Internet Security ABC - How your Internet Browser Ties into Internet Privacy or Lack Thereof

How your Internet Browser Ties into Internet Privacy or Lack Thereof

Your web browser could be a leaky faucet that is revealing your e-mail address to every web site that you choose to visit and you may have no idea. This absolute invasion of your privacy is actually pretty common and the amount of privacy you have probably depends on the web browser your computer is using.

There are several different ways you can take control and increase your privacy online even before new legislation is passed, as expected with the amount of information online continuing to grow.

One of the best things you can do to safeguard your privacy is to create nonsensical passwords. Since your account is only as secure as your password, make sure to use unique combinations of numbers, letters, and symbols. Be

sure to never use personal information as part of your password. There are tools available to help attackers guess your passwords, so with todays 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. Also be sure to mix different character types, using both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and even special characters such as & or #.

Also, assume that any information you send is not private unless you have a powerful encryption program. When connected to a secure server, which is evident by a web address that begins with https, web browsers will encrypt text automatically. The server decrypts the text when it arrives, but as the information travels between computers, anyone who may be listening in to the transmission would only see unreadable gibberish if it were to be intercepted.

Be sure to always read the fine print when making a purchase or providing information online. Make sure that the sites that you are visiting wont be selling your information to a third party or use it for any other purpose.

When using e-mail, remember that the delete key does not make your e-mail messages disappear. Instead they can almost always be retrieved from backup systems.

All computer users have the ability to program their computer to not accept cookies without their permission, so try turning the cookies setting off on your computer. 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.

When you are making online purchases be sure that the transaction is secure. Look for the closed lock icon in the bottom corner of the screen to confirm that the information you are sending is safe from preditors.

By following these simply suggestions, you can limit the amout of information you make available about yourself over the internet. It is important to know the specifics of the web browser that you choose so that you can identify possible problems or security risks. Be sure to read the companys security and privacy policies before sending any personal informaion out on the web, and if you are worried about cookies or profiling, consider a disposable e-amil address so that your true email address is kept safe.

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Internet Security
◦ Are You an Enabler? What Enabling Cookies
◦ Can the Spam-How to Filter Out All the Unnecessary Junk
◦ Channel the Cookie Monster in You - Computer Cookies Can Be Bad For Your Computer's Health
◦ Chat Room Challenge - Five Tips to Ensure Your Anonymity
◦ Computer Band-aid - How to Know if You Need to Download that Security Patch
◦ Computer Deep Freeze - Ten Tips to Keep your PC Up and Running
◦ Computer Junkyard - Does Spam Filtering Really Help?
◦ Dial-Up vs. Broadband - Which is the Safer Alternative?
◦ Doesn't Ad up - Three Things that Adware does to your Computer
◦ Don't Click No! How to Safely Close those Pop-up Windows
◦ Don't Get Hacked Off-How to Stop Computer Interlopers in their Tracks
◦ Exercise Parental Control - Five Tips to Keep Kids Safe on the Internet
◦ Exterminate those Bugs on your PC
◦ Getting Down With Downloads - How to Protect Your Computer
◦ Hijacked at Home - Five Steps to Protect Your Home PC
◦ Identity Theft via Internet Security Flaws
◦ Inoculate Yourself against Computer Viruses
◦ Internet Anonymizers - Why and When You Should Use Them
◦ Key Logging Capers Part Two - Three Reasons why it is a Problem
◦ Key Logging Capers - Three Reasons Why You Need It
◦ Let's Go Phishing! - Five Ways to Avoid Being Hooked by This Scam
◦ Maintaining Your Privacy on the Internet - Five Things you can do
◦ Malicious Instant Messages-Three Ways Instant Messaging Compromises Internet Security
◦ Malware is bad for your Computer
◦ Picking Blackberries - Why Mobile Technology Needs More Security
◦ Pound Those Pop-Ups
◦ Six Tips for Staying Healthy in a Computer Virus World
◦ Something Doesn't Register - Cleaning your Computer's Registry for Safety
◦ Spies Everywhere - What is Spyware and Why is it so Bad?
◦ Squash those Worms - Four Ways to Keep your PC Critter-Free
◦ That Wasn't Scripted! Why Scripted Viruses are Bad News
◦ The Basics of Internet Website Encryption
◦ The Cookie Monster - How Do Cookies Influence Internet Security?
◦ The Digital Certificate - What's It Mean and Why is It Important?
◦ Three Benefits to Using an Internet Remailer
◦ Three Reasons to Wipe Your Computer's Internet History Files Clean
◦ Three Ways that an Internet Firewall Can Be Compromised
◦ Three Ways to Identify a Virus Hoax
◦ Three Ways to make sure your Online Credit Card Transaction is Safe
◦ Toolbar Traps - What You Should Know BEFORE Downloading that "Helpful" Toolbar
◦ Top Five Reasons to Install a Firewall
◦ Top Five Spyware Threats to Internet Security
◦ Top Five Vulnerable Areas in Internet Security
◦ Top Five Worst Viruses and How to Protect Your Computer against Them
◦ Top Four Ways to Ensure a Secure Password
◦ Top Ten Tools to Boost your Internet Security
◦ What IP Addresses Mean in the Scheme of Internet Security
◦ When Formatting the Hard Drive is Your Only Recourse

Internet Privacy
◦ Remote Access Trojans Hijacking your Computer
◦ Precautions You Should Take When Installing WiFi in your Home
◦ Sold! How to Maintain your Privacy and Still Indulge in Online Auctions
◦ Social Networking Be Careful of What You Post!
◦ Sneaky Ways to Get Around those Internet Privacy Issues

Identity Theft
◦ Electronic Mail Identity Theft
◦ Facts on Identity Theft
◦ Fighting Identity Theft

ID Theft

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