How (and Why) to Clear Cookies

Every browser has a way to communicate to websites, automatically – through web cookies. These are small files that collect on your computer that keep track of things like the number of times you visit their site, user names and passwords, site preferences, etc.

While this seems like not such a big deal, it is no longer used as only a means for this information. Cookies are being seen by marketing and advertising companies as a way to track and monitor your employee behavior on other websites.  In fact, the area where cookies live on computers has been and continues to be abused by Trojan writers and virus authors to infiltrate computers.

To prevent this problem, Menlo Technical suggests clearing cookies on a regular basis from each browser.
INTERNET EXPLORER 8

1. In Internet Explorer, click Tools. If you don’t see the menu, press Alt on your keyboard to show menus.
2. Select Delete Browsing History.
3. Select the checkbox next to “Temporary Internet Files.”
4. Click Delete.
5. It can take several minutes for the cache history to be deleted. Once the files have been deleted, click Okay.

FIREFOX

1. In Firefox, click the Tools menu.
2. Select Clear Recent History.
3. Under “Time Range to Clear,” select Everything.
4. Select the “Details” checkbox.
5. Select the “Cache” checkbox.
6. Click Clear Now.

CHROME

1. Click the wrench icon  on the browser toolbar.
2. Select Tools.
3. Select Clear browsing data.
4. In the dialog that appears, select the checkboxes for the types of information that you want to remove.
5. Use the menu at the top to select the amount of data that you want to delete. Select beginning of time to delete everything.
6. Click Clear browsing data.

SAFARI

1. Click the wrench icon  on the browser toolbar.
2. Select Tools.
3. Select Clear browsing data.
4. In the dialog that appears, select the checkboxes for the types of information that you want to remove.
5. Use the menu at the top to select the amount of data that you want to delete. Select beginning of time to delete everything.
6. Click Clear browsing data.

OPERA

1. In Opera, click the Tools menu.
2. Click Preferences.
3. Select the Advanced tab.
4. Click History.
5. In the “Disk cache” section, click Empty Now.
6. Click OK to close the Preferences window.

 

 

Menlo Technical also suggests considering three additional steps to help reduce cookie information sharing in the Enterprise:
1) Consider using a browser like Firefox or Chrome, that offers extensions or addon modules like AdBlock Plus that can block advertising and clear cookies; Cookie Monster
2) Use WELL RATED extensions and addons to always redirect you to HTTPS websites for Facebook, your bank, webmail, etc. (this will prevent other people on the Internet from seeing your user name and password).
- Chrome Extension KBSSLEnforcer
- Firefox Addon HTTPS Everywhere
3) Use private surfing modes in Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer , Safari or Opera to deal with removing cookies automatically  once the private session browser is closed.