How to permanently delete browsing history?

HanBaoCinch · 2021-01-26 11:30:15

I know that each of you have thought about this at least once, but I will ask again and thus will conduct a little research on this issue. Please clarify this issue for me.
On my PC I know how to delete the browsing history with "internet option tools", but is it permanently deleted? Would like to permanently delete. Thanks in advance.

Last edited by HanBaoCinch (2021-01-26 11:31:01)

TheMerchant · 2021-01-26 17:34:27

It should be, although not up to the standard of forensic recovery. But the more important issue is that unless you're using a strong VPN, this browsing history will be known to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). ( I recommend https://IVPN.net OR https://mullvad.net OR https://protonvpn.com )

lolapolooza · 2021-01-27 10:33:20

Hi
unfortunately it can not be permanently deleted.

on start menu, type cmd (command prompt)
then type : ipconfig/displaydns

this command would bring up browsing history that was actually deleted previously.

if you have found a way to permanently delete please share.

thanks

Drassen · 2021-01-27 11:53:28

That's not browsing history, exactly, it's just a list of domains that have been resolved. It will likely include plenty of sites you never explicitly visited along with those you did. I would also presume that the /flushdns option to ipconfig would clear that out, since it's designed to clear the DNS cache, which is what you would be displaying.

Of course that only takes care of records on YOUR computer. There are still plenty of records existing on every other server your system has ever communicated with. The Internet was not designed to be anonymous or even all that secure, despite its military origins. The only real way to be truly anonymous on the Internet is to not be on the Internet.

Last edited by Drassen (2021-01-27 11:53:48)

Ollester · 2021-01-29 13:56:55

That depends on who might some day come looking. If it's just the average person, maybe even the average IT professional, simply deleting the history via the browser is enough. If you're really paranoid, I think everyone has copied Firefox's Private Browsing mode by now, where basically the browser doesn't even store history or anything like that. If you're really paranoid about privacy, you shouldn't be using IE or even Chrome. IE is made by Microsoft, which tends to default to permitting anything and everything until it comes back to bite them and Google may have made its start as a search engine, but these days makes the bulk of its money off of advertising. I don't have any hard evidence that Chrome does anything untoward on its own, but it is tied pretty heavily into Google's other services, which in turn serve up plenty of text based ads and the like. Firefox is the only independent browser out there for the most part.

Anyway, short of someone who is specifically looking to recover your browsing history, which is probably very few people, simply deleting it is fine. It's pretty much impossible to completely keep it from someone who's determined and skilled enough to get it. Just think of it this way. Using yourself as an example, do you know how to recover a deleted file? Now, of all the people who might access your computer, rate their skill relative to your own. How many do you think might be able to recover a deleted file, if they had the time, motive and opportunity? We'll ignore some of the JavaScript methods websites can use to grab this info, because there's not a whole lot you can do about that short of an extension like NoScript. There's nothing even remotely as effective for IE or Chrome, making the matter kind of moot.

HanBaoCinch · 2021-01-31 16:51:24

Turn it off.
Flush the cache.
Test.

Do you see a perf diff?
I don't so I just leave it off.
One less feature to break and give me a headache.

lolapolooza · 2021-01-31 17:04:01

why would they need to, especially at work? all they need is to check the router logs. That gives every site that was visited and by what computer.

Ollester · 2021-02-05 14:34:18

As evidenced in the news our governments, ISPs and such log such things. It's unclear how to make them forget such today.

uTalk

#1 2021-01-26 11:30:15

How to permanently delete browsing history?

#2 2021-01-26 17:34:27

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

#3 2021-01-27 10:33:20

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

#4 2021-01-27 11:53:28

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

#5 2021-01-29 13:56:55

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

#6 2021-01-31 16:51:24

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

#7 2021-01-31 17:04:01

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

#8 2021-02-05 14:34:18

Re: How to permanently delete browsing history?

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