When day trading I worry about hacking and viruses... If I have a lap top, my kids are on it playing games and doing homework on it. Should I have a dedicated computer to day trade. I'm worried about possible dangerous website that might hack into my computer and get information I don't want them to have.

CoyoteDentist 

When day trading I worry about hacking and viruses... If I have a lap top, my kids are on it playing games and doing homework on it. Should I have a dedicated computer to day trade. I'm worried about possible dangerous website that might hack into my computer and get information I don't want them to have.

I would never in a million years have the family computer as my trading computer. Nobody in my family is even allowed to look at my trading computer let along touch it!

You need an excellent firewall / antivirus - for example I use ZoneAlarms Extreme Security - but you should have this on any computer in your household anyway, regardless of it being a family computer or a trading computer.

Thank you. What would be a basic set up? How important is it to have two computers? Are there trading softwares?

CoyoteDentist 

Thank you. What would be a basic set up? How important is it to have two computers? Are there trading softwares?

https://www.thebalancemoney.com:443/day-trading-tips-for-beginners-on-getting-started-4047240

CoyoteDentist 

When day trading I worry about hacking and viruses... If I have a lap top, my kids are on it playing games and doing homework on it. Should I have a dedicated computer to day trade. I'm worried about possible dangerous website that might hack into my computer and get information I don't want them to have.

Absolutely, no question about that. I would recommend you treat your trading as a business. Have a separate computer that is clean of all other information other than your trading platform. It will work better, faster and add value to how you see yourself as a trader and how you grow as trader. It is imperative you set up a separate computer for your trading.

Emmanuel Erskine 

Absolutely, no question about that. I would recommend you treat your trading as a business. Have a separate computer that is clean of all other information other than your trading platform. It will work better, faster and add value to how you see yourself as a trader and how you grow as trader. It is imperative you set up a separate computer for your trading.

I totally agree with your idea,a separate computer for everyone's work.

I am beginner at trading and I use family computer, but If I earn some money and start more seriously I am planning to buy anothet computer juyt for trading.

As someone who works in IT, I agree with what everyone is saying here. Separating your trading from day to day will keep you safe from unintentional leaking of information or worse getting hacked.

For one thing, the thought of having my trading platform available for anyone else to sit down and perhaps just start clicking on things fills me with dread.

For another thing, the thought of my trading machine getting a virus because of someone else's web browsing also fills me with dread.

Mostly, having to tell others that they can't use the only computer in the house because I'm busy with it, and will be busy all day, definitely fills me with dread.



Don't do it. Use a separate machine.

Bob.

Computers/laptops are fairly cheap these days, you should always use different one for trading and it should be machine for only your use.

Its okay if its not high end but it needs to be for your private use only.