Chromebook Malware Question?

[paulyron]

I have a chromebook and I have multiple google accounts that I use on it.  Almost all of these are throwaway accounts that I created to web browse.  The big thing here is I download movies and pictures and these are adult videos and visit those streaming sites.  The reason I do that on the chromebook is because I don't want to use my main windows laptop doing those things. 

 

 

The thing is now I have to open some sensitive information documents from someone.  Say it's like tax information or financial documents.  When I do this, I normally use an old windows 11 laptop that I rarely use.  I don't have that with me at the moment.  If not that, I would use my chromebook to do it.  The thing is if I use my chromebook to do it, I would first powerwash my chromebook first.  Then when I open those sensitive files and am finished, I would powerwash my chromebook again.  Then after that, I would go on my chromebook and re add most of my google accounts.  The issue is doing this is very time consuming and many of the time I can't even get back some of the accounts.  The thing is I have to worry about if the person who sends me documents, if they might have malware that is unaware from their point of view, so any files I open could have malware.  Is that a big concern?

 

 

Now because my chromebook has adult videos and pictures downloaded from sites in many of the google accounts, is it safe for me to visit a site and open financial documents on the chromebook or not? 

 

 

Now what if

 

 

1.  I create a new google account just for this?  So only on that google account when I sign in, I open those financial documents.  

 

2. Go on incognito mode. 

 

3. Or should I just powerwash my chromebook and have it new before I do this?  When I open the documents, it would take me 1 or 2 days to basically look through everything.  Then once I'm done, powerwash chromebook.  Then go back to what I always do on the chromebook.  I did this once or twice previously but wanted to know... is this necessary?  

 

 

I recall I read chromebook is linux based so that means it's protected sort of like a virtual machine?  Like if you have a virtual machine, what you do on one thing isn't going to affect the windows part of the same computer?  I don't feel comfortable opening tax information document on the chromebook now but is it safe?

[ieleja]

I think, that Google do regularly cloud backups of all data from your chromebook and your EULA with Google presumes it...

 

9 minutes ago, paulyron said:

chromebook is linux based so that means it's protected sort of like a virtual machine?

 

no, Linux is not VM, but one of many OSes, like Windows, macOS

 

10 minutes ago, paulyron said:

I don't feel comfortable opening tax information document on the chromebook

 

better use another Chromebook, Linux or Windows computer just for "work" and this one for leisure...

 

[TetraSky]

21 minutes ago, paulyron said:

Almost all of these are throwaway accounts that I created to web browse. 

Might I suggest Duckduckgo emails ?

https://duckduckgo.com/email/

With the extension, you can quickly generate an email, such as :

haIl-echo-luster@duck.com

 

You can then have these emails directed to the main gmail inbox of your choice. And if they get spam, there's an easy link at the top of the email that you can select to simply disable it forever. Generating a unique email each time that is linked to you and won't be lost unless you decide to get rid of it is kind of a better solution than having multiple throwaway accounts.

 

 

Now, as for your issue... I would personally open documents in a VM. Which would require you to install Linux on that chromebook. Or if your chromebook supports it, you can install windows in Parallel.

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/10044480?hl=en

 

That said, I do believe everything is sandboxed on ChromeOS

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3438631?hl=en

As such, you might be worrying more than necessary.

 

[paulyron]

Main laptop is a windows 11 pro laptop that I do everything financial, email and all that.  However, I do not want to open those financial documents because it is going to come from someone and not like opening a tax document from say chase bank online. 

 

 

My chromebook is what I use for other things.  My old windows 11 laptop is what I use for opening these documents.  If I don't have that old windows laptop, I would just powerwash my chromebook just for this.  Then go back to using my chromebook the way I use it.

 

 

The thing is I have to open these financial documents a few times a year at the most.  It's not like I'm doing this every week.  So if I have my old windows 11 laptop with me, I use that.  But since I don't, I would just powerwash chromebook for this.  Then go back to what I do on my chromebook.  The thing is would it be safe to just use my chromebook for opening these documents as long as I create a new google account on the chromebook for this or go on incognito mode?

'

[paulyron]

Anyone?

[paulyron]

 

The thing is can I safely download and view these financial documents on the chromebook the way it is?

 

 

Does it matter if I use the same google account that I downloaded adult videos and pictures on?  What about creating a new google account and logging into that on the same chromebook account?  What about doing this with incognito mode?  Would that be better or is it all the same?  Or should I just powerwash it first?