Abstract: The invention provides a “thin client”, such as software loaded on a USB memory “stick” or other bootable media, that boots a host machine without using the machine's hard-drive or software and without local applications running in the background. The USB thin client device's use and control of the host machine is safe to the host machine because it does not involve nor alter the hard-drive or software of the machine. The host machine acts like a “dumb” terminal to permit the USB thin client to remotely access a remote server to for example run software and access data remotely for local presentation and interfacing via the host machine's display, keyboard, printer, etc. By using, for example, a broadband Internet connection there is no appreciable delay given today's connection speeds. The USB thin client typically includes a portion in the open and an encrypted portion only accessible after the user, for example, enters a security password.