Do you ever use public computers to access your blog, email or other online account? Do you always restart the computer when you get off? I usually do, and from now on I always will.
I cam into class, got onto the computer, which was already on, open up Internet Explorer and go to my web site. I go to log into my blog and, instead of getting the login page I usually get at an unfamiliar computer, it brings me straight to the dashboard, skipping the login page. Now that's not unusual for me when I'm at home, my computer remembers me and automatically logs me in. The problem is that it's not supposed to do that at a University computer and I ended up at someone else's dashboard. Because they had left the computer without turning it off, the computer remembered their password and send me to their blog. I had complete access to it. Now, if it were someone I knew, I might have been tempted to mess around on there, post absurd things, change their password or other fun stuff. But, alas I decided to be good and all they'll see in the morning is a post that basically says "Hi, you left the computer on, I got on your blog and you really should be more careful". Yeah, I know. Where's the fun in that.....
4 comments:
Wow, another thing to be paranoid about. I usually remember to log off. Then, I will usually close the window I was working in, which is what banks online (and other similar types of online) facilities recommend.
It was really weird, and unexpected. I just stared at the dashboard for a few seconds, wondering why there was only one blog listed, and what happened to my other 3. It took a while to sink in and for me to realize what happened.
When I had to use an internet cafe in Orkney this summer, I was paranoid I'd forget to close something. I really wanted to shut down the whole machine each time just to make sure, but I thought they might get mad....
Writer - I know what you mean about not wanting to upset the owners, but I think that as long as you do a restart rather than just a complete shutdown, that most people dealing in public internet access will understand these days - at least in the US where we have a serious problem with identity theft. I really have no idea of the attitude in the UK, which you would definitly have a better feel for the attitudes there. As for in the US, I would do a restart on the computer no matter what the business felt, just as a matter of security. Or go to another outlet, which again, may not be an option in Orkney.
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