There have been lots of reports online about the Browzar “private” Web browser client being adware, but we have to jump to its defence. True, its original default search engine served up the usual context-sensitive sponsored links within the results and, unlike Google for example, didn’t clearly identify and separate these. Since the Browzar revenue stream comes from these ads, it was alleged to be adware. As a result, Browzar now uses Ask as its default search, and sponsored links are clearly labelled and sit top and bottom of the real results.

Unfortunately, it’s the least of Browzar’s problems. First, it isn’t actually a revolutionary new browser client, but a custom wrapper around the Internet Explorer core. So instead of starting from a client base that has a history of few security and privacy exploits (such as Firefox or Opera), Browzar uses the least secure, least private client of all. It isn’t even as though this hasn’t been done before -- NetCaptor Pro may not be free, but it wraps a secure skin around IE and with an extra layer of privacy protection that Browzar can’t offer: secure erasing of browsing footprints.

Whereas Browzar deletes cookies, cache, auto-complete and history files, NetCaptor Pro uses anything up to the 35-pass Guttman deletion method. What’s more, because Browzar is using IE and an ActiveX control, pages you’ve visited aren’t deleted but just closed, and anyone who knows how to look in index.dat can see your online footprints.

Essentially then, Browzar protects your privacy from everyone except anyone who knows a bit about computers and can access index.dat. If someone wants to know where you’ve been online, you must assume they’re serious enough to do just that. If you don’t think anyone is that serious about your online travels, you don’t need Browzar in the first place.

If you’re determined to be private online, you’ll want something that does a lot more than Browzar, such as NetCaptor. If you’re really serious, Torpark, which uses Portable Firefox, adds privacy extensions and a distributed anonymous proxy server, where everyone gets pages for everyone else, leaving no easily followed click-trail.