyloggers or sniffers.... the possibilities are endless.

The only way i imagine it is using my own laptop. Plus a VPN and SSH tunnel of course.

[bober182]

Store the wallet key offline don't ever connect it to the computer. Make new wallets transfer the amount you need then use that to send to the internet. Like that if a hacker acts really fast at most they steal one payment.

[Fog Fence]

Don't you have a laptop? I live on the move and it's always possible to find a net cafe, plug my laptop and be on the go!

There are a few Wifi hotspots here but my computer contains important data and projects, I don't want it plugged into the net right now, even though I have backups.

[Fog Fence]

That said, longer term if BitCoin continues to grow, it could become a problem in the same way CC fraud is an issue today. The right way is to hold your wallet on a secure mobile phone and then have it handle all the stuff the official client would do.

That idea has come up twice now. It seems like a viable option. More later. I have to crash now. It's good to hear from most of the replies that I should be OK if I'm careful.

[Fog Fence]

OK finally decided on mybitcoin everyone. Thanks for the overview. I should have stuck that in the film as it's great for newbies, who can be somewhat daunted by this official site.

Peace...

[ShadowOfHarbringer]

OK finally decided on mybitcoin everyone. Thanks for the overview. I should have stuck that in the film as it's great for newbies, who can be somewhat daunted by this official site.

Peace...

Always happy to help.