Protecting Your Privacy on Windows XP

When you log in to the computer system, windows keeps track of all activities that you do on your computers. It keeps track about all the activities like the Web sites that you have visited, the addresses that you type in, the applications that you launch etc. This information is used by computer to tailor your computer experience and power features such as the frequently run programs or recently run documents lists. This information is used to save your time and help you to access it easily. However, this is not always the best. This information, combined with the useless browser history, will allow anyone to see what you browse on the Web.

The recorded information by windows Xp becomes the stake when others are using the same system and your complete privacy reviel. I would like to share some nice and interesting ways to protect your privacy by using the features available in Windows XP.

Internet Explorer (Browser)

Internet Explorer is a browser developed by Microsoft Co. and it is come with Windows XP. It is a default browser and widely used browser. I am providing information about this browser only. You can perform these steps on other browsers like Firfox but some other similar ways.

Internet Explorer stores its data (browsing histroy etc) all over your hard drive, which makes cleaning this data a little tricky and anoying. Generally you need to cleaned four different parts of Internet Explorer to ensure privacy. These four parts are:

1. Clearing Recent Addresses


2. Removing History Files


3. Erasing Temporary Web Files and


4. Removing Cookies

Clearing Recent Addresses

Windows XP has a feature called AutoComplete that always activated for the address box. This can be convenient feature but more unsecur if someone else using your computer. To ensure your privacy, there is some way to stop this
suggessions or auto-complete feature. The file that stores this information is called the URL cache and is named index.dat. This file resides in your Cookies directory within Documents and Settings (C:\Documents and Settings\). But it is not easy to delete this file and you can't do it normal way. The URL cache file is always in use when theoperating system is running. Since, it is not possible to delete it when computer is running, the
only way left is through Safe Mode. One other solution for this is to use a utility called Dr. Delete, which can be schedule the file to be deleted the next time when you restart your computer.

Follow these steps to delete the index.dat file with Dr. Delete Software

1. Download the Dr. Delete SOftware from the URL www.docsdownloads.com/dr-delete.htm


2. Open the Dr. Delet Software and click the Browse button to specify the file that you want to delete.


3. Navigate to the C:\Documents and Settings\ folder


4. Now open the folder which is named after your User Name.


5. Open the Cookies folder and then select the index.dat file and click Open


6. Once you see the path of the file in the text box, click the Delete! button, as shown in below figure





7. If it confirms then click Yes on the screen


8. You will be shown a message that says that the file will be deleted after the next reboot. Reboot your computer now to delete the file.

Once your computer reboots, the file will be deleted and the URL cache will be cleared.

Removing History Files

Internet Explorer, by default, has an option to cleared record all of the Web sites you visit for a 30-day period. To ensure your privacy, it is best option to clear your web history. Here are the steps to perform this task.

1. Open the Internet Explorer Browser from desktop or from Start Panel.


2. In the IE, click the Tools menu bar item and then select Internet options.


3. Then, just click the Clear History button


4. Now, you have cleared your web history. You can adjust the amount of days that your browsing histroy is stored default is 30 days.


5. Then, click OK to save your changes and exit the Internet Options screen

After you have cleared your browser history and modified the history setting, your privacy will be much easier to protect.

Clearing temporary Internet files and cookies

Cookies:- Cookies are another type of file that is created on your computer when ever you visit any web site. It is generally used by web servers to save user data and it is not bad or harmful to computer. One of the example of this is the automatic logon when you visit a web site. Advertisers also use cookies to store paersonal data. Instead of showing you the same advertisement for 50 times, they use cookies to keep track fo how many times an advertisement is displayed on your screen.

Follow the below steps to clearing the Temporary Internet Files and Removing the Cookies.

1. Open the Internet Explorer Browser from desktop or from Start Panel.


2. In the IE, click the Tools menu bar item and then select Internet Options.


3. Under the Temporary Internet Files section, click the Delete Files button.


4. You will be prompted to confirm if you would also like offline files to be deleted. For maximum privacy, check the box and Click OK.


5. Select OK once more to close Internet Options after it delets and you are done

Adjusting your cookie security policy

Cookies are not as bad as many people thinks about it. Instead, the only risk with them is a loss of some privacy, as mentioned. If you allow your browser to created cookies and after using computer for an hour. It gets very good collection of cookies in your computer. Any other user, if login to your system then he or she can analyse and easily find out what sites you have visted. The latest version of Internet Explorer includes many new enhancements. One of the
enhancements includes a new way of accepting cookies. Now, you have the ability to specify if you would like your browser to block all cookies or just certain types. To understand this feature very well, you have to understand what are the types of cookies available. First-party cookies and Third-party cookies.

First-party cookies are placed on your computer by the current site that you are visiting. Third-party cookies are placed on your computer by remote sites such as advertisement servers.

If you do not want your computer to accept third-party cookies so that marketing companies cannot identify what ads they have shown you, or if you just want to adjust your cookie acceptance settings, then follow these steps:

1. Open the Internet Explorer Browser from desktop or from Start Panel.


2. In the IE, click the Tools menu bar item and then select Internet Options.


3. When the Internet Options window up, click the Privacy tab


4. You will see the up and down slider that allows you to select different levels of cookie security. Don't do anything to this and click the Advanced Button instead.


5. Now the settings for First and Third party cookies will now available for adjustment as shown in the figure. I recommend to accept only first-party cookies. And for the third-party cookies select "prompt" option. It will prompt you if it receives any cookies (third party)





6. Once you are finished with your settings, click the OK button to save your changes and return to Internet Options.


7. Click OK once more to close Internet Options.

Do Not Accept Encrypted Web pages

If you generally manage your bank account online and purchase anything online then you experience using secure web connections, otherwise known as SSL. Encryption is nothing but the changing the data to some other format and sending it through internet. There are several encryption algorithms utilised by web programmers to enable secure trasactions. Once the data gets to your computer, your browser has a special key that decrypts the information and displays it on your computer. During this process, when the file is decrypted, it is saved in the Temporary

Internet Files directory so that the browser can display it. However, it seems to be safe as it saving files on your computer. But it becomes more dangerous if someone access your computer locally and check or view temporary internet files which had saved on your computer.

The best option to secure your computer from this type of hacking by increasing your computer security. You can use complex passwords also. But Internet Explorer has a very nice feature which completely eliminates this issue. Simply
called Do Not Save Encrypted Pages to Disk, this feature, when enabled, will solve your problems. To enable it, follow these steps:

1. Open the Internet Explorer Browser from desktop or from Start Panel.


2. In the IE, click the Tools menu bar item and then select Internet options.


3. Then, select the Advanced tab.


4. Scroll down through the list toward the bottom of the window until you see the Security section.


5. Locate Do Not Save Encrypted Pages to Disk, and check the box to the left of it.


6. Click OK to save and activate your changes.