Identity Finder uses proprietary search algorithms to uncover multiple variations of specific types of personally identifiable information such as social security numbers and credit card numbers. Areas searched include your web browser’s hidden storage areas such as auto complete fields (i.e., passwords and form data); web pages and cookies; instant messenger logs; home and office files; compressed files; E-Mails and attachments; the Windows registry, and more.
Identity Finder has been specifically designed to locate personal information without requiring you to enter this information yourself. This feature allows the software to search your computer for any personally identifiable information &endash; including that of your family, friends and colleagues or any home or business user. Information uncovered by Identity Finder includes social security numbers, individual taxpayer numbers, employer information numbers, credit and debit card numbers, driver’s license and other state-issued identification numbers, military identification numbers, dates of birth and personal addresses, telephone numbers, bank account numbers, passwords and PINs, employee identification numbers, and mother’s maiden names.
One of the most common ways of leaving personal information exposed to compromise is by assuming that deleting a file or data digitally erases it. It doesn't. ”Deleted” files are first stored in your Recycle Bin where they can be easily read by any person or program with access to your computer. Even when Recycle Bin is emptied, file remnants remain &endash; and can be easily un-”deleted” with common tools. When this, or any other personal information, is uncovered you are presented with several choices. Identity Finder can encrypt the file, so that a password is needed to access and read it and you don't need to destroy the information to protect it. Or it will securely erase the data and remove it from your computer once and for all.