Security Benefits of InPrivate Browsing

Discussion in 'other security issues & news' started by RCGuy, Nov 18, 2010.

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  1. RCGuy

    RCGuy Registered Member

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    Hi, Wilders. I would like to know how much security IE8's InPrivate Browsing provides.

    And you can either access IPB by either tabbing a regular IE8 browser page and then clicking on the Open an InPrivate Browsing window link, or by clicking the little arrow next to the 'Saftey' option on the Command Bar and clicking on IPB.

    But after opening an IPB page, it explains that:

    Therefore, other than preventing most spyware tracking cookies from being placed on your hard drive(I say most because AOL was able to place atwola and other tracking cookies on my hard drive while using IPB), are there any other security benefits that IPB provides?
     

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  2. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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  3. RCGuy

    RCGuy Registered Member

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    Thanks, JR. Also, this microsoft article said that IPB basically "helps prevent anyone else who might be using your computer from seeing where you visited and what you looked at on the web." However, I'm assuming that this also includes preventing websites(or at least most of them) that you've recently visited from tracking you.

    Also, including IPB as part of the Command Bar option which is called, um, "Saftey," might be a bit of a miscategorization. ;)

    Okay, let me see if I have this correct. The IE8 design team originally wanted to completely block the tracking of a user's actions online and prevent the installation of third party tracking software cookies onto a user's computer. However, Microsoft marketing execs changed all that so that the user now has to opt to use IPB each time they launch the IE web browser.
     
  4. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    RCGuy, keep in mind that, while the stored information is discarded when you close the browser in IPB mode, Web sites can keep track of your IP Address and know your movements throughout their sites, provided the IP Address is not obfuscated in any way.
    Yes, you are correct. This article: Microsoft Quashed Effort to Boost Online Privacy will give you a more in depth look into the battle between the IE planners and the Marketing execs.
     
  5. RCGuy

    RCGuy Registered Member

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    Sorry about taking so long to response to your post, but I don't have a problem with websites keeping track of my IP Address so that they can know my movements throughout their own site, however, one would have to have one's browers set to allow first party cookies. Right? Although, the thing that I was actually concerned about was websites keeping track of a person's IP Address and knowing your movements at other sites throughout the internet. However, I just recently got a better understanding of first and third party cookies, and the only way that a website could keep track of your movements at other sites is if you have your brower set to allow third party cookies. Is that correct? And let's say if a person has their browser set to allow third party cookies(which is the default setting for IE8...), would using IPB neutralize IE8's default cookie setting?


    Actually, I just wanted to mention that the reason why I asked the question that I asked about the InPrivate Browsing on IE8 Was Neutered by Ad Execs at Microsoft article is because I just wanted to make sure that I understood the article correctly because when they used the word "Neutered" in the title, I had in mind that the Ad Execs at Microsoft had actually made IPB itself less potent or less effective than how it was suppose to work. However, it looked like IPB still had the same effectiveness, however, it had only been demoted from being the way the IE8 browser was suppose to have been all the time...to having to be switched on so that it could temporarily be in IPB mode during the browser session that you were using it for.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2010
  6. Kees1958

    Kees1958 Registered Member

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    Actually inprivate filtering and inprivate browsing are 2 different things.

    Enable through a registry setting inprivate filtering.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Safety\PrivacIE

    For Vista add REG_DWORD called 'StartMode' (value 1)
    For Windows7 add 'FilteringMode' also value 1

    The description is not that clear in the screen (suggest that higher is better), but Group Policy Explanation is more clear

    You don't want to set this to one (is not possible either), because some web sites, pass the ordering details to their safe third party payment service throug a cookie. Erasing all would lose the received payment matched. Three is a safe number (no functional problems).

    Regards Kees
     

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    Last edited: Dec 14, 2010
  7. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

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    Not so long ago, a relative couldn't login to Facebook, and it turned out the reason was that the captcha service, which is provided by a third-party I'd assume, was being blocked. Threshold was set to 3.

    Just letting you folks know about it. (Yes, I do public service! lol) :D
     
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