What You Should Know About History Sniffing

History Sniffing is a term used for Web sites that run simple Javascript tricks to snoop into visitors’ Web browsing history. These tricks are nothing new, but they are in the news again, so it’s a good time to remind you about ways to combat this sneaky behavior.

How cookies work in your browser.

Cookies may sound like they have something to do with delicious baked goods, but in terms of the Internet, they are simply small text files that allow a website to store information related to the user of the computer. These files are contained on the user’s computer, usually in the web browser’s folder.

Fake Browser Warning Pages Distribute Malware

Security researchers warn that a new malware distribution campaign uses fake versions of the malicious site warnings commonly displayed by Firefox and Google Chrome.

Guard yourself from Firesheep and Wi-Fi snooping

The abundance of free/cheap and open Wi-Fi networks in restaurants, airports, offices and hotels is a great perk to the traveling user; it makes connectivity and remote access much easier than it used to be. But you need to be informed and understand the risks.

Searching for "Virus Removal" Tools Can Lead to an Even Worse Outcome

Many people tend to trust well known companies such as Google and Yahoo, but sometimes these search companies serve up some troubling links in their search results. There are many people who use these search sites to find out information about how to remove viruses, etc., but if a user types in “Security Tool Removal,” they are served up dangerous links that go to malicious websites. These websites can create even more of a security risk without the user even knowing.

Ways to Block Pop Ups

Pop ups and other intrusive types of advertising are now used to thrust an ad in your face that you have no choice but to at least acknowledge. Regardless of the nature of the ad, pop ups are a nuisance, and there are now many options available for keeping them off of your computer screen all together.

Mozilla Releases Firefox 3.5.3 with Security and Stability Fixes

Mozilla pushed Firefox 3.5.3 to servers this afternoon, fixing several security and stability issues. There's nothing terribly exciting in this release, but it's always good to make sure you're using the most stable and secure release, so go to Help -> Check for Updates to upgrade to 3.5.3.

Privacy Plug-In being developed for Facebook

FaceCloak, implemented as a plug-in for Mozilla's Firefox browser, allows a user to designate--using two "at" signs ("@@"), by default--what information should be encrypted and only made available to friends. A FaceCloak user holds a secret access key but also sends two other keys to her friends. Those keys are then used to access the real information, which is held on a separate server. While the same concept could be used on other social networks--such as Twitter and MySpace--Hengartner and his colleagues focused on the largest provider.