rozin said:
Oh, why I haven't think of cookies and index.dat. Thanks for your answer.
PS. You seem to think I'm trying to hide something. User has the right to
know what his/her programs could do including what his/her browser could
reveal because they've paid for them. Trying to protect user privacy or
wanting to find out about how things work is one thing and trying to hide
criminal evidences is another (from the RED TREAM)
There are various approaches to privacy.
1) Use a cleaner tool, after the session is complete. It will remove
temporary browser files, history, cookies, and so on. To do a complete
job, it should also overwrite the sectors where those files were stored,
since a deleted file isn't really deleted, until something reuses the
space occupied by the deleted file. When you use such a cleaner tool,
you're at the mercy of the cleverness of the program author, and their
understanding of all such temporary files, registry entries, traces
and so on.
2) Use a product which might be used in an "Internet Cafe". Such a product,
causes Windows to be returned to its original state, throwing away all
history. Such a product might be useful at the local library, where
a number of people will share the library computers. This is an example
of the concept.
Windows SteadyState
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/default.mspx
3) A third choice, is an OS and situation, where you know the OS cannot store
anything permanently. My Knoppix CD, is a Linux LiveCD. You boot from its
CD. The CD does not require the presence of a hard drive to work. I can
run the computer with just the CD present. Temporary files are stored in
system RAM, so a large amount of RAM helps. By default, the CD is limited
to "read-only" access to hard drives, when hard drives are present. You
can write to a hard drive, but there are steps you have to take, to allow
the OS to write. So it is a conscious decision, to store things.
If I boot Knoppix, run Firefox, browse the weh, then do a shutdown, once
the machine is shut down, all temporary files (that were stored in RAM),
are gone. So that is an example of an environment, where by design, you
know nothing is kept. Flipping the power switch on the back of the computer,
removes power from the system memory, and eventually all information in
the RAM, drains away.
Now, that being said, it has disadvantages. For example, I cannot keep
a bookmarks file. So it isn't nearly as much fun to browse that way.
Also, any files I download (to the RAM store), are lost. I have to make
the decision, to copy them to a USB stick, if I want to keep something
for later.
With Knoppix, you can set it up, such that the home directory is stored
on a USB stick, and reusable between sessions. That would allow bookmarks
to be kept. But then, it does increase the risk, that something will be
stored, that could be examined by someone who got their hands on the USB
stick.
So it is balance between convenience and thoroughness. You can build
environments that are read-only, but then that restricts your ability
to keep data from one session to the next.
None of the above, prevents a "nanny state" government, from tracking
your activities at the ISP level. Australia, for example, is adding
"porn filters' or filtering anything they fancy, at the ISP level.
The ISP and Internet equipment, leave all sorts of opportunities
for tracking, whether by search warrant, or otherwise (think NSA).
Paul
