The Foreign Service Journal, June 2007

Cybercafé Security Tips The cybercafé, that spinoff of the IT revolution, is now a handy fixture of even the most remote corner of the earth. But, as news reports regularly attest, using a cybercafé has its risks. Often, the facility is little more than a dusty hole in the wall with poor elec- trical wiring, a generator belching diesel fumes, and cramped computer tables — in short, a health and fire hazard. Moreover, its openness and anonymity offer scope for misuse. In the past six months alone, cyber- cafés in the Gaza Strip, Kabul, Mogadishu, Istanbul and Casablanca have been bombed. Because the ones located in developing countries are magnets for American tourists, busi- nesspeople, NGO workers and Peace Corps Volunteers, they are an obvious potential target for anti-American extremists. Fortunately, awareness of the ABCs of Internet café security can reduce the health, safety and security risks when using them. The first step is to visually scan the premises before committing to use a computer terminal. Is there only one entry/exit? Is the generator placed too close to the door? Is the wiring old? Are fuel, ozone (from electrical wiring) or other noxious odors pre- sent? Are the desks so close together they there is little privacy or room to maneuver in an emergency? Inside the café, Americans should generally maintain a low profile by paying with local currency instead of dollars and not wearing clothing that identifies them as foreigners. Refrain- ing from having conversations in English will help keep their nationali- ty under wraps. Varying patronage in terms of both time and location, and avoiding using Internet cafés as meet- ing places further enhance security. Americans should watch out for individuals who take an inordinate amount of interest in observing them. Conversely, they should refrain from showing inappropriate interest in the activities of other patrons. The checklist for computer securi- ty includes the standard precautions against identity theft and snooping that are basic to all Internet use, as well as other measures unique to the cybercafé environment. • To protect your identity and finances, avoid entering personal information, especially credit card, passport and Social Security numbers. • Never save documents to the computer’s hard drive, but rather to a jump drive or other portable storage device. • When saving documents or visit- ing sites, keep in mind the fact that the chance of acquiring viruses when doing so is quite high. • Use a “throwaway” e-mail account; if compromised, it can be painlessly sacrificed. • Finally, cover your tracks: thor- oughly erase the browser’s history, close any programs opened, etc. With older computers this task can take a few minutes, so be sure to allow enough time for its completion. A little informed caution can go a long way. — Bob Feldman Foreign Military Studies Office Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. Nigeria: What Next? The landslide victory of U’maru Yar’Adua the candidate of Nigeria’s governing People’s Democratic Party, on April 21 was assailed by Nigerian and international election monitors as neither free nor fair. But, despite the violence, vote rigging and opposition vows to challenge the results, there is every indication as we go to press that the country’s new president will be sworn in as scheduled on May 29. Whether Yar’Adua, Nigeria’s first president with a university education, J U N E 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 13 C Y B E R N O T E S