How to Know if a Site is Secure | What are Cookies? | Deleting the Browser Cache | Hiding the Recent Applications List
Protecting Your Privacy
If you are concerned about privacy on the Web or about the identifying information that your Web browser may send to Web sites, you may want to take certain precautions. Some good practices are:
- NEVER download software from the Web unless you are certain you know what it is and that you want and need it. Be wary of any Web site that says you need some special plug-in. Common viewer software should be obtained from that specific company’s official Web site.
- Always make sure that any Internet site requesting personal information is secure. See How to Know if a Site is Secure.
- Decline offers from all Web sites to remember your logon credentials.
- Teach children how to surf the Web safely and not to use their real names or addresses on chat sites and to never arrange face-to-face meetings.
- Always upgrade to an up-to-date browser. Stay current with all Windows updates.
- Don’t give away information that isn’t requested.
- Establish a cookie policy that gives you an acceptable balance of privacy and convenience.
Besides Internet Explorer, which is installed along with Windows, Mozilla Firefox is available for free download at:
The most recent versions have similar features, and can both be considered secure.
How to Know if a Site Is Secure
When giving personal information, such as a credit card number, always make sure that the Web site is using a secure protocol. There are a couple of ways to determine this:
- A locked padlock icon will appear (usually in the right-hand corner of the browser window).
- The URL should begin with https:// instead of http:// (the “s” stands for Secure Sockets Layer). This ensures that the sensitive data, such as credit card information, is encrypted as it is transferred over the Internet.
Most browsers will warn you when you are entering or leaving a secure Web site.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are snippets of text (not program code) that a Web server can store on a user’s hard disk and which cannot be executed or be used to spread viruses. A cookie can only be read by the server that gave it to the user. Cookies allow a Web site to store information on a user’s machine and later retrieve it when needed, and they enable advertisers to collect information about your shopping preferences and interests.
The main purpose of cookies is to keep track of activity on a specific Web site and possibly prepare customized Web pages for users. For example, a weather service may tailor its offerings to a user’s locality without a user having to enter the ZIP code every time. Home pages at certain portals can be customized to display only the information that is relevant to your needs or desires. You may even see a welcome page with your name on it. Some online shopping sites may make recommendations to you based on previous purchases. This is because the server keeps track of what you purchase and what items you search for and stores that information in cookies.
Changing Cookie Preferences
Cookies may be stored in different locations, depending on the version of the browser and Windows you are using. The best way to find the cookies folder is to use the Search feature and search for “Cookies.” A common place for cookies to reside in the Temporary Internet Files folder. There will be a text file for each Web site that has placed cookies on your machine.
The Web browser has features that let you block particular kinds of cookies or that prompt you before accepting them. If you turn Cookies off, some Web sites will not work. Most banks and financial institutions require cookies before you can log into secure sites. Each browser has a different method for setting permissions for cookie files.
First-party cookies can enable a site to build a database of your preferences and interests and are often essential to the functioning of a Web site. Third-party cookies are commonly used by advertising networks to develop profiles of Internet users’ habits and predictions. The advertiser can’t identify you in any way unless you provide personal details (for example, by enrolling in a contest). You can order your browser to accept all cookies, to block particular kinds of cookies, or to alert every time a cookie is offered. Then you can decide whether to accept one or not.
Using Microsoft Internet Explorer to Control Cookies
Web browsers may differ in viewing and controlling cookies. Click the screenshot below to observe the various cookie preferences in Internet Explorer.
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Blocking Pop-Ups in Internet Explorer
Pop-up windows (pop-ups) are windows that appear automatically without your permission. They vary in size but usually don't cover the whole screen. Some pop-ups open on top of the current browser window, while others appear underneath (pop-unders). Unfortunately, some pop-up windows can contain inappropriate content or can be a way for you to accidentally download dangerous spyware or adware onto your computer.
When you install Vista, Pop-up Blocker is turned on in Internet Explorer and is set to the medium setting, which means it will block most automatic pop-ups. To adjust these settings so that Pop-up Blocker works the way you want it to, click Tools, Pop-Up Blocker, Pop-Up Blocker Settings.
Using Mozilla Firefox to Control Cookies
By default, Firefox accepts all cookies. Click the screenshot below to see how Firefox manages cookies.
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
For more information on viewing and controlling cookies with different Web browsers, go to the Knowledge Base document at:
http://kb.iu.edu/data/agwm.html
Blocking Pop-ups in Firefox
Firefox allows you to control both pop-ups and pop-unders through the Web features panel. Pop-up blocking is turned on by default in Firefox. To view Web Features and to specify which Web sites are allowed to open pop-up windows if pop-ups are blocked, on the Menu bar, click Tools, Options, and the Web Features icon.
Deleting the Browser Cache
Each time you access a file through your Web browser, the browser caches (stores) this information. Therefore, the files or images can be brought in to view quicker because they do not have to be retrieved each time from the remote Web site when you click the Back or Forward buttons.
It is a good idea to clear the cache to allow your browser to function more efficiently. This also allows you to “cover your tracks” to prevent other users from “snooping” to see what you have been up to.
For more information on clearing the browser’s cache, go to:
http://kb.iu.edu/data/ahic.html
Click the screenshot below to see the simulation on clearing the browser’s cache using Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Hiding the Recent Applications List
The Windows Start menu can be configured to display shortcuts to any number of applications you have used most recently. Anyone with physical access to your computer, who wants to see at a glance what you have been working on, can easily get a quick snapshot by viewing the contents of this folder.
Click the screenshot below to see the simulation on hiding the recent applications.
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
