Monitoring Browser History Tips
Read these 10 Monitoring Browser History Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Computer Monitoring tips and hundreds of other topics.
What is AutoComplete?
AutoComplete is a feature that keeps a complete list of everything you type in web pages (for example your name, e-mail address, credit card information, keywords you enter in search engines, etc). AutoComplete aids the user in completing various forms by suggesting possible matches, you can simply press the down arrow key and select the text without finishing typing. Anyone who might have access to your computer can see a drop down list with information you've typed.
While the AutoComplete feature may be helpful for some things, it can also seriously compromise your security and privacy. Anyone who has access to your computer can see what web sites you visited and what information you entered on web pages. Also various malicious software can use AutoComplete data to steal your personal information such as your name, e-mail address, credit card information and/or retrieve web sites passwords stored as Autocomplete data.
Track The Source Of Viruses
Have viruses been plaguing your network or home computer? Does it seem like you just get one cleaned off and there is a new one knocking at the door. Tracing peoples web browsing history could prove to be an excellent source of information in figuring where these viruses are coming from. Because browser history is kept by the browser, you can retrace people foot prints on the web to find the culprit.
Are you are dealing with someone who is secretly hiding something on
the Internet or is downloading illegal software? Is this person capable
of covering their tracks by deleting their history and removing cached
files? Spy Software by WebWatcher contains the tools needed to catch
this person red-handed. Spy software allows you to record webpages that
people have visited without them ever knowing. And the best part of
all, there is no way for them to hide!
Browsers also make temporary copies of Web pages, known as cache files, and stores them on your computer. Internet Explorer allows users access these files by choosing Tools, then Internet Options. Next click on Settings, then View Files. Here is where you will find a list of previously view webpages.
What is Browser History?
Every web browser has an option called "Browser History". Browser History is the history of websites that anyone has previously visited on that computer. It is there so that you can easily go to a previously visited webpage by either clicking on the drop down arrow in your address bar, and scrolling through the list until you find the website you are looking for, or by clicking on the History button on your toolbar and having a list of previously visited webpages displayed in their own window.
There are really only two different settings for Browser History:
- Specify how many days you would like your browser to store history or previously visited websites.
- Clear your Browser History.
Is Your History Really Cleared?
Internet privacy groups argue that the use of index.dat files in the Windows operating system is an invasion of privacy. One of their main arguments is that the index.dat files cannot be deleted or erased easily, because they are always open when Windows (usually the explorer.exe process) is running. Open or "locked" files cannot be deleted in any way when the process using them is running. Also, when this file grows larger than 80MB in size the possibility of degraded web performance may occur.
Another argument is that the Operating System gives a false sense of security. Although you may have thought to erase the history of websites visited, cookies and temporary Internet files within your browser, they still remains intact within the index.dat file and continue to be stored.
Microsoft representatives have pointed out however, that for advanced users, this file can in-fact be removed by booting your computer into Safe-Mode as Windows does not lock the file while in this mode.
Clear Browser History for Internet Explorer
Clearing web browser history is really quite easy to do. There a different ways of preforming such as task depending on what browser you are using. Outline below are instructions on clearing this history using Internet Explorer 6 and 7 as well as Firefox 2.0 and Netscape 7.
Internet Explorer 6
Click Tools, then Internet Options. With the General Tab active, you will see near the bottom right hand side of the window a "Clear History" button. After clicking this button click OK.
Internet Explorer 7
Click on Tools, then on Delete Browsing History. There will be a window pop up titled "Delete Browsing History". In here, find and click on the Delete History button. There will now be a window pop up asking you to confirm your decision to delete your history. Click on Yes. This will take you back to the Delete Browsing History window. Click on OK to complete this task.
Deleting AutoComplete History in Internet Explorer
To delete AutoComplete forms history in Internet Explorer:
- Select "Tools" then "Internet Options"
- Open the "Content" tab
- Click the "AutoComplete" button
- Click the "Clear forms" button to delete all AutoComplete form data and/or click the "Clear Passwords" to delete restored passwords.
- Select "Tools" -> "Internet Options"
- Open the "Content" tab
- Click the "AutoComplete" button
- Check or uncheck the options you wish have or not
- Click OK.
Index.dat File
In the Microsoft Windows Operating System, there is a file known as index.dat that is used by the Internet Explorer web browser. This file runs as long as Windows is running and acts as a repository for information such as webpages, search queries, and recently opened files. Its role is to allow the Internet Explorer to attempt to find an appropriate match when a user types in an edit field. Separate index.dat files exist for the Internet Explorer history, cache, and cookies.
A .dat filename extension is commonly used for a number of different types of data files, therefore you might encounter an index.dat file that has no relation to the Windows Operating System or to the Internet Explorer web browser.
Clear Browser History For Firefox
By following the instructions listed below, you will be able to clear the web pages stored in your history for Firefox 2.0.
Click on Tools, then Clear Private Data. A window will pop up titled "Clear Private Data". Make sure that you have a check mark in the box labelled "Browsing History". They rest of the check mark boxes can be check at your own discretion. Now the button at the bottom of this screen called "Clear Private Data Now". Now your browser history has been cleared.
View Browser History With Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer, or IE, has a button along the menu at the top of the page that looks like a clock with an arrow on it going counter clockwise. If you hold you mouse over this button it should show you the name -- IE History. After the history button is clicked you will notice that a folder list will appear showing all of the sites that have been visited in the last three weeks.
You can expand the days or weeks by double clicking on them. One of the problems with this is that the history can be erased. If there are folders that are empty and you are sure that there has been Internet activity, then somebody is probably trying to hide something. The only sure way to know what is being done on the computer is to use a program to monitor websites visited.
Web Monitoring Software
There are many different types Web Monitoring software available today that will allow you to track websites and monitor the activities of children, spouses, employees or suspected criminals. Be sure to do your research on the software that is right for you.
If you are wanting to catch a child our significant other doing something Internet related without them knowing, then be sure that the software you choose is invisible to the person you want to track. If you wish not to be required to have to physically check the computer being monitored for sites visited, then ensure that the monitoring software package you choose enables you to monitor remotely, allowing you the maximum freedom and flexibility.
Do your homework, and your time will not be wasted.
Internet Spy Software that allows you to monitor remotely via the Internet which means you can physically be on another computer in a completely room, house or city and still have access to the data being recorded on the computer in question.
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| Barbara Gibson |
