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Rob Vamosi's
award-winning
column on Internet threats and how to counter them
Delivered Mondays
CNET Security Center: Your complete source of antivirus and Internet security information.
How to clear your browser and surf securely
Whenever you complete a banking or e-commerce or some other financial transaction involving personal data online, you really should clear your Internet browser's history, cache, and (in some cases) cookie files. Internet browsers are notorious for keeping detailed records of where you surf. Browsers also cache pages you visit, even those where you input data, so that the next time you request the page, the browser can display the page immediately, instead of having to wait for a Web server to send it to your browser. This makes your browser faster but also opens up your surfing history to criminal hackers. Don't take chances. Clear your browser securely after each session. Here's how:
Required attention span: 5 minutes Ingredients
Before you start, you'll need to gather these elements:
In Microsoft Internet Explorer 6:
In Mozilla Firefox 1.5:
In Opera 8.5:
More resources:
Windows resource center
By Robert Vamosi
Edited by Allen Fear
(January 13, 2006)
Edited by Allen Fear
(January 13, 2006)
Whenever you complete a banking or e-commerce or some other financial transaction involving personal data online, you really should clear your Internet browser's history, cache, and (in some cases) cookie files. Internet browsers are notorious for keeping detailed records of where you surf. Browsers also cache pages you visit, even those where you input data, so that the next time you request the page, the browser can display the page immediately, instead of having to wait for a Web server to send it to your browser. This makes your browser faster but also opens up your surfing history to criminal hackers. Don't take chances. Clear your browser securely after each session. Here's how:
Required attention span: 5 minutes Ingredients
Before you start, you'll need to gather these elements:
PC running Windows XP
In Microsoft Internet Explorer 6:
1
From Tools, click Options.
In Internet Explorer, you'll need to click separate buttons to remove any traces of your Internet surfing. Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Cookie to remove cookies. To remove temporary files, click Delete Files. To remove your browser's history (the Web sites you've visited), you'll have to click Clear History in the next section down.
In Internet Explorer, you'll need to click separate buttons to remove any traces of your Internet surfing. Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Cookie to remove cookies. To remove temporary files, click Delete Files. To remove your browser's history (the Web sites you've visited), you'll have to click Clear History in the next section down.
In Mozilla Firefox 1.5:
1
Unlike Internet Explorer, Firefox 1.5 provides one-click personal data protection.
From Tools, click Clear Private Data. Check all boxes that apply and click OK, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Del.
From Tools, click Clear Private Data. Check all boxes that apply and click OK, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Del.
In Opera 8.5:
1
Like Firefox 1.5, Opera also provides one-click personal data protection.
From Tools, click Delete Private Data.
From Tools, click Delete Private Data.
2
Opera also allows for more granularity.
By clicking Advanced, you can specify what to delete.
By clicking Advanced, you can specify what to delete.
More resources:
Windows resource center
