Because of the sensitive nature of our activities, a Browser has to fit certain criteria. Your personal requirements for your Browser should generally be as follows:

1. Secure
   • Strong defense against phishing, SQL injection, cookie and session hijacking etc.
2. Fast
   • Who wants to use a slow and clunky Browser?
3. Ease of use
   • A big part of software security training is usability. The end-user is foremost in mind in any software design project.
4. Clear Warnings & Alerts
   • When under attack, we expect relevant and prompt notifications from our Browser
5. Light
   • not bloated with unnecessary code such as unsuitable and untrusted extensions/add-ons
6. Robust
   • Strong and properly coded software development that performs under most conditions

I am pleased to say, that the above criteria are applicable to most popular Browsers, today.

Now let's have a look at our Browsing Data:

What is Browsing Data

The following elements listed below are some of the things our Browsers comprise. Even though are important and are beneficial, they need to be managed occasionally. This is necessary sometimes for ensuring proper security and functionality. Let’s examine the data lurking in our Browsers.

1. Browsing history

This is a collection of sites visited within a time period

PROS: - Great for allowing a log for subsequent perusal and fast retrieval of last visited sites. You may forget an important site's location and so, search your log to retrieve it

CONS: - Exposes your private viewing habits

2. Download history

PROS: - Great for allowing a log for perusal of downloaded files and retrieval

CONS: -Exposes your downloading habits and fills up your hard drive with clutter

3. Cookies (and other site and plug-in data)

Cookies can help to speed up browsing by allowing users to quickly log in or continue browsing sessions by referencing stored data.

Companies such as Google, Yahoo and Bing, Social networks and many other search engines and sites, are known to use this as the reason behind its advertising, recommendations and marketing campaigns. Cookies are used to gather browsing habits and then the user is targeted with relevant ads and promotions, all based on these habits.

PROS: - This can be good if you are constantly on the computer and don’t want to waste time having to log in or refill an unfinished form.

Don't mind being offered suggestions based on your browsing habits

CONS: - Stolen cookies, in the event of an attack, can allow hackers to access accounts and personal data without the need for usernames and passwords

• Monitoring browsing habits and storing data for any reason other than logging in is considered spying and a violation of privacy by some

4. Cached images and files

A collection of files such as web pages including media, images and other miscellaneous data that allow the Browser to load saved files first, rather than request a new HTTP session from internet servers. The result is that our web pages will load faster, updating changed elements only, intermittently as necessary.

5. Passwords

PROS: - Great for allowing easy/quick access to popular and regularly used programs such as Webmail and WordPress

CONS: - * Be careful deleting these if you don’t have them stored or remember them.

- Anyone with Admin access to your computer can see your saved passwords in Advanced settings

- Malware and legitimate retrieval software may be able to steal or reveal passwords as the case may be

6. Auto-fill form data

PROS: - Great for automating forms with name, email and other time-consuming details.

CONS: - Can be unreliable and enter wrong sensitive info at times

• May store sensitive data in cache

7. Hosted app data - * Leave this alone

PROS: -This is where the data from the Brower’s installed apps from related Web Stores is saved

CONS: - N/A

8. Media licenses: -* Leave alone

PROS: - If you have purchased videos or music, the licenses for these would have been automatically stored.

CONS: - If you clear these, you will no longer have access to your media files, which were purchased via Chrome etc.