Webroot Window Washer
Many of us today have software programs that include some sort of “digital shredder” that will on demand destroy personal information on our computers. What websites we have been to, what we downloaded, old emails, secure websites we have logged in to, all traces gone with a click of the mouse … or are they??? For the past two years I have thought that once a week I had been cleaning my machine of this valuable personal information, and boy was I wrong. Through a chance encounter with my online backup program, I got a look at some of the cookies that were still on my home computer and was shocked to see how my personal information had not been deleted at all by the program I was using. In fact, I could trace everywhere this computer had been in the past year … and that’s when I became completely disgusted. So I did what all of us do. I pointed my internet browser toward searching for a flexible yet thorough solution to computer cleansing needs.
After looking at the products on the market, I found Webroot’s Window Washer offered the most options and greatest user flexibility. I can wipe down just a few temp folders, or I can thoroughly clean and “bleach” all the traces of information left in my computer’s pockets completely and confidently erasing them permanently! Window Washer also give you a system eraser that enables the user to create a bootable cd/floppy that can be inserted into computer to completely remove all contents. Even a reformat can’t do that.
Window Washer’s user interface is extremely easy to use. All categories are divided into sections that can be checked or unchecked at any time. For those who consider themselves technologically impaired, like me, Webroot has made the program pretty self explanatory. If you mouse over a section, a short description will appear explaining what type of files would be located here to help assist you in deciding if that particular area is one you think Window Washer should clean. Also, cleanings are completely customizable for either manual, daily or scheduled tasks. It’s really simple to customize the programs and once you set your schedule, you can forget about it! Window Washer takes care of the rest for you.
Also included in this program is a nifty feature that allows you to right click on any file on your computer and instantly shred it. (Yes really shred the file, not like the other software programs I mentioned previously).
To anyone who may be skeptical about whether or not Window Washer can do what it says it can do, Webroot give you a 30 day free trial to test drive the program. I think you’ll be as surprised and amazed as I was about how much extra junk and personal information your computer is toting around without you even knowing about. It’s a real shame to know that your PC, to a even a novice hacker, knows more about you than your significant other! Scary, huh?
All in all, I couldn’t be happier with the added security I now have on my machine with the use of Window Washer. The peace of mind knowing that all traces of what I read, where I went, what I was working on, and where I logged in to is well worth the cost of the program. With all the phony security programs out there that just don’t do what they claim, I really do find it comforting to know when Window Washer says clean … your PC is clean … period!