For more information on the security and privacy risks of browsing the internet and programs designed to clear out all traces of private data, please check out our Privacy Software website. We have also written a new ParetoLogic Privacy Controls review as well as reviews of several other good software tools.
Whenever you browse the internet on your Windows PC you leave behind traces of your activities. This can include website addresses, text phrases entered into search bars (such as Google and MSN), cookies, images that have been loaded into your browser, and more. Many people don't realize this, and it can become a liability if an unsuspecting family member stumbles across private information.
You don't have to be surfing unsavory sites to want to keep your internet browsing activity private. Perhaps you are looking up medical information about something you would rather keep to yourself. Another thing you might be doing is simple Christmas shopping.
Another consideration when it comes to Windows retaining all this data in cache and history folders is that your privacy is at stake in case your computer becomes infected with a malware program. It could even just be an advertising tracker, but many people do not want data collected about them, however anonymously it is.
In order to erase these tracks you will have to clear out the history and cache files and folders. Your browser will most likely have a "clear private data" option that's usually available under the Tools menu. Both Internet Explorer and Firefox have this option. However, this is not thorough. Images are often still left behind and your search history may not be cleared thoroughly.
In the event that you want to make sure you do a completely thorough job of clearing your computer of all trails then you should definitely consider one of the several good privacy software programs available. These tools scan your computer and give you the option of clearing out quite a bit, including data retained in third party software programs such as Acrobat Reader and Macromedia Flash.
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