Linux for safer online banking and shopping

This Ziff-Davis/CBS article suggests using a Linux Live CD for online banking and shopping.

UPDATE: So does the Washington Post computing columnist.

Why? Even the director of the FBI almost fell for a phishing scheme, and if he can be had, so can you.

Linux Live CDs boot your computer with the free, much-more-secure Linux operating system, and look very much like Windows. However, you don't have access to your hard drive, so viruses and spyware can't take hold in your system. If you want to save data, you can save it to a USB 'thumbdrive' flash memory device you can take with you, and the article discussing saving passwords on a flash drive in a locked, encrypted file.

It's really easy to download from kubuntu.com and 'burn' Linux to a blank CD-R, have one mailed to you, or you can skip that and buy a disc at FreeGeek at 1731 SE 10th, east of Union behind the Goodwill store. Their Thrift Store sells discs for a buck, 11 AM - 7PM, Tuesday - Saturday.

How much is your bank account worth, anyway?