How to clean out all "hidden" files on one's computer.

[Alan Dayley]

On Tue, November 7, 2006 1:56 pm, Josef Lowder wrote:
> .
> While I don't have any files or links on my computer that need to
> be hid from anyone's view, when I recently got the "popup" message
> shown below (one that Firefox failed to block), it made me wonder
> where all there might be files and/or "cookies" and/or other such
> stuff hidden on a Linux computer that might be good to clear out
> periodically.
>
> Here's the pop-up message I received:
>
> From: http://www.drivecleaner.com
>
>> Your computer tracked all of your actions and stored the evidence
>> on your hard drive.  Anyone could see where you had been on the
>> Internet, the images you had looked at, the sites you opened, the
>> movie you had viewed, etc.  We recommend to download DriveCleaner
>> to erase all evidence you have on your PC.
>
> Other than clearing cache and trash, etc. where else are duplicate,
> redundant, and/or copies of other needless, space-wasting files stored
> on a Linux system that a "drivecleaner" program like this might remove?

Drivecleaner is a trojan for Windows.  Don't download it.  Based on the
description at
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/virus.aspx?id=57168 I don't
know how it could pop-up on a Linux box since is designed for Windows IE.

If this happened on a Windows computer, it is infected with at least one
trojan, probably disguised as an antivirus program.  Keystroke logging and
who knows what else will ensue. However, once infected with one they
usually lead IE around by the nose infecting the computer with more
malware.

As far as cleaning up leftover files on a Linux computer, I have not
worried about it much.  Others may have an answer for that.

Alan