Is using a separate computer only for web banking worth it?

[applejax]

Hi all,

I heard that supposedly it's better to dedicate a separate computer for the sole purpose of web banking and nothing else. Furthermore, I heard that Chromebooks, as opposed to a windows PC are better suited to this purpose.

What do you all think of this? Is it worth it?

 

[USAFRet]

Hi all,

I heard that supposedly it's better to dedicate a separate computer for the sole purpose of web banking and nothing else. Furthermore, I heard that Chromebooks, as opposed to a windows PC are better suited to this purpose.

What do you all think of this? Is it worth it?

Depends.
What do you do on your regular system that might put things at risk?

Download sketchy things? Go to weird unsafe websites? Gotten more than one virus in the last year?

Then yes...a dedicated system would be advisable. Or, you could not do those things...

 

[10tacle]

I'm not familiar with Chromebooks and have never had one. I don't trust Chrome anything however as it's a pig on system resources, especially memory. If you have a good enough anti-virus software program that has built-in online banking security, there's no need to have a separate PC/Chromebook. I have Kaspersky Total Internet Security and it has a separate secured browser that I set to pop up on banking an E-tailer websites that encrypts key logging that malware and viruses can pick up on.

 

[boosted1g]

Your average major bank (chase, wells fargo, bank of america, etc) have many different security measures in place.
Just the fact that you are using a different computer means that it will ask for two factor authentication.

Thus to get access into your bank account through your computer, hacker would need a remote desktop and keylogger preinstalled on your system. Certainly not impossible, but not easy either. The reality is that this is to slow to be done on a large scale level. It is far more profitable to hack a server and get access to many accounts or many credit card numbers.

You can also use a virtual keyboard to circumvent keyloggers.

In the end using a separate computer JUST for visiting your bank website is not only massive overkill, but only helps reduce the attack vector, not eliminate it.