Even though internet/browser history and the deletion of this data are often mentioned, in most cases it is the entire browser cache that is actually meant. The browserhistory is actually merely one of many items that are stored in the web client’s cache. Other typical data categories include the download history, entered login data and passwords, as well as specific website data and images. The purpose for storing this information is to improve user convenience and the browsing experience of the user – for example, by shortening load times and automatically executing logins. However, there is also the risk that the cache, and with it all the cached information, will end up in the wrong hands.
For this reason, it is recommended that you clear your browser cache periodically in order to keep the risk potential low. If you use the browser on a device that is publicly accessible – in an internet café, for example – you should, as a matter of principal, always clear all data including the history as soon as you’ve finished using the internet. This also applies if you merely cache the history of visited websites: even just by viewing the pages you’ve accessed, attackers may be able to obtain sensitive information about you.
Moreover, you should also clear the history if you privately share the PC with other people, and don’t want them to know which websites you recently accessed. Otherwise, a planned birthday surprise, for instance, could be found out sooner than you would like.