Tracking

[Guest]

Hello,

I have Windows XP Pro. I had at one time downloaded and installed a program
in my pc. Shortly after installing the program, I deleted it using Control
Panel > Add/Remove Programs. I clean my registry (remove obsolete
paths/CLSID files, etc), delete online and offline files, temporary internet
files, cookies, and my history folder on a daily basis, and I also use a
program to erase my tracks for security purposes. I have Windows Firewall,
and I have SpywareBlaster and Yahoo On-Line Protection running in the
background. Every day I run Spybot Search & Destroy, SBC Yahoo! Anti-Spy,
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, Microsoft AntiSpyware, and Trend
Micro Anti-Spyware. Today, after approximately 6 months since deletion of
the program, I needed the program again. When I downloaded it, the site knew
that I had previously had the program installed in my pc. This tells me that
it has left something in my pc, which is unnerving since I am very diligent
to ensure that my pc does not have anything in it that can be traced by an
outside source. What kind of file(s) could be placed in my pc so that they
can be recognized by an outside source, and is there a program that can seek
out these file(s) so that I can remove them?

Denise

 

[Dennis Barbier]

I have Windows XP Pro. I had at one time downloaded and installed a program

in my pc. Shortly after installing the program, I deleted it using Control
Panel > Add/Remove Programs. I clean my registry (remove obsolete
paths/CLSID files, etc), delete online and offline files, temporary internet
files, cookies, and my history folder on a daily basis, and I also use a
program to erase my tracks for security purposes. I have Windows Firewall,
and I have SpywareBlaster and Yahoo On-Line Protection running in the
background. Every day I run Spybot Search & Destroy, SBC Yahoo! Anti-Spy,
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, Microsoft AntiSpyware, and Trend
Micro Anti-Spyware. Today, after approximately 6 months since deletion of
the program, I needed the program again. When I downloaded it, the site knew
that I had previously had the program installed in my pc. This tells me that
it has left something in my pc, which is unnerving since I am very diligent
to ensure that my pc does not have anything in it that can be traced by an
outside source. What kind of file(s) could be placed in my pc so that they
can be recognized by an outside source, and is there a program that can seek
out these file(s) so that I can remove them?

What do you mean the site knew?

If the website knew you had downloaded it previously, its getting that
from a cookie most likely.

If you downloaded it and tried installing it - thats coming most likely
from your registry.