The “Clear All History” selection allows users to clear their browser history in Internet Explorer, and users can also disable the AutoComplete feature that is available in many Internet programs. The programs usually enable users to clear their browser history, and clear address bar history (URL Autocomplete). There are also some programs such as Mozilla, Firefox, and Opera that also remove tracks of recently downloaded files (clears the download list). It is also possible to remove the path that was used for the last previous file(s) saving and opening tasks. A browser will automatically remember the path that was used for the last file saving or opening, and will open the folder that was used for the last file save or opening the next time the user wants to save a downloaded file or picture.

The browser history may be deleted, but the history index.dat file stores information that shows which Web sites a user has visited on the internet. It is best for users to use the “Clear All History” selection to clean up the content of the history index.dat file, or the file may be deleted at Windows startup. Internet programs can also be set to clear tracks of Internet usage each time a user closes the Web browser or immediately after viewing a Web page. Obtaining the maximum privacy requires users to clean up Browser History Files, as well as the address bar history (URL AutoComplete). The address bar is also known as the Location bar, which is a text box that is used to enter a Web site address in the Web browser.

The Web browser allows users to use the down arrow to view recently visited Web pages. The address bar history will display the Web sites that have been recently visited by users, which enables other users with access to the computer to view recent Web sites. When another user types in a Web site in the address bar, the user will get a drop down URL list with the Web sites that have been recently visited. The “Clear Browser History” feature can completely clear the drop down location bar history in Internet programs, so other users will not have access to others’ vital information.

It is also important to clear the AutoComplete feature. The AutoComplete feature stores a list of everything that is typed in Web pages. For example, this feature stores information containing e-mail addresses, credit card information, keywords entered in search engines, and any other information users give on Web pages. The feature allows users to complete a form by suggesting possible matches, and users can use a down arrow to select the most suitable text. People with access to the same computer can see the same drop list of information the user has typed. Other users will also be able to see the information and passwords that users enter on Web sites using special software that allows viewing and managing that information. The “Clear All History” feature protects users’ privacy and clears the AutoComplete feature.

Passwords should also be deleted from Web browsers also. The autocomplete feature provides convenience, but it may compromise users’ security and privacy, because any user with access to your computer can use stored passwords to gain access to the corresponding Web sites. Hackers may also use special software to steal passwords that are stored as autocomplete data. Stored passwords can be removed by using the “Delete Stored Passwords” feature.

Online arguments escalate quickly, and may become vicious, which could lead to taunting on a daily basis and cyberstalking. There are also other instances where a person falls in love with another, and becomes obsessive, sending them rampant e-mail messages, and becoming enraged when they don’t receive a reply. Some users are also classified as bullies, and are prone to push other users around, and send them threatening messages. In some cases users also threaten death or bodily harm. Other forms of harassment also include receiving electronic viruses that cause problems on computers, and having defamatory things written about you on another user’s Web site or in a post made to a discussion group.

It may be advisable to ignore cyberstalkers, but there are certain things that should receive extra attention, and should be reported. When threatened, users should objectively examine their circumstances. If the threatening user sends an email that suggests that they know personal information, then it should be acted upon. If the user suggests that they have performed despicable acts on other persons, and plan to do the same to others, then it should be reported. For example, some users may receive emails that describe ways of molesting children, or may stumble upon Web sites that feature child pornography. In those extreme cases the harassment should be reported to the proper authorities.

Users should not hesitate to report activity that is illegal. The police have the ability to track the source of an email by using the header of the email. Headers contain specific information about where the email came from. Once a threatening email is received, it should not be deleted, because it can be used to provide vital information to the authorities. If an email contains child pornography, it should not be forwarded to any friends, because that user would be guilty of distributing child pornography. It is also possible to trace the source of the uploaded images to a Web site.

There are many online organizations that provide help to victims of Cyberstalking. These organizations can report threats to the local police department. The Guardian Angels have a program that allows users to report cyberstalking to their Cyber911 email address. The group has volunteers that work with the police, and are there to provide help to threatened users. SafetyEd is also an organization that advises users about all of the harassment levels.

Once this group receives a request for help, they will sen a questionnaire for user to fill out, which will assist them in their assessment. The service provides advice on how to identify stalkers, how to protect their privacy online, how to report abuse to ISPs, and legal information on harassment and stalking. If child pornography is involved, users may also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The police department may also be contacted immediately after receiving threatening messages; there are many police officers that are trained in online investigations. It is also good to remain composed, and take the proper precautions to protect themselves and their families.

A firewall is quite accurately defined as a security device that throws up a barrier between your computer and the murky depths of the Internet that are teeming with viruses, spyware, adware, and hackers intent on harvesting your personally identifiable information at the first opportunity you give them. As such, you could think of it as a membrane that – according to your specifications – will permit your computer to accept or reject data from others. Here are some of the most important services a firewall will perform for you:

Worms, viruses, spyware, adware and other pieces of data that may surreptitiously become downloaded in your computer system are stopped at the firewall and thus it provides a valuable layer of protection against the most undesirable of data that like flotsam litters the Internet.  This protection is extended not only while surfing but also when receiving email.

Communications that are sent out by a computer user via email may be monitored for unauthorized materials. For example, if you are sending out a large number of emails with the same subject line, the firewall software may prompt you for confirmation of your activity. Usually it assigns a deadline for confirmation, such as 60 seconds, after which it will automatically abort the email. The goal is to prevent the use of your system by hackers who may have gained access to your system and are now abusing it to SPAM other users.

More advanced firewalls will actually terminate your Internet connection when the software detects activity that is congruent with a hacker’s attempt to gain access to your machine.

Yet in spite of the numerous benefits that are attributed to the use of a reputable firewall, there are also a number of disadvantages. Novice computer users are often shocked to find out that this device is not the cure-all it has been touted to be after all, but it is imperative that a computer user is aware of the downside of the firewalls as well.

For example, a firewall quite often lulls the user into having a false sense of security. Due to clever advertising, the firewall is made to sound impenetrable, and the user becomes lax when it comes to properly updating anti-virus and anti-spyware applications. The result is the possibility of an attack on the computer system that the firewall will not be able to deflect.

Some firewall programs will alert the user to any and all activity on the Internet that it perceives as perhaps being an attack, even if this is not the cause. The constant barrage of pop-ups that require an action on the part of the user will gradually desensitize the user, and eventually she or he will simply click on “ok” no matter what is says in the little pop-up box. This may allow undesirable activity to finally sneak by.

As you can see, while a firewall does give you a sense of security, this very notion may decrease your watchfulness and may actually make you more vulnerable rather than less vulnerable to a computer attack. Your best bet when using a firewall is to know exactly what it can do for you, and understand its limitations as well. If you are unsure about the firewall, do not hesitate to contact the manufacturer to get clarification.

There are many reasons why choosing the right filtering software can be difficult for most parents. The differences in the ages of children can pose a problem for parents that need filtering software for the entire family. Software requirements for an eight-year-old child will be much different from those of preteens, and older teenagers. Preteens should be protected from accidentally wondering onto pornography Web sites, and teens will have to be prevented from trying to access pornography sites, hate sites, and from disabling filtering software. There are many points for parents to consider when choosing filtering software, which includes the age of their children, rather the parent is trying to catch the child violating their rules, or rather the parent is trying to stop the child from visiting pornography and hate sites.

There are also many other points to consider when choosing the right filtering software for the family. Parents should also consider rather they are trying to protect their children from wandering onto sites by accident. Some parents may have to monitor their children’s Internet usage. Monitoring software will help prevent older teens from becoming involved with an Internet predator, or from visiting unacceptable Web sites. Filtering software is also the best choice for stopping older teenagers from visiting pornography and hate Web sites; it is also best for preventing younger children from wandering onto the unacceptable sites.

There are some teens that are more technically savvy than others, and may try to disable filtering software. These teens may require more sophisticated filtering software. Most filtering software provide blocking of inappropriate Web sites that is hard to override.  However, some determined teens may find ways to override the software, or may be willing access the Web sites from another person’s computer that does not have filtering software. There are many other factors for parents to consider when choosing the best filtering software for their families.

Parents should consider rather the software has the features they want and need, and rather it provides the best protection for their families. It is also important to consider if the software will work in conjunction with your computer. The computer’s platform should be considered (Windows of Macintosh), and the available space available on the computer’s hard drive should also be considered. The process of installation is also a consideration, because many parents may be turned off by software that is difficult to install. If the filtering software works with the Internet Service Provider (ISP) should also be pondered before a parent buys the software. Parents may also find that the cost of certain software will be a one-time expense, and others may require a subscription and provide ongoing updates. It is also extremely important to think about what criteria determines the sites or content that is blocked by the filtering device, and parents should determine rather the criteria fits their standards.

By avoiding spyware, and by using caution when exposing your personal information online, the casual Internet user can avoid most mishaps due to online privacy.  Cookies have become the biggest privacy risk and have received a great amount of attention.  An HTTP cookie is a piece of information that is stored on the user’s computer to add statefulness to web-browsing.  The computer does not usually inform the user when a cookie is being stored, although some people think this would be a good idea, instead they are just stored like a marker on your system.   When cookies were originally developed, they were intended to be retrieved by the website that originally sent them, which would give back the data that the website already possessed.  In actuality, programmers can avoid this restriction which can lead to consequences such as web profiling, cross-site scripting, or other techniques that hackers can use to steal information from the user’s cookies.

A good way to handle the problem is by choosing to disable cookies in your web browser. This eliminates the potential privacy risks, but may limit or prevent the use of many websites. All significant web browsers have this disabling ability built-in, with no outside program required. Also, users may frequently delete any stored cookies. Some browsers have the option to have the system clear cookies automatically whenever the user closes the browser. Another way is by allowing cookies in general, but preventing their abuse. You can also find a host of wrapper applications that will redirect cookies and cache data to another location. Using such programs prevent the storing of browsing information on the actual computer and sends the information off-system when the user takes out the USB flash memory device.

Web browser profiles also cause a problem for users called profiling, or tracking.  This is where the system assembles and analyzes several events, all of which can be traced back to a single entity, so they can get information relating to especially patterns of activity on the original entity.  Certain organizations hire people to profile user’s web browsers by collecting the URL’s of sites that they visited.  These profiles may or may not link with personal information of the user.  This practice is done legally by many marketing research organizations in order to construct profiles of the “typical Internet user.”  This can provide valuable market information for web based businesses.  The most important way to safeguard your privacy is by using secure web sites when giving out your personal information.  Otherwise governments and other organizations are looking at new ways to eliminate or safeguard this potentially dangerous profiling to make sure that your personally-identifiable information is not available online.

Another problem for users online is an IP address.  An IP address sometimes becomes a personally-identifiable piece of information, and therefore can cause Internet privacy concerns. An IP address identifies its user’s ISP, and also identifies its user’s nation, region/province/state, and sometimes even city. Every device on the Internet has an IP address, which is an identifying numeric code used to route data. Any web site can track the movements of users through its pages by their IP addresses. This IP address provides the minimum amount of information that a hacker may need to attack someone’s computer over the Internet.  By connecting to anonymous proxies, which are special Internet servers that connect to remote hosts on behalf of the user, a person can seek anonymity by hiding their IP addresses from thrid parties.

There are several ways to protect yourself online and these are just three of the most important ways that someone can invade your Internet privacy and cause you problems.

With a credit card, you are assured a measure of privacy and safety when you use it to purchase something. If something should happen to go awry, there is this federal law called the Fair Credit Billing Act, which protects your interests.  Basically, if there are charges on your credit card that you are unsure of, you have the right to contest those charges and you can withhold payment of those charges while the credit card company investigates.  If the results of the investigation prove that your credit card was used without your authorization, you are liable for only the first fifty dollars of erroneous charges.  In many cases, you don’t even have to pay the fifty dollars.

If you plan to make online purchases throughout the year, your best bet to protect the privacy of your information as well as your financial interests is use one credit card for just online transactions. If you credit card hop, chances are that you will have a more difficult time recognizing a charge that you did not incur.  By using only one credit card for your Internet purchases, you have a greater chance of recognizing unauthorized charges.  Credit cards are also a safer way to shop online because you have your card buyer protection backing you up in case of faulty products or lost shipments.

When shopping online, you do not want to use your check or debit card because it is directly tied to your bank account.  If a hacker or identity thief were to get a hold of it, they would have free reign with your bank account and you can find yourself fielding calls from your bank about overdraft charges.  In addition, your debit and check cards are not protected in the same way by the Fair Credit Billing Act, even if they have a card logo like MasterCard or Visa on it.  With debit or check cards, your funds are tied up while the disputed charges are resolved.  So you would be out of that money versus the credit card where you don’t have to pay the charges during the investigation.

Perhaps one of the most important things you can do is contact your credit card company as soon as you are aware of any unauthorized charges or if your card has been stolen.  The quicker you let them know, the less damage thieves can do to your personal and financial privacy. In addition, one of the ways that your privacy can be ensured is to only shop at web sites which allow you to assign passwords to your credit card for any purchases you make online.  If you have a MasterCard or Visa, check with the bank that backs the card to learn more about this feature as well as participating online stores.

Virtual credit cards are also an option that protects your privacy one step further.  Basically, when you want to make a purchase online, you can use a one-time credit card number that cannot be traced back to you.  You can find out more about this option through your credit card company.

Finally, when shopping online, be sure to look for a certificate from a trusted privacy monitoring source like Verisign or TRUSTe on the merchant web site.  This means that they have clear privacy and return policies in addition to adhering to safe, secure practices with customers. You should feel secure at these certified sites when shopping with your credit card.

This exciting new search engine returns the top ten results from multiple search engines.  It ranks its results be using a “Star System”, where one star is awarded for every result that has been returned from a search engine that ranks in the top 10 results.  That way the top search results that you get on Ixquick are the ones that have been returned from the most search engines.  Five stars would mean that five search engines ranked that result within their top 10.  This is a very easy way to search online and reduce the time it will take to gather information about a topic.  It is an Internet one-stop-shop of sorts that allows users to get everything they need in one place.

It can search in 17 different languages including Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.  Each language version includes the local search engines in that area.

In March of 20055, Ixquick was re-launched with many new features including a re-engineered Meta search algorithm, and an international phone and lowest-price directory.  It also is well known for the fact that on June 27, 2006, Ixquick.com became the first search engine to stop recording private information and details of its users, which helps safeguard Internet privacy.

Ixquick gathers results from several different search engines including Teoma, Entireweb, Gigablast, Go, LookSmart, Netscape, ixdmoz, goto, Wisenut, and Yahoo, and gives its users the option to choose which of these engines and directories they want to choose from.

Ixquick is also unique in that it allows users to choose to search under a number of options, including Web, International Phone Directory, Lowest Price, and Pictures.  This allows shoppers to search based on the Lowest Price, to comparison shop or search the web for their item.  It allows a shopper to look at pictures of something they are looking for as well as search International Phone listings all in one place.

Another feature that Ixquick offers is that users can refine the relevancy of their results with the “Exclude Results Seen Before” feature which allows the searcher to remove or add results to future searches on the same subjects.  This truly personalizes the information that you need to receive and allow you to keep track of your search results over time by not wasting time on results that you don’t need because you have already seen them.

Ixquick has a power search page that supports the advanced search features of all the different search engines that it accesses information from.  Ixquick identifies the type of advanced command that the user enters and only gathers results from the search engines that use the same advanced search command, since different engines use different rules for their advanced searches.  This allows users to search outside of the Ixquick search page.

Using a search engine such as Ixquick is the new way to find answers and results quickly and efficiently without having to go to several different sites to do your search.  The ranking system clearly helps to narrow down the validity of the results and provides a clear indication of the information you are looking for.

The biggest problem with passwords is that users tend to forget them.  It seems that every site you visit, shop on, or belong to require a password and it can be very difficult to come up with one that is easy for you to remember as well as something that hackers cannot easily figure out.

In an effort to create a password that you can remember, a user will often use something very simple such as their pet’s name, or their child’s birthday, the name of your state, or the current month.  Anything that may give them a clue to help them remember what their password is, usually is easy to remember.  However, to a hacker who has somehow gained access to your computer system, doing this is the equivalent to locking your door and leaving the key under the doormat.  A hacker can find your basic personal information without even resorting to any specialized tools.  Information such as your name, address, children’s names, and birthdays, pet’s names and other basic information and try them all as a potential password.

Therefore, there are several rules to follow when selecting this ever-important password that you should follow.  The first is to never use personal information as part of your password.  It is too easy for someone to guess and although easy to remember, may not be worth risking in the long run.

Instead, try making up a word.  There are tools available to help attackers guess your passwords, so with today’s computing power, it does not take a hacker long to try every word in the dictionary and find out which you have used.  The best thing to do is to not use a real word for your password.

Another great tip for creating your password is to mix different character types, which will make your password much more secure.  Use both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and even special characters such as & or #.

One way to make sure it is secure and possibly a great way to remember your password is to use a pass phrase.  Rather than trying to remember a random password you have created using various character types, and not a word found in the dictionary, you can use a pass phrase.  To come up with one, think up a sentence or a favorite line from a song or poem and then use the first letter of each word to create your password.  This makes it safe and secure, as well as easy to remember.  For example rather than using a random password like “1gh5ARs”, take a line from your favorite movie like “Luke, I am your Father” and turn it into “LIayF”.  You can add other characters and numbers that help you remember or make your password longer.  You can also do things like substitute the number “2” for the word “to” and put exclamation points where and “I” should go.  This helps you create a password that is not only secure but also easy for you to remember.

Another way to store and remember passwords securely is to use a password management tool.  These tools maintain a list of usernames and passwords in an encrypted form.  They will also automatically fill in the username and password information on various sites and applications, which is a great way to keep track of all the different passwords you have created.

In addition to creating a secure password, there are other precautions you should take when creating a password that protects your secure information such as always using different usernames and passwords for each login or application you are trying to protect.  This way if one gets compromised, the others are still safe.  Another way that is less secure, but is more convenient, is to use one username and password for sites and applications that don’t need the extra security, but use unique usernames and more secure passwords on sites such as your bank or credit card companies.

The last tip for creating a great password is to change your passwords that access sites that need security at least every 30 to 60 days. You should not re-use a password for at least a year.

Spyware is a kind of software that is used for the specific purpose of ferreting out information that is located in the files of your computer. Usually a piece of spyware can be picked up on the Internet without your knowing about it. Novice computer users frequently confuse spyware with adware, and while there is some correlation, these two kinds of software are not identical. While adware is also picked up on the Internet and is most certainly not considered a desirable addition to the programs you are running, its express function is to display advertising on your system. This may take the form of pop-ups or pop-unders and instead of being dangerous it is much more annoying. Spyware, on the other hand, seeks to collect data so that third parties will be able to use it for their own sinister purposes.

Some of the information is used for commercial purposes, such as your web browsing habits to find out which sites you visit and then set you up to be bombarded with targeted ads. Other times hackers will employ spyware to engage in keystroke logging which then in turn will be used to find out the log in information you use to access your bank account. Once this information is available to them, they will be able to gain access to your account themselves.

Yet how can a computer user know if their system is infected?

Probably the easiest way to tell is by purchasing good anti-spyware software. When you run a sweep of your system, the software will detect the tell-tale signs of spyware, even if it is masquerading as the kind of program you want to run on your system; at that time you will be able to isolate the offending programs and later on delete them.

A spyware blocker will alert you as soon as it suspects that spyware is attempting to download itself onto your system. In case of a doubt, do not download anything that may trigger your spyware blocker.

If you suddenly see a lot of Windows dialog boxes pop up that prompt you to download a piece of software, accelerate your browser, or optimize your Internet access, you might be infected with spyware. These dialog boxes are actually spyware in disguise, and it does not really matter what you click, since a download will be triggered. Spyware blockers will help you prevent such surreptitious downloads.

You may notice that the speed of your machine slows down considerably.  This is directly attributable to the additional programs it is now running. Your computer may stall, require frequent reboots, or will not permit you to have a large number of windows open at one time.

Advertising pop-ups may suddenly be displayed whenever you open a new window, upon turning on the machine, or simply every few minutes while you are using the machine. Adware blockers may not be able to located any kind of specific adware simply because it is bundled with the spyware rather than being a stand alone adware program that can be detected and eliminated independently from the spyware.

As you can see, spyware is collection of insidious pieces of data that are loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and which are hard to get rid of. An ounce of prevention is usually preferable to a pound of cure, and your anti-spyware software will be the best investment you can make.

It is definitely best to start with a virgin computer, untouched by the Internet.  Most computers you buy at a retail store these days come with software preloaded on it like the Windows operating system.  As soon as possible, you will want to go on the Internet to download all the updates for your Windows operating system.  When you purchase a computer, the software is already dated and would not be protected against the latest destructive things you might encounter when browsing the Internet. Be sure to activate the automatic updates for Windows as well as turn on your firewall.

Purchase anti-virus software if your computer does not already come with it.  Once the software is loaded, go online to download the latest updates and security definitions. Much anti-virus software these days also come with Spyware detection.  In order to be effective, you should set your anti-virus software to automatic update so you will always have the latest protection.

Internet Explorer is often the default web browser for most computers and it is definitely not infallible in regards to viruses and Spyware.  There are alternatives to Internet Explorer that are not only free to download but also more resilient against these web nasties.  They include pop-up blockers and other scanning and monitoring components that alert you if unauthorized programs like Spyware are trying to install itself on your computer. Don’t forget to lockdown Internet Explorer! This basically will deactivate the ActiveX controls that you may run into on some website. ActiveX allows executable files to download – you don’t know what some of those programs will do.

Once you have updated your Windows operating system and anti-virus software, then you are ready to load anti-Spyware software.  There are several effective ones available for download off the Internet, but there are also some available for purchase as well.  It is recommended by many IT people to use at least two different programs.  One program may catch something that another one doesn’t and vice versa. Be sure to activate the automatic updates as well for these anti-Spyware programs.

In addition to all of these precautions, you will also want to install some programs that try and prevent Spyware from being downloaded onto your computer versus the programs that catch them after the deed is done. You want to cover all bases when it comes to protecting your computer.  When it comes to preventing Spyware from downloading onto your computer, you can never have too many tools.  There are only two instances where only one program of its type is suggested – your virus software and your firewall.

When you run more than one type of anti-virus software, which often contains a Spyware catcher, it could conflict with a similar program – that’s the least it can do.  The worst that could happen is that your computer could crash because of the conflicts.  The same thing applies to the firewall, which can protect your computer against hijackers.  Research your options carefully so before loading the anti-virus and firewall software.

The options above are your best bet to stay protected in today’s cyberspace.  And remember; keep those automatic updates turned on! You are not protected unless you have the latest updates.