Incognito, according to Wikipedia, from the Latin incognitus, refers to a person who wants to remain anonymous to the world and others, in hiding or shut off from humanity.

Web surfers have the option to enable privacy mode or “Incognito” mode on their browser. Each of the main browser type offers some level of private browsing. It is known as Private Browsing, InPrivate Browsing, and Incognito depending on the type of browser used.

Basically – this is a privacy feature that quite simply provides some privacy on your local computing device but, DOES NOT provide hidden detection or stealth beyond that. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and other agencies connected on the Internet can detect your activities via your unique IP address on the web servers.

Disabling functions such as the web cache and browsing history make this a relatively private way of browsing the web. Cookies, the data holders sent by web sites to recognize or track your online activity, are also disabled.

Items Deleted or Not Saved:

The list of items that are deleted or not saved when you browse during Incognito or Privacy mode are:

Website history.
The cache of files stored during your browse session.
History of files downloaded.
Search history stored by the browser.
Cookies from browsed sites.
Data on forms you have filled out.

Items That Are NOT Private:

There are items that are not deleted and the ways you remain exposed to detection:

Search histories stored from search providers like Google are not deleted.
Websites can identify you and keep a record of your visit.
Your ISP can detect your network traffic and identify your IP address.
Any malware on your PC or device can track your activities.

Also, it is important that you keep in mind the browser does not likely perform a secure delete and items from your browsing session can be recovered. Until that data is overwritten with other data it can be undeleted using special recovery software.

Pros and Cons?

So why would you want to use Incognito? It doesn’t seem entirely private after all.

Pros

The reasons for using this more of browsing include:

Reducing the history, browsing, and personal data stored on your PC or device.
You can prevent storage of sensitive data such as log-in credentials.
You can also use multiple accounts simultaneously using several tabs at once.
Tip: You can let a friend check their email or log onto Facebook without you having to log out. Just start up a new Incognito window.
You can perform searches that are not influenced by any prior browsing history.
Browser extensions are disabled so that Facebook and Google and other services can’t track you.

One of the main reasons however is to hide your online interactions on the computing device you are using from those sharing the same device.

In a busy household full of people… using Incognito mode can prevent others from seeing potentially embarrassing items. It also prevents others from revealing your search history or the cache of browsed files.

Cons

We’ll, conversely, you may want to monitor online activities on your PC or device. You may be concerned that someone will incur a malware infection or that they are browsing to websites that could be considered risky, unethical, or harmful. This is when you would want to disable Privacy / Incognito functionality as described below.

Also, having a false sense of protection can lead to consequences. ISPs pass data to copyright holders (such as music, videos, books, or games), who are cracking down on the downloading of copyright materials. The ISP is required to forward notices from the copyright holder alleging infringement of that work.

And, as we have pointed out, you are not completely stealthy.

How to Go Incognito

So now that you have a better idea of what the limits and benefits of this mode of browsing are, you can follow the easy steps outlined below to activate it. Of course it will depend on which browser you are using.

Chrome: Click on the ellipsis menu (…) at the right end of the menu bar, and select: “New Incognito Window”.
Firefox: Click on the icon with three horizontal lines near the top right corner of the browser, and select: “New Private Window”.
Internet Explorer: To change to an “InPrivate” session in Internet Explorer you would hold down Ctrl+Shift and press P (Ctrl+Shift+P).
Microsoft Edge: Click the button with three dots (…), called the “More” button, and select: “New InPrivate Windows”.

Disabling It

As we mentioned above, you may want to disable this function so that you can detect for yourself the online activities of others in your household. Click the links below to take you to the specific directions for your browser type.

Warning: most of these procedures require a change to the registry. We recommend you do a backup beforehand and proceed with caution.

For Parents:

If you’re a parent worried about your kids and their private online activities (for example, pornography or social networking sites), then you can first try to disable the functionality as mentioned above. That way you can check the search and browsing history items.

You can also take the next step and look at filtering software such as NetNanny that will block porn and whatever else you want to filter even when the browser is in Incognito mode. They have it for computers and mobile devices. It’s not free but could be worth the peace of mind.

Last Note

We’re in favor of providing information that in the right hands is used with good intent. To reach a higher level of stealth you would need to look at using a VPN solution. A VPN masks your physical location and IP address so the website you’re visiting doesn’t really know who or where you are.

We hope this information has been of help to you and enhances your web browsing experiences. For more information on this topic see our past posts:

Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments on this and other subjects. Simply send us an email at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The update is so massive because, to mark the anniversary of the release of Windows 10 in July 2015, Microsoft is pushing out updates to what seems like every program and service in Windows 10.

If you are a Windows 10 user, or are thinking about downloading Windows 10, there is something you need to be aware of: the new Windows 10 Anniversary update is scheduled to be automatically downloaded onto your computer sometime in the next few days, and it’s going to be massive. Depending on the speed of your computer and your internet link, this Windows 10 update may slow everything down to a crawl.

So be warned!

Why is the August 2016 Windows Update So Big?

The update is so massive because, to mark the anniversary of the release of Windows 10 in July 2015, Microsoft is pushing out updates to what seems like every program and service in Windows 10:

Some changes are cosmetic, such as a new login screen.
Other updates this August will change how the system works: the Cortana assistant will now available on the lock screen.
Some updates are based on feedback Microsoft has received, such as a new way to save Favorites in the Microsoft Edge browser.

In short, there is something for everyone in the massive Windows 10 anniversary update.

Never a Better Time to Upgrade to Windows 10?

If you haven’t already updated your computer to Windows 10, the Anniversary update includes every update to Windows 10 over the past twelve months. This “one big update” saves not only valuable disk space, but also a lot of time. You don’t have to worry about downloading and installing every Windows patch from the last year.

Internet Explorer 11 as well as the new Microsoft Edge browsers have both been updated for reliability and security. Mobile devices receive updates to address issues found with them since the release of Windows 10.

If you want more information about the Windows 10 Anniversary update, ZDNet has an excellent summary. However, here are a few updates to Windows 10 that have caught our eye:

Potentially Confusing Changes to the Windows Start Menu

The Windows 10 Start menu is changed. This is the pre-Anniversary update version of the Windows 10 Start menu:

Following the update, the Windows 10 Start menu will look like this:

Basically, you now see the “All Apps” already selected, while the “File Explorer,” “Settings,” and “Power” are only shown as icons. The Most Used apps area is now at the top of the applications list.

This change could be a little confusing until you get used to it.

Virtual Assistant Cortana Becomes Even More Powerful

Just as iPhone users have Siri, and Android smartphone users have Google Now, Windows users can rely on their own virtual assistant, Cortana. Thanks to the Anniversary update, Cortana can now can communicate with your Windows device or even your Android phone. This means notifications from your phone can be displayed on your Windows PC—you can get notifications if your phone is running low on battery.

Microsoft Edge Gets Extensions

“Edge”, the new, stripped-down browser Microsoft introduced a couple of years ago, now has the ability to add extensions. Users of the Firefox and Chrome browsers have been able to add extensions such as AdBlock for years, so hopefully Edge will become more powerful thanks to this update.

The Anniversary update has also added Cortana to the Edge browser, much like Google’s Chrome browser supports voice commands and voice search.

“Windows Ink”

In terms of actual new functions added to Windows, Microsoft has added something called “Windows Ink.” This is an application for stylus users, and makes it much easier to sketch and take notes on any touchscreen device running Windows 10.

Biometrics Now a Part of Windows 10

Also new to Windows is “Hello,” a biometric agent that uses facial and fingerprint recognition to verify access to your computer. Of course, your computer will need to have a camera or fingerprint reader built into it to actually use Hello, so if you do not have these installed already, this is not something that will affect you.

However, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update Ignores Some Big Problems

The Anniversary update doesn’t address every problem Windows 10 users have been complaining about for the past year.

For example, if Windows 10 security issues were a concern, Microsoft has done nothing to address your fears. Notably, Windows 10 will still log what you do on the computer and send this usage information back to Microsoft.

Some Windows 10 Users Can’t Log Into Their Computers Following Anniversary Update

As well, the Anniversary update itself has some bugs that need to be updated: some users people have discovered they cannot log into their systems once the Anniversary update is installed. The solution? Roll back to a previous install point—which in some cases means a previous version of Windows! While the number of people reporting this disastrous issue is still pretty small, it’s a big deal if it happens to you.

To protect yourself, if you have not been updated Windows 10 yet, enable the System Restore to generate a save point you can return to should the update not work. Instructions on setting up System Restore in Windows 10 can be found here.

What’s the Verdict on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update?

It is a bit early to provide any meaningful insights about just how good this update is. The main thing we wanted to do was to give you a heads-up about what is being offered by this download, and give you that warning about backing up your system. We felt these tips were especially important, since Windows 10 updates are not optional—you have to install them.

Hopefully the items mentioned here are useful, and if you have any question, or want to let us know about your own experience with the Anniversary update, leave us a comment below.

Charles Edward frequently reports on the latest developments in Microsoft and Windows software products.

Going Incognito – Browse Web in Privacy Mode