Online Privacy: 5 Helpful tips

01/07/2009 

When you use the Internet, a lot of information is stored on your computer. Some of that information is useful, helping to make your Internet surfing faster. Other times, it can be harmful, allowing hackers and spammers to gain access to your computer and your private information.
To keep yourself safe online, you need to take additional precautions to ensure the safe information on your computer is left alone and that the bad information is deleted regularly.

Cookie Deletion

Cookies are bite sized pieces of information stored on your computer that either store useful information about a website you often visit or track your online usage. Those useful cookies generally make your web browsing experience more enjoyable, but the other kind can be detrimental. Make sure you delete your cookies regularly to keep from providing third parties with your personal data. To delete your cookies, visit the Internet Options menu in Internet Explorer and the look for the "Delete Cookies" button on the General Tab. In Firefox, you can click the "Clear Private Data" button in the tools menu to do the same thing.

Turning Off Auto Complete

The Auto Complete feature included in many browsers is extremely easy to use and can rapidly speed up your Internet surfing. Unfortunately, it also stores a browser cookie with all of your passwords in it on your hard drive. This can be highly sensitive information if a hacker or unwanted third party gets a hold of it. To turn it off, look for the Internet Options menu in Internet Explorer or Firefox. Then go to the Content tab and turn off "Auto-Complete".

Active Scripting

The active scripting in your web browser is sometimes necessary to operate a website. However, it also opens multiple large security holes in your browser that third parties can get through. Firefox does not support many active scripting types, however Internet Explorer does with programs like Active X. To turn it off, go to the Internet Options menu and the Security Tab. Look for Internet, and then Custom Level. You should find the Active Scripting menu here and a disable option. Click it to turn off active scripting.

Freeware and Shareware

Downloading free software from the Internet has been a favorite pastime of many surfers for years and with so much development and new technology going on right now, it is has become very popular to make homegrown programs. Unfortunately, it has also become popular to hide spyware and viruses in those homegrown programs. Never, if you can help it, download any freeware unless it is very well known and reviewed by a respected third party such as Download.com or Microsoft.

Password Encryption

You can purchase programs such as Roboform that will store your passwords in a separate, encrypted file on your hard drive, allowing you to keep saving time without using Auto Complete. These programs often have a master password that keeps passwords safe without allowing third parties to see anything over the Internet. Make sure to look for a reliable program with plenty of reviews because some freeware that offers a similar service has been known to include spyware, stealing your passwords.

The best thing you can do for your computer is to check all of your security settings as often as possible and make sure you plug up any holes that are present. While you may feel as though it is "just an email box" the information stored there might be enough to steal your identity for a skilled hacker.

Download Privacy Controls now and protect your PC from snoops!