Major Privacy Problem
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sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer last edited by
Local data is for off-line access to web apps, especially, so that for example you can still read online Office documents or Gmail messages that you've seen before even though you have no internet where you actually are now. (Obviously not new mail or changes to the documents that colleagues have made since you last looked at them, though.) If that's not you - if you never use web apps or always have an intenet connection (because you are using a desktop and never move the computer, perhaps) then you could turn it off. When you do access Gmail it may be a little slower that way since nothing will be stored on your system, but it will still work.
(And yes, sites also use local data to autofill forms, or in place of cookies.)
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A Former User last edited by
@blackbird71 said in Major Privacy Problem:
To some users, any record of the names or content of visited sites left in the browser may prove an "embarassment" when/if other users share the system.
Sure but all cookies including local ones are deleted if you clear browsing data and close down the browser. If someone is using a shared system, I'd suggest not allowing the browser to store logins, passwords etc.
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blackbird71 last edited by blackbird71@cozza However, @bitrat's complaint was that with Opera 48, in his experience, the "clean browser history" setting is not fully deleting "entries/names of the visited sites" - they were still present until he closed the browser, though other data might have been deleted. That would indicate a change in browser performance with the new version, since he indicates all such data was cleared by using that function without him having to close the browser using Opera 47. Consequently, the former interpretation of "clean browser history" would no longer seem to describe what is occurring, and this could leave users of former versions with a false sense of privacy about fully clearing their browser data under the new version.
It would be helpful if the OP would re-post here to give further details about just what/where he's seeing the entries/names he mentions.
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A Former User last edited by
I clean cache by Opera's internal method and close browser. I go to profile / cache it's full of cache files. Does the browser delete them when browser launched next time?
Another thing - why does extensions trash disk with log files and whatnot sync~ even when nothing is synced?
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A Former User last edited by
@blackbird71 I no longer have Opera 47 to verify that was the case, unfortunately. Still, as I've said before, in the cookie settings is the option 'Keep local data only until I quit my browser'. That tells us local data remains until the browser is closed. Also, this setting has been in browsers for many years, long before Opera 47. Whilst I've never paid much attention to cookies, I have always deleted browsing data before closing the browser (I also block 3rd party cookies). I'll also say again, all the other major browsers I've tested behave in exactly the same way. Apologies for having to repeat myself.
I agree we could do with some more info from the OP, especially a bit of info about his browsing habbits - are they on a shared system? How long do they keep the browser open before closing (is it hours?)? How many tabs are they likely to have open? It might explain why they would want local cookies deleted whilst the browser is open.
@rudrick You need to make sure the cookie setting (Settings / Privacy & Security) 'Keep local data only until I quit my browser' is checked. If you clear browsing data (make sure Cookies and other site data is checked) and close Opera, it should clear all cookies.
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blackbird71 last edited by
@cozza said in Major Privacy Problem:
@blackbird71 I no longer have Opera 47 to verify that was the case, unfortunately. Still, as I've said before, in the cookie settings is the option 'Keep local data only until I quit my browser'. That tells us local data remains until the browser is closed. Also, this setting has been in browsers for many years, long before Opera 47. Whilst I've never paid much attention to cookies, I have always deleted browsing data before closing the browser (I also block 3rd party cookies). I'll also say again, all the other major browsers I've tested behave in exactly the same way. Apologies for having to repeat myself. ...
I operate my browsers much like you in terms of how I deal with browsing site-data: I keep 3rd-party cookies shut off, use 'keep local data until I quit the browser', and use an extension (C&C) to periodically clear cookies, history, and/or cache manually at times during a long browser session. Nevertheless, from the standpoint of best privacy practice, there's nothing quite like shutting the browser off from time to time (with appropriate settings) to clear all stored data.
That said, I do wish all browsers contained a master function button that guaranteed all history, personal data (other than passwords), and site-data caches were immediately cleared upon pressing. I believe this is what the OP thought existed in past Opera versions, though like you, I have none of those older Opera versions installed on this system to verify.
I also believe part of the problem lies in the interpretation of the words 'history' and 'data' in browser settings titles. Some might believe (as does the OP) that history consists of all prior site-data from a browsing session; others may believe that term only refers to a cached list of visited site URLs. The 'data' term likewise can be very open-ended in terms of what is specifically meant in a setting title. Superimposed on all this interpretation confusion are the apparent occasional changes that seem to occur with the chromium engine and superimposed browser layers in terms of how data/history is actually stored and cleared in any given version. Hence the user need is created for a clearly-defined 'Clear All Data' browser button that truly removes everything.
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A Former User last edited by A Former User
Well, under Clear browsing data I have everything ticked and choose to delete from 'the beginning of time'. Can't do much more than that. I also use the extension Disconnect to block trackers. The irony with this extension (and most if not all extensions), it needs permission to access my browsing data! I'm sure this is just so it can monitor and block trackers but, still, this is why I don't run lots of extensions (Opera eliminates the need as it has native features other browsers don't). The Click&Clean extension you use (I assume it's this one) will be accessing your browsing data too. I used that extension for a while but, for my needs, it didn't really provide more than ctrl+shift+del does. Btw, no master function to delete all data has existed in Opera (or other browsers) as I would have used it. I believe, to the best of my knowledge, Opera is functioning the way it always has.
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bitrat last edited by
@Cozza,
It's not about the settings in the browser, they're all set correctly for me, it's not about what cookies or offline data is needed.
I'm concerned with security, protecting our privacy.I have selected the option "Delete local data when closing the browser", as well as the option "Since installation" under "Clean Browser History"
BUT:
If you do not close the browser, then all entries of the "Offline Data" and "Cookies" are retained. The data appears to be deleted, but not the entries. Everyone can then see which websites you have visited.
This is a problem when several people are working on a computer. If you forget to close the browser, the next one can see your browsing history (the entries), and that's a "no go"!
In order to preserve the privacy, it is sometimes necessary to delete the browsing history, otherwise your cookies and other data will be read out from other websites and you will be profiled by yourself. Most cookies are used to spy on you, not to make your life easier.
It is also not very convenient to close the browser every time to get rid of the garbage.
@blackbird: You have understood me. In Opera 47 that was not a problem, because you have not seen these entries, in any version before Opera 48.
It may be that the entries are left over, but we could not see them ... (internal database)I hope the Opera developer team corrects the problem with the visible entries. All data must be deleted if you use "Clean Browser History" (depending on the settings!) If I select everything, then everything must be deleted; not only the data, but also the entries.
Why else do you use "Clean Browser History"?
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by burnout426
So, you're basically saying there's a bug, and the bug is that the "clear browsing data" function doesn't flush the local storage entries from the "All cookies and site data" dialog?
(Where the entries only get flushed/removed on exit of the browser, either because the flushing is delayed till exit or there is no flushing and they'e just no longer there on startup because the data and entries are gone from the files.)
To me, it sounds like a simple UI issue.
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bitrat last edited by bitrat
@burnout426
Maybe just a bug of the UI, maybe a real problem !?Anyone can check the bug itself:
Clean your Browser History and close Opera. Now restart Opera and visit some websites, such as a major online retailer, a well-known daily newspaper, and the page of a computer magazine (or something else)Now clear the browsing history (maximum privacy settings); now look at the settings under "Cookie Management", here you can see all the cookies and offline data you left while surfing,
=> press "delete everything" and "finish" and all entries will be deleted;
Close the window of the "Cookie Management" and open it again immediately => and all entries are back ... and that is not acceptable.The only way to delete the entries is to close the browser => that is completely unnecessary and makes no sense.
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A Former User last edited by
I've just discovered that if you want privacy, Opera is not the browser for you.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
@bitrat said in Major Privacy Problem:
@burnout426
Maybe just a bug of the UI, maybe a real problem !?Anyone can check the bug itself:
Clean your Browser History and close Opera. Now restart Opera and visit some websites, such as a major online retailer, a well-known daily newspaper, and the page of a computer magazine (or something else)Now clear the browsing history (maximum privacy settings); now look at the settings under "Cookie Management", here you can see all the cookies and offline data you left while surfing,
=> press "delete everything" and "finish" and all entries will be deleted;
Close the window of the "Cookie Management" and open it again immediately => and all entries are back ... and that is not acceptable.The only way to delete the entries is to close the browser => that is completely unnecessary and makes no sense.
Yes I can confirm. To me, it's a bug that should be fixed.
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A Former User last edited by A Former User
I can confirm using Firefox, deleting browsing data doesn't remove all cookies either (I have found other browsers to behave the same). However when I manually removed them, they seemed to stay removed. Although manually removing worked, it is a huge faff and not something I would want to have to do every browsing session. @bitrat have you reported this to Opera? I don't think they read the Opera Forums.
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A Former User last edited by A Former User
@bitrat said in Major Privacy Problem:
This is a problem when several people are working on a computer. If you forget to close the browser, the next one can see your browsing history (the entries), and that's a "no go"!
If I get you correctly, you are saying unless you close the browser, your local cookie history would be available to anyone who knows where to find them? Is that the main point of your argument? Personally, not an issue for me as I always delete the data and close the browser after use. Also, what if someone closes the browser but forgets/doesn't know to clear the data? Local cookies would go (if selected in privacy options) but everything else would remain, including browser history. Personally I prefer the Firefox approach that allows all data to be automatically deleted when closing the browser as having to delete data every time before closing is quite annoying.
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blackbird71 last edited by
@cozza said in Major Privacy Problem:
@bitrat said in Major Privacy Problem:
This is a problem when several people are working on a computer. If you forget to close the browser, the next one can see your browsing history (the entries), and that's a "no go"!
If I get you correctly, you are saying unless you close the browser, your local cookie history would be available to anyone who knows where to find them? Is that the main point of your argument? ...
I think he's saying that the data details get deleted, but not the entry titles for each site visited, He wrote: "...If you do not close the browser, then all entries of the "Offline Data" and "Cookies" are retained. The data appears to be deleted, but not the entries. Everyone can then see which websites you have visited."
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A Former User last edited by A Former User
@blackbird71 Eh? Looking at the cookies, local cookies are the only ones that remain after clearing data. They tell you the site visited and time visited. All other cookies are deleted. After browsing, simply pressing ctrl+shift+del (and deleting data) followed by ctrl+shift+x to close will get rid of all browsing data (and remember to sign out if on a shared PC). Whether it's a bug or not, it's still that simple to do and easy to remember. If cookies remained even after closing the browser, which they don't, then we'd have a major security flaw.
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bitrat last edited by
@Cozza
Yes, I sent the bug to the Dev-Team.@leocg / @Cozza
There are many situations in which you need to share a PC for Internet access, for example, if the network administrator does not allow freelancers to access the corporate network, or in a large family, or in a shared flat with only one PC. So there are so many such situations ... We can discuss that for an infinite amount of time, but that will not fix the bug.Why do the cookies and offline entries remain visible after deletion? I am not sure if this is just an error of the GUI, or if the data can still be found in a cache or a database, which can be read by a website !?
A good browser also has to be fault-tolerant ...
Thanks for your contributions.
Thanks blackbird71 and burnout426, we are on the same track.
Let's see what the Opera Dev-Team does. -
A Former User last edited by
Thought you all might like to know, I've recently been testing Opera Developer v50 and as far as I can see, ALL cookies are being deleted when either using 'Clear browsing data' or manually deleting them without needing to close the browser. Please run your own tests to confirm. Perhaps Opera took notice of the bug report (I sent one too).
