Is there anyway at all that something can get into your....?

Question

browser's history without you actually looking at it? If I click on history tab, then the websites and things I see are things that have been visited at some point, right? I know this seems like a stupid question. I am trying to prove a point to someone.

Answer 1

Not a stupid question at all. Yes, it's very possible and very easy. A lot of times when you go to a website you end up being redirected to another one instead. That interim web site plus the one you were redirected to both show up in the History.
It's possibly malicious sites that usually do that kind of thing, but there are legitimate reasons for it, too.
That redirection is also why, sometimes, you have to click Back more than once before it seems to "take": You're working your way back thru the redirecting sites.

It's a long story so I'll let it go at this point. But what that was not, is a stupid question. The only stupid questions are the ones that don't get asked.

Answer 2

Nope - it only shows up in there if you directly accessed that web page.

So yes, you are correct when you say: "If I click on history tab, then the websites and things I see are things that have been visited at some point"

Answer 3

Yes. That is what is referred to as "leaving foot prints in the dirt". The point you could be proving is that some one else has used your computer and left the trail in the history file.
Two other places where that gets left (unless they know how to cover their tracks) is in your cookie and IE temp folders.

Answer 4

Yes, it's possible that a clever popup ad or site redirect can get added to history, even if you never intentionally navigated to the site, especially if you have installed certain activex controls on your system or a toolbar. There are all kinds of ways to do this.

Answer 5

Yes, it is. Entries can be added to your History index via various types of scumware.

Answer 6

yeah, its impossible for something to be there you havent visited

Answer 7

NO.