Salford Citizens Advice Bureau

Privacy and Security

Introduction

There are many myths surrounding security on the web, but for most people the risks are minimal. It is extremely unlikely that unauthorised people will intercept your e-mail, and in the event that someone does read your e-mail it is often very difficult for anyone else (except the e-mail provider) to link it to your real world identity.

In reality your identity is most likely to be compromised by people accessing your computer either at home or in the office.

E-mail correspondence is comparable in some respects with sending a post card, when the card is waiting to be posted those around you have an opportunity to read it, and if you send it from a large office the post room can read it. Once it is posted it could still be read by workers in the post office if they wanted to, but considering the amount they deal with they are unlikely to be that interested. In the same way the reply to your message is most vulnerable when the 'postcard' is laying around waiting for you to read it.

If no one else has access to your 'post' then this is not a problem, otherwise you may wish to use the web equivalent of a P.O. box, which is Webmail. This is where you collect your mail from your Webmail provider. See below for more information on webmail.

Browsers

The sites that you visit (including this one) are recorded in the browser, this can be dealt with by clearing the history trail in your browser, this is particularly important is you are sharing the use of a browser such as in an Internet cafe when it is advisable to close the browser after use.

The exact procedure varies between browsers so you may need to use your browser's help files to find out how to clear your history.

Webmail

If you share your e-mail system with others in the home or office then you may prefer to use one of the many Webmail systems. These allow you to access your mail from any computer when online, and do not usually store files on your computer. Popular webmail providers include www.yahoo.co.uk and www.hushmail.com

Office Systems

If other people have access to the computer you are using, then this will be where your privacy is at most risk. If you are using an office system then copies of e-mail may be kept either on your computer or on a network server. If you wish to avoid this happening then consider using Webmail.