I have a question regarding browser security, Safari in particular. Whenever I finish a browsing session, I always clear my history, cache, and cookies (in Safari by choosing to Reset Safari from the menu). However, this is rather inconvenient as all my login information is reset and site data has to be re-cached. I was wondering if it would be safe to leave my browser data alone between browsing sessions. Is there any way for a stray cache or cookie file to gather login information or personal data?
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Safari Security
- Thread starter AzureCloud
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To save yourself the trouble why not run each session under private browsing? Save going back and doing all this later. Also- and this isn't the most efficient suggestion but may as well moot it- if you didn't need to be doing something else at the time why not log in as guest? All this data should then be rinsed when you log out again.
Well, it's not so much that I am concerned about the extra work of clearing out browser data than it is the security implications of leaving cookies and cache intact on the browser. I just have a sneaking suspicion (quite possibly unfounded) that some cookie or some site's cache data may somehow allow for keystrokes that I enter into a website to be read and transmitted to some third party. Thus, I compulsively clear my browser's data between sessions and sometimes during the same session when I need to log into an important account. I was really looking for some evidence that it is not necessary to clear browsing data as I do (it would certainly save me some trouble!).
If you really want to know about computer/browser security, you should listen/watch the Security Now! podcasts with Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte. They deal mostly with Windows security, but also in security that is not platform specfic, such as networking and broswer security, cookies etc...
GRC - Security Now!
They have every episode available for download on their site and you can also subscribe via iTunes.
But really, you don't need to worry about the things you mentioned, there isn't really a way to do that on OS/X. It would require an installation of a key-logger which you would have to approve with your password on OS/X. All of those cookies and such will do it remember your usernames and zip codes for weather and some will gear ad's toward your online habits.
GRC - Security Now!
They have every episode available for download on their site and you can also subscribe via iTunes.
But really, you don't need to worry about the things you mentioned, there isn't really a way to do that on OS/X. It would require an installation of a key-logger which you would have to approve with your password on OS/X. All of those cookies and such will do it remember your usernames and zip codes for weather and some will gear ad's toward your online habits.