Delete Passwords, IDs and Credit Card Information
If you shop online, you most likely have some concerns about protecting your identity and your financial information. If you don’t have these concerns, you should. Not only can dangerous spyware programs infiltrate your PC, record all your keystrokes (including passwords, account numbers, online IDs, and credit card numbers) and send the information back to a third party, but anyone with access to your computer can dig up this information too.
Even if you don’t store any files containing this information on your PC, you are still at risk. That’s because Windows stores it for you! For example, when you are browsing the Internet, cookies are collected and entered form data is saved. Tech savvy people know where to look and what tools to use to extract this data.
Even the non-technical among us can stumble across this information. For example, ever notice how when you begin to type in your account number, or some other information, a list appears with similar matching numbers? All a user has to do is go to a form and enter a single digit to see if an auto-saved form entry pops up.
To protect your identity, you need to delete passwords, IDs and credit card information. This is crucial if you’re in a situation where your computer is either shared or accessible. It’s also crucial in general because spyware applications have gotten extremely good at sneaking onto your system without your knowledge and taking over your PC. Some of these programs can even allow a remote user to take over!
The Risks of Deleting Passwords, IDs and Credit Card Information
The only risk you may run into when deleting this information is the risk of convenience. It is convenient for your PC to remember your passwords. It is convenient for your online retailers to remember your log in ID and your associated credit card information. But it is also convenient for an unscrupulous co-worker to slide into your cubicle when you’re at lunch and retrieve your information in mere seconds. Don’t let this happen to you. Protect yourself by ensuring this data is not available for mining!
How to Delete Passwords, IDs and Credit Card Information
These steps will help you delete your private information. Follow them often or you will be at risk. At the very least, make sure to follow them after any online purchase and definitely do them if you use a public computer for Internet access such as one found in a library.
In Internet Explorer, choose Tools, Internet Options. This will open to the General tab where you will find a section called Temporary Internet Files (or in Internet Explorer 7.0 and above it is called Browsing History). Choose Delete Files, Delete Cookies and Clear History. In Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, choose Delete and then choose all the options on the following screen.
How to Prevent Windows from Creating Auto Saved Entries in the First Place
Once again, go to Internet Options but this time choose the Content Tab. Pick the Auto Complete section and click on Settings. Clear all the check boxes and click OK.
Now that you know how vulnerable your PC is to prying eyes, consider software tools such as anti-spyware and also a tool designed to protect your privacy and automate the steps outlined above.
