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    Cleaning up "internet cache" removes all traces from web surfing ?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Laptopaddict, Mar 30, 2010.

  1. Laptopaddict

    Laptopaddict Notebook Deity

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    Do you remove all traces on your PC of where you have surfed on the web by doing a "internet cache" clean-up using CCleaner for example ?
     
    Laptopaddict, Mar 30, 2010
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  2. grimmy311

    grimmy311 Notebook Enthusiast

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    What browser are you using?

    On a further note if you worried about your internet history being viewed, you can run in private mode on IE, Firefox, and Chrome.
     
    grimmy311, Mar 30, 2010
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  3. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    some network settings are cached in the registry as well.
     
    newsposter, Mar 30, 2010
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  4. Laptopaddict

    Laptopaddict Notebook Deity

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    What you mean with network settings ? How to erase those ?

    I am using FF
     
    Laptopaddict, Mar 31, 2010
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  5. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Well, I do use CCleaner to not accumulate junk.

    May I remind you that the ISP's server will log all connections - also those to a proxy...
    Next, its near impossible to delete things from a HDD.
     
    DetlevCM, Mar 31, 2010
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  6. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    ff/ccleaner, etc, etc will NOT clean up network connection traces from the registry.

    Look in control panel|networks for how to manage and delete wireless and wired networks.

    Even then, you don't get everything.

    I've lost count of the number of times I've dove into compromised laptops and was able to trace, just with the pattern of wireless network connections, the travels of a machine including physical location (via the ip addy of an isp or hotspot), date/time, length of connection, and bytes transferred up/down.

    One of the places to look at in a registry is HKCU/software/microsoft/windows/currentversion/internet settings/wpad/many many many keys.

    There are at least 4 other locations where parallel and similar data is cached.

    You really want to be careful on this. In addition to the usual warnings about manually editing a registry, it is easy to accidentally delete essential wireless keys (crypto, adapter mac, etc) that can cripple the ability of a machine to connect both wirelessly and wired.
     
    newsposter, Mar 31, 2010
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  7. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Even if you delete that stuff, it's still physically there until something else writes over it.

    Private browsing is a good option, since that only caches stuff to your RAM instead of the HDD.

    Though you might just want to take comfort in knowing that no one cares what you look at online.
     
    Lithus, Mar 31, 2010
    #7