What are some things you can do to protect your personal data on a public workstation?

To protect your personal data on a public workstation, clearing cookies, history, cache, and ensuring you sign out of accounts completely is essential. Public workstations are often shared by many users, making it easy for someone to access your personal information if you leave it behind.

Clearing cookies removes small pieces of data that websites store on your device, which can contain sensitive information such as login states or preferences. Clearing the browsing history erases records of the websites you've visited, preventing others from viewing your online activity. Clearing the cache removes stored copies of web pages, including data that could potentially contain personal information. Finally, signing out of accounts ensures that any sessions or logins tied to your personal data are not left active for the next user to access.

While using a VPN can enhance security and privacy, especially on unsecured networks, it does not directly relate to protecting your data on the public workstation itself after you've finished using it. Similarly, regularly deleting files or installing antivirus software may not address the immediate risks associated with public workstations since they may not directly prevent unauthorized access to your personal data left on the machine.