Consider this:

You should never, *ever* log into your bank or other financial institution on a public access computer. You should never, *ever* type in your credit card information on a public access computer.

Always assume that any public computer is loaded with spyware and viruses, placed there either accidentally by someone downloading something or deliberately by a hacker that visited before you. More than likely you will be right. I can't claim to know the percentages but I've seen enough hacked machines to know it's high (more than 10%).

This means that everything you type - passwords, credit card numbers, etc - is likely being sent to someone with malicious intent.

Be wary when you put your memory card with photos in a strange computer! This is often how the viruses spread. It happened to my riding buddy (Nir) a couple weeks ago - you insert your memory card, the virus already present on the computer installs itself to the card. When you insert the card on another computer, the autorun then infects the new computer.

Many memory cards have a "write protect" feature enabled. You *must* turn this on before putting it in a public computer. If your card doesn't have this feature, you're basically having the informational equivalent of unprotected sex with a Kenyan prostitute.

Not surprisingly, I recommend traveling with a laptop. I won't even type in my email password on a strange computer.

Jeff

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SF to Panama and back
How I Nearly Killed My Friends In Baja