Practice Safe Hex - simple steps for secure browsing

Contents

1 Safe Browsing

For a safe browsing environment for things like on-line banking, here's my current recommendation.

1.1 Initial downloads

  • Download VMware player (www.vmware.com)
  • Download the latest version of Ubuntu (32 bit) as an ISO file

1.2 Install Ubuntu

  • Install VMware player
  • Start VMware player and create a new virtual machine
  • Specify the Ubuntu ISO you downloaded earlier as the installation
  • Answer the other VMware questions
  • Allow VMware to install it's add on for Ubuntu
    • On Windows 7 you need to approve admin rights for the VMware add on, so wait for it to pop up. If it times out, the add on won't install
  • Wait for the install to finish

1.3 Finalize Browser

  • Log onto Ubuntu
  • Start Firefox
  • Install NoScript for Firefox (noscript.net)
    • Read the instructions on NoScript. It is intrusive and annoying, but it's far safer with NoScript.
  • Install Web of Trust for Firefox (www.mywot.com)
  • Install Perspectives for Firefox (perspectives-project.org)

1.4 Other Notes

  • All software is free
  • You need a reasonably powerful machine
  • The Firefox plugins are recommended for all browsing environments.
  • Using a netbook as an Ubuntu machine for secure browsing is an option, but I had issues with getting Ubuntu drivers for my netbook.

2 Removing Viruses

Some notes on cleaning infected PCs

3 See Also