Private Browsing - Information Security (2024)

Normal Internet browsing always leaves identifiable traces on your computer. Web sites use cookies to track your visit to their pages and to record your preferences. Your browsing history collects each web destination and page during your Internet travels. And the simple act of visiting a site generates dozens of temporary files on your computer to make it faster to reload those pages in the future. Web-based e-mail, online shopping, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) are only a few examples of services that track you through your browser activity. This can be problematic when certain University products and services, especially those related to sensitive University information, are accessed when using a web browser.

If you plan to travel out of country, expect your computing devices (laptops, tablets, and smartphones) to come under close scrutiny, both while crossing the border and in the countries through which you travel. These actions are taken in the name of national security.

• United States border agents have the authority to inspect luggage,including electronic devices, going out of and coming in to the United States. This authority includes reviewing the contents of those electronic devices, and potentially the surfing and social media habits of the owners, even to the point of making copies of the devices for additional review.
• Border and customs authorities in other countries express these same capabilities to varying degrees, depending on the country being visited. Those countries with more authoritative regimes also frequently limit the access abilities of visitors, as well as other restrictions.

Private browsingis a function in modern browsers which does not retain all the traces mentioned in the first paragraph. That is, cookies are not retained, temporary files are deleted, and your browser history is removed when the private browsing session ends. This prevents the casual viewer from being able to determine your activity during that period. Private browsing should be enabled whenever you plan to access sensitive University resources while traveling.

NOTE:Private browsing only prevents information from being stored on your computer as your browse.It does notprovide any protection from monitoring. Your activity while surfing will still be monitored and tracked while on University networks, and most likely while on outside networks as well.

Firefox 3.5 or later – Private Browsing

1. Click theOpen menuicon in the upper-right-hand corner (Fig. 1) of the browser.
   Fig. 1
2. Click theNew Private Windowicon (Fig. 2).
   Fig. 2
3. A new window will open with“Private Browsing”in the browser tab (Fig. 3).
   Fig. 3The private browsing icon (Fig. 4) will also appear on the browser bar to the far right.
   Fig. 4
4. Information on private browsing will appear in the body of the browser window (Fig. 5).
   Fig. 5
5. Note the text in the white box; it reinforces that your browsing activity can still be monitored, though the information above is not saved (Fig. 5a).
   Fig. 5a
6. Closing all Private Browsing windows takes you out of Private Browsing mode, as does switching to another browser window or another browser.

Chrome 1.0 or later – Incognito

1. Click theCustomize and control Google Chromeicon in the upper-right-hand corner (Fig. 6).
   Fig. 6
2. ClickNew incognito windowin the pulldown menu(Fig. 7).
   Fig. 7
3. A new window with a different color theme will open, with the incognito icon in the upper-left-hand corner (Fig. 8).
   Fig. 8
4. Information on incognito browsing will appear in the body of the browser window (Fig. 9).
   Fig. 9
5. Note the text in the white box; it reinforces that your browsing activity can still be monotored, though the information above is not saved (Fig. 9a).
   Fig. 9a
6. Closing all incognito windows takes you out of incognito mode, as does switching to another browser window or another browser.

Internet Explorer 8 or later – InPrivate Browsing

1. Click theToolsgear icon in the upper-right-hand corner (Fig. 10).
   Fig. 10
2. SelectSafetyfrom the pulldown menu (Fig. 11).
   Fig. 11
3. ClickInPrivate Browsing(Fig. 12).
   Fig. 12
4. A new window will open with“InPrivate”in the address bar (Fig. 13).
   Fig. 13
5. Information on InPrivate browsing will appear in the body of the browser window (Fig. 14).
   Fig. 14
6. Closing all InPrivate Browsing windows takes you out of InPrivate mode.

Edge – InPrivate Browsing

1. Click theMoreicon in the upper-right-hand corner (Fig. 15).
   Fig. 15
2. SelectNew InPrivate windowfrom the pulldown menu (Fig. 16).
   Fig. 16
3. A new window will open with“InPrivate”in the address bar (Fig. 17).
   Fig. 17
4. Information on InPrivate browsing will appear in the body of the browser window (Fig. 18).
   Fig. 18
5. Closing all InPrivate Browsing windows takes you out of InPrivate mode.

Safari 2.0 or later – Private Browsing

1. Click theFileicon on the Safari toolbar (Fig. 19).
   Fig. 19
2. SelectNew Private Windowfrom the pulldown menu (Fig. 20).
   Fig. 20
3. A new window will open with a different color theme in the address bar (Fig. 21).
   Fig. 21
4. Information on Private Browsing will appear in the body of the browser window (Fig. 21).
5. Closing all Private Browsing windows takes you out of Private Browsing mode.