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Questions tagged [privacy]

Questions about protecting your privacy on your computer. Questions about privacy in web applications belong in WebApps.

814 questions
220
votes
3 answers

How can this website reidentify me even after deleting all of my browser's history and using a VPN?

The website dropmail.me is able to successfully reidentify me (and offer my last used temp mail addresses via. "Restore access") despite doing the following: Delete all my browsers history which includes cache, cookies, website settings, download…
manuel
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160
votes
2 answers

How to avoid exposing my MAC address when using IPv6?

On my Macs, each IPv6 address includes the MAC address of a specific computer (not of my router). Sites such as ipv6-test.com not only show it, but even tell me it belongs to an Apple computer. This feels like a super cookie, and might apply to…
Arjan
  • 31,511
112
votes
12 answers

Use VPN connection only for selected applications

I have access to a VPN and want to use it only for some applications, not all. For example: If I connect to a VPN I want only the applications Opera and Newsbin to use that VPN connection. All other applications, like f.e. Outlook, should use the…
user18861
91
votes
7 answers

How can I hide the most visited sites on Chrome?

Since the last update it has been impossible to hide the most visited sites. I don't know if it's some temporary sick joke by the chrome team but I need to remove it. I have tried changing my home to something other website, this works for when you…
code511788465541441
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72
votes
15 answers

What are the benefits of using a proxy?

I know students and employees use them to get by web filters. But what else? I hear about "privacy and security" but I can never find anything really explaining it. I did see one link that said it stops pages from putting cookies on your computer.…
Breebreebran
  • 429
53
votes
1 answer

If a Chrome Extension is installed but turned off, can it still spy on me?

Say a Chrome extension is turned off and has the permissions: "Read and change all your data on the websites you visit" and "Read your browsing history", or other similar tracking permissions. Can these Chrome extensions still access these…
Michael d
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51
votes
3 answers

Does a Chromecast device contain any private information?

So I have a Google Chromecast that I'm gonna sell tomorrow because I don't use it enough. My question is: Do I need to do anything before selling it? Is there any personal data stored on it? Do I need to reset it so the other person won't know my…
Phil_oneil
  • 813
49
votes
19 answers

Destroy a hard drive without proper equipment

I need to make two hard drives unreadable. Unfortunately, I have some constraints which make this harder than usual (in particular, they rule out the answers to other questions): I don’t have a computer to mount the drives and erase them (weird,…
Konrad Rudolph
  • 7,678
49
votes
10 answers

How to disable permission to read 'System Fonts' and 'Browser Plugin Details' in Chrome and Firefox

Going to http://panopticlick.eff.org/ I can see that that Firefox and Chrome expose more about 'System Fonts' and 'Browser Plugin Details' than I prefer. How can the permission of a web page to access these settings be disabled in Firefox and…
eaubin
  • 713
47
votes
1 answer

How to delete an URL from Chrome's Omnibox suggestions?

Possible Duplicate: How do I delete previously entered items from Google Chrome Omnibox? Chrome: remove URL from autocomplete which doesn't show up in history? How can I delete an URL from Chrome's Omnibox suggestions? The URLs won't be deleted…
mael
  • 471
47
votes
3 answers

How to disable "Download scanning protection" of new Chrome-17?

In recent update of Google Chrome internet browser (in stable channel), there is a new security/privacy option: http://chrome.blogspot.com/2012/02/faster-browsing-safer-downloading.html In addition to checking a list of known bad files, Chrome…
osgx
  • 7,017
43
votes
5 answers

How to create a separate profile in Chrome with same email?

I would like to sign into Chrome at work. The computers don't save information and it's really helpful to have bookmarks, history and tabs saved. I'm wondering what's the safest way to do this, as to divide my personal email etc. from what I do at…
JohnD
  • 573
38
votes
4 answers

I'm using Chrome and Chrome Sync; does Google have access to my passwords?

I've been using Chrome (and Chrome Sync) for many years now. Does that mean Google, the owner of Chrome, knows all my passwords? I ask because I realized that Google owns Chrome, and also, it is a closed source browser, which means there could be…
Selin Peck
  • 527
38
votes
3 answers

Can a site detect if I use AdBlock in Firefox?

I recently visited (an official) website in search for an episode of a TV-show. The site popped an information dialog stating that I had to disable AdBlock to see the content. Is this at all possible or is it just an educated guess? Does Firefox…
Anders
  • 839
33
votes
8 answers

Can my ISP monitor me?

I'm an atheist visiting a islamic republic where the punishmnent for apostacy may be high. Is it possible for an ISP to see the websites I might browse or what kind of blasphemous conversations I might have with others over MSN/Yahoo, etc. (which…
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