Netscape & Users Privacy

[Anna Trupiano]

Bill Drew <drewwe at morrisville.edu>
Subject: about:global in Netscape

I got this "tip" from Tip World published via e-mail by PC World.

GLOBAL SLEUTHING

Don't remember the URL of a site you visited two weeks ago? Want to find
out what your unsuspecting children do when                          
they use your system? You can find out where your browser has been in
the past month by typing about:global in the                           
address book. The resulting page may be saved by selecting File, Save
As, so you can hold it as evidence -- or just keep                     
referring to it in the future. 

Why does Netscpae put such items into their program?  That would mena if
I left my machine on in my office, someone could come in and see where I
have been surfing.  Where is this information stored?  Is it in a
separate file?

--
Wilfred Drew (Call me "Bill") Systems Librarian (also reference)
SUNY College of Ag. & Tech.;   P.O. Box 902;  Morrisville, NY 13408-0902
E-mail: DREWWE at MORRISVILLE.EDU  Cooltalk:drewwe at 136.204.83.8
powwow:drewwe at wedrew.lib.morrisville.edu
Phone: (315)684-6055 or 684-6060 Fax: (315)684-6115 
New Homepage: http://www.snymor.edu/~drewwe/
Not Just Cows: http://www.morrisville.edu/~drewwe/njc/ 
LibraryLinks: http://www.morrisville.edu/pages/library/
SUNYLA'97: http://www.morrisville.edu/~drewwe/sunyla/sunyla97.htm

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The information viewed by "about:global" is stored in several files:

        c:\netscape\cache\fat.db (erase everything under "cache" subdir)
        c:\netscape\key.db
        c:\netscape\cert5.db
and     c:\netscape\netscape.hst

You can erase the above four files and then

EDIT NETSCAPE.INI to have nothing under the [URL History] paragraph

REBOOT YOUR COMPUTER!

Then and only then, will your "about:global" be clean.


As to why Netscape does this?  Who knows???  As the sole user of
my home computers, the information kept in these files could be
handy.  As a parent, responsible for children, the information
might explain an observed behavior change.
  As an staff member, I agree that this can be misused -- but
I also know that any unattended microcomputer should not be left
(i.e. when you leave for lunch, or whatever), in a place of risk.

I leave the two computers on my desk at the SYSTEM LEVEL password
whenever I leave my desk -- because, very simply, my workstations
and my passwords allow much more functionality than other staff members
workstations.  And thus a greater possibility of error (possibly,
committed in my name) if someone should use one of my workstations. 
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Anna Trupiano				Palos Verdes Library District
Systems Administrator			P.O. Box 8000
  Phone: (310) 377-9584 X258		701 Silver Spur Road
  FAX:   (310) 541-6807			Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274