Mode Incognito : Contre quoi vous protège-t-il ?

Incognito mode also known as private browsing is a privacy and security feature implemented by most browsers that help in achieving some form of anonymity. When this mode is selected, the browser will not save your browsing history, cookies, and temporary files. Once you close the incognito window, all the collected information will be deleted. Other browsers couple it with a tracking protection feature that ensures some websites don’t track your browsing behaviour. Below are ways in which incognito mode is useful;

Empêche l'espionnage via votre navigateur

Since incognito mode doesn’t log your browsing history, it will help you gain some privacy from people, i.e., family members who have access to your computer and use the same browser.

Les cookies ne pourront pas vous suivre à la trace

Cookies are small files stored in your computer by your browser when you visit certain sites. They enhance your browsing experience by, i.e., allowing to stay logged even after you close the website. But that’s not all! Cookies also have their dark side. They can be used to track you and provide feedback on literally everything you do while on the web.

Les données collectées peuvent ensuite être traitées pour déduire notre comportement de navigation. En d'autres termes, vos préférences en ligne, vos opinions politiques, vos achats en ligne et, pour résumer, les cookies peuvent être utilisés pour établir votre profil. Ces données peuvent ensuite être vendues à des tiers qui vous bombarderont de publicités sur tous les sites web. Mais avec le mode incognito, les cookies ne vous suivront pas puisqu'ils ne seront pas stockés.

Vous éviterez l'empreinte digitale du navigateur

Besides cookies, browser fingerprinting is an advanced way that collects lots of identifying information. This information might include; browser information, extensions and add-ons installed, fonts used, time zone, screen resolution, active plugins and even information about your browser. Fingerprinting works for hand in hand with cookies but its also effective on its own. Collected information can be used to fully or partially identify you. This is an instant violation of your online privacy.

En plus d'être utile, le mode incognito n'est pas utile dans certaines situations. Par exemple ;

Vous pouvez toujours être suivi par des regards indiscrets

Prying eyes and other cybercriminals won’t track you via your browsing history. Instead, they use an aggressive method which involves DNS or your IP address. IP addresses carry a lot of information, and hence they are suitable when tracking is involved. With an IP address, prying eyes will be able to see what you are browsing regardless whether you are in incognito mode since they have access to your internet traffic and they can even triangulate your exact location.

When using a DNS server, cybercriminals can poison its cache and spoof its content. When this happens, you might log into a spoofed website and give all your details without your knowledge. Other DNS servers may record all your internet queries, and the owner may sell these data to third parties or even give it to law enforcers when asked to.

For total online privacy and security, use incognito mode with a reputable Virtual Private Network, VPN. A VPN ensures that your internet traffic is not visible to prying eyes. And even if its intercepted, it won’t be of much help. A VPN does this by encrypting and scrambling your internet traffic. With a VPN, you will also avoid being tracked as the VPN service assigns you a virtual IP address which you will use while on the internet. By doing this, the real you won’t be tracked. A VPN also offers other benefits such as gaining access to blocked content and also circumventing censorships.