Privacy issue

User Help for Mozilla Firefox
AlfieBrown
Posts: 10
Joined: May 2nd, 2017, 1:14 am

Privacy issue

Post by AlfieBrown »

Every time I browse net with Firefox (latest 53 update) I am left with thousands of privacy items I got to clean up.
Even in Private mode there are many privacy issues after closing Firefox.
This is insane.
Unable to find any option to clean the Firefox cache after closing it automatically.
Is there any way to do that and also permanently disable the cache in Private mode?
Thanks for any ideas.
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LIMPET235
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Joined: October 19th, 2007, 1:53 am
Location: The South Coast of N.S.W. Oz.

Re: Privacy issue

Post by LIMPET235 »

Moving to Firefox Support...
[Ancient Amateur Astronomer.]
Win-10-H/64 bit/500G SSD/16 Gig Ram/450Watt PSU/350WattUPS/Firefox-115.0.2/T-bird-115.3.2./SnagIt-v10.0.1/MWP-7.12.125.

(Always choose the "Custom" Install.)
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Reflective
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Joined: February 15th, 2007, 11:13 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by Reflective »

To a certain degree Firefox prefetches a number of links which you tend to visit quite regularly. You can disable these by making changes in the about:config menu. See this Mozilla support article for more info.

Also, you might want to set network.http.sendRefererHeader to 0 in about:config. The default setting is "2". The referer header tells the next site you visit what the last site you visited was.

Similarly, change network.IDN_show_punycode to true. Puny code can be used maliciously to obfuscate a URL in order to redirect a user to a phishing site. There's an article on the subject on the ghacks.net site which includes a demo.
AlfieBrown
Posts: 10
Joined: May 2nd, 2017, 1:14 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by AlfieBrown »

Thank you for your reply. However
Have changed the RederedHeader to 0 - not sure how this is relevant.
My about:config does NOT contain network.IDN_show_punycode.??? FF version 53.0 32 bit.
Anyway - my question was:
>>Unable to find any option to clean the Firefox cache after closing it automatically.
Is there any way to do that and also permanently disable the cache in Private mode? <<

Note that it said words "automatically" and "permanently" disable cache?
Should have added and "completely".
Just finished looking for new tiller and gears and run the privacy sweeper with the result:
Mozilla Firefox - Internet cache - 3467 items found.
That was just in one session.
So have gone to options/History - cleaned History from the Whole day today and re-run the privacy checker.
Mozilla Firefox - Internet cache - 3299 items found.
I see this as a major problem to be addressed.
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James
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Location: Made in Canada

Re: Privacy issue

Post by James »

Why are you using privacy sweeper?

Firefox can clear it's own Cache. Type about:cache in the Location (address) bar.

This and other about urls for version are listed in about:about
AlfieBrown
Posts: 10
Joined: May 2nd, 2017, 1:14 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by AlfieBrown »

Thank you James.
I do use Advanced System Care to maintain my computer - use it for years now. Would not even start the machine without it.
Simply I do not like any program to store anything on my HD under any pretext after I do close the session.
Firefox does not clean it's own cache - all perfectly hidden from user in The networks cache storage on disk .
Yes - the about:cache does show the 2 thousand + items on disk at the moment, and I still have no idea how to make Firefox to remove them.
i am not a programmer so something that is simple for one is foreign to me.
Thanks anyway.
kevin.richards
Posts: 6
Joined: May 4th, 2017, 4:45 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by kevin.richards »

i am using ccleaner to remove any history that is generated. Is this way better or manually clearing the cache by going to about:cache?
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Grumpus
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Joined: October 19th, 2007, 4:23 am
Location: ... Da' Swamp

Re: Privacy issue

Post by Grumpus »

CCleaner is known to cause problems with Firefox and is usually suggested not to be used as it is sloppy in it's methodology.
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
AlfieBrown
Posts: 10
Joined: May 2nd, 2017, 1:14 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by AlfieBrown »

Sorry. not helpfull.
My Advanced System Care Pro works fine and causes no problems with none of the 80+ programs I run.
Your CCleaner I do not know. Missed that one out of the whole bunch I have tried, and I agree that some definitely are lacking.
I suggest you try the ASC. Even the free one will show you how your rpvacy is compromised.
Brummelchen
Posts: 4480
Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by Brummelchen »

your single experience with iobit adware do no represent the common experience with such stupid cleaners. go ahead but please dont complain further about firefox if you work with iobit on its data. firefox is able to clean itself up.
kevin.richards
Posts: 6
Joined: May 4th, 2017, 4:45 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by kevin.richards »

Sloppy in methodology? I did not experience problems with the both. I used ASC but personally I did not like it, I moved to CCleaner because it takes less resources and does not disturb me and clear cache from all browsers I have.
Brummelchen
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Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by Brummelchen »

clearing the cache while firefox is active or has stored information about cache content its like draging the chair away under your ass. it will result i faulty website showing because firefox assumes data in cache which is not present, you need to force reload (ctrl+f5) sites. in fact when firefox clears its cache it will immediately its structure, but without content. people who dont know about stupidly will delete that structure and kick ass firefox again. and that is only cache, you can translate such behavior to more features of firefox.
AlfieBrown
Posts: 10
Joined: May 2nd, 2017, 1:14 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by AlfieBrown »

These replies are not relevant or of any help to original subject of this problem topic.
Obviously you do not like these 3d party cleaners.
Suggestion to you both:
Let Firefox clean it's cache as you are saying it does so well. You can also help and clean the browsing history completely.
As you have to have Firefox running to check it's cache, restart it afresh and type about:cache
Information about the Network Cache Storage Service will show you that all that previous built in cache cleaning is just a myth, as all that old stuff is still there.
Clean means clean.
Firefox is by far the most private info gathering browser there is.
Brummelchen
Posts: 4480
Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Privacy issue

Post by Brummelchen »

Firefox is by far the most private info gathering browser there is.
wrong, its google chrome - in fact its google extensions.
but upcoming shield as a system extension is close to same with gathering user experience - but all is opt out while chrome cant.
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Shield

be care full about your nonsense you write.
if you dont ant cache set it to zero - but that is valid for any part of firefox and will result in permanent loading from web.
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Grumpus
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Joined: October 19th, 2007, 4:23 am
Location: ... Da' Swamp

Re: Privacy issue

Post by Grumpus »

@AlfieBrown - open /Tools/Options/Advanced/Network
Do you see cached web content?
Is the setting "Override Automatic Cache Management" available and is it checked?
Is there a factor in "Limit Cache to"? What is it?
Is there anything in the block next to or underneath "Cached Web Content and User Data"?
Have you located all the Mozilla folders in your system?

Have you been able to use Regedit to locate the various places in the Windows Registry which index and save a cache for Windows indexing
Doesn't matter what you say, it's wrong for a toaster to walk around the house and talk to you
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