Need your help in securing my system

[redberet]

hi guys. heres the situation. im going to be using my laptop at my work place and therefore ill be using their wifi system to access the internet. the wifi is controled by and monitored by experts and who would have good capability to snoop around (if they want to). so i want to secure my laptop and such from any attempts by those administering the wifi.

heres the main stuff i would like to secure:
- msn and yahoo messenger chats
- web browsing

a firewall i know would be a first but i dont think it will secure my chat communication and such as they go through the wifi network. So i was thinking of an app like simpro for MSN and yahoo chats. and then maybe Ghostsurf for the web browsin.

my questions:

- is the stuff i have in mind good enough?
- do they cover me in all areas i need?
- any other settings or tips i can do to secure myself?

thanks a lot for any help!

 

[Anon_F]

controled by and monitored by experts and who would have good capability to snoop around (if they want to)

What you got to hide?
When i worked in IT Support we never had the time to snoop.
But we did only if something illegal was being used/seen.
After all if your using their wifi, they may be in a better postion to advise you!

 

[redberet]

nothin to hide. its just that i like my private stuff to remain private. i would not want someone reading my chats or a copy of it going around. and in no way do i mean that network admins are people who would attempt such. but in every where there are a few bad apples, so i just want to have peace of mind in d worst case scenario.

 

[TriplexDread]

they cant read your chats if you disable the logging of them!

the only other way is for them to personally install a chat logger or something similar

 

[muckshifter]

... If you connect, they have total control to do what they like.


Simple solution, do not connect.

 

[Madxgraphics]

Here's an easier option..Don't use MSN or Yahoo at work.. Emphasis on the word work..After all thats what you go there for isn't it..? Not to chat on MSN/Yahoo..Apologies in advance if I upset or offend anybody by this..I have just finished doing a Time Management Study...You'd be supprised how much time and money is wasted in a working day by people chatting on MSN/Yahoo/Myspace/Fartbook/Texting... I could go on...