can wifi owner see .pdf file i've opened through browser?











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i know that they could see websites, traffic usage, etc using certain application. but what i wanted to ask is, if i opened a .pdf file using browser, will they be able to see it too? it appears on my browsing history so does that means it appears on theirs too?? if i remove it from my history, that doesn't mean it will be removed from theirs right?



the security type of their network is WPA2-Personal and i'm using chrome if thats relevant.



the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it?










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    up vote
    1
    down vote

    favorite












    i know that they could see websites, traffic usage, etc using certain application. but what i wanted to ask is, if i opened a .pdf file using browser, will they be able to see it too? it appears on my browsing history so does that means it appears on theirs too?? if i remove it from my history, that doesn't mean it will be removed from theirs right?



    the security type of their network is WPA2-Personal and i'm using chrome if thats relevant.



    the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it?










    share|improve this question


























      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite











      i know that they could see websites, traffic usage, etc using certain application. but what i wanted to ask is, if i opened a .pdf file using browser, will they be able to see it too? it appears on my browsing history so does that means it appears on theirs too?? if i remove it from my history, that doesn't mean it will be removed from theirs right?



      the security type of their network is WPA2-Personal and i'm using chrome if thats relevant.



      the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it?










      share|improve this question















      i know that they could see websites, traffic usage, etc using certain application. but what i wanted to ask is, if i opened a .pdf file using browser, will they be able to see it too? it appears on my browsing history so does that means it appears on theirs too?? if i remove it from my history, that doesn't mean it will be removed from theirs right?



      the security type of their network is WPA2-Personal and i'm using chrome if thats relevant.



      the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it?







      networking wireless-networking






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      edited Dec 4 at 14:38









      JakeGould

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      30.9k1093137










      asked Dec 4 at 13:41









      roundtable

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          3 Answers
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          It depends on there do you get it. If it is .pdf, saved locally, nobody can see it (unless they have access to your pc). If you are viewing it directly from a website, it depends on type of connection: HTTP is totally unsafe, so your file can be seen by WiFi owner, but HTTPS (mostly) makes it safe.






          share|improve this answer




























            up vote
            0
            down vote













            No, the WiFi provider cannot see the file. The file:// protocol accesses a file system available to your operating system. If the PDF is stored locally on your computer, the file never gets transferred over the network. Additionally, they will not see a DNS request, as the file is stored locally. They have no access to your browsing history, so you are safe in that regard.



            However, the above could be rendered false in unlikely scenarios, but that would involve some strange network configurations on your end. Other issues that could affect this are browser plugins, as well as third party programs you installed on your PC. Simply put, do not install software on your computer you do not trust implicitly.






            share|improve this answer

















            • 1




              Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
              – Fanatique
              Dec 4 at 16:52


















            up vote
            -1
            down vote













            If the site did not use https, the owner of the wifi will see every byte you transmit, including the pdf file.



            If the whole site uses https, the owner will see the domain you visited, as it can see the dns requests (like www.thesite.com, api.thesite.com). Also the owner might see some more details about what you were surfing on the site, for example if you browse a car related subreddit and the site loads ads from car manufacturers, or porn sites.



            If the download was through https, the owner will know domain and mostly also the size of the file.



            WPA2 will only make it harder for other users of the wifi to see your traffic, and people not knowing the wpa key (password). But all your internet traffic will go through the wifi router of the owner.






            share|improve this answer





















            • i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
              – roundtable
              Dec 4 at 14:10










            • So edit your question.
              – davidbaumann
              Dec 4 at 14:11











            Your Answer








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            3 Answers
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            active

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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

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            up vote
            0
            down vote













            It depends on there do you get it. If it is .pdf, saved locally, nobody can see it (unless they have access to your pc). If you are viewing it directly from a website, it depends on type of connection: HTTP is totally unsafe, so your file can be seen by WiFi owner, but HTTPS (mostly) makes it safe.






            share|improve this answer

























              up vote
              0
              down vote













              It depends on there do you get it. If it is .pdf, saved locally, nobody can see it (unless they have access to your pc). If you are viewing it directly from a website, it depends on type of connection: HTTP is totally unsafe, so your file can be seen by WiFi owner, but HTTPS (mostly) makes it safe.






              share|improve this answer























                up vote
                0
                down vote










                up vote
                0
                down vote









                It depends on there do you get it. If it is .pdf, saved locally, nobody can see it (unless they have access to your pc). If you are viewing it directly from a website, it depends on type of connection: HTTP is totally unsafe, so your file can be seen by WiFi owner, but HTTPS (mostly) makes it safe.






                share|improve this answer












                It depends on there do you get it. If it is .pdf, saved locally, nobody can see it (unless they have access to your pc). If you are viewing it directly from a website, it depends on type of connection: HTTP is totally unsafe, so your file can be seen by WiFi owner, but HTTPS (mostly) makes it safe.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Dec 4 at 14:26









                biryulin04

                416




                416
























                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote













                    No, the WiFi provider cannot see the file. The file:// protocol accesses a file system available to your operating system. If the PDF is stored locally on your computer, the file never gets transferred over the network. Additionally, they will not see a DNS request, as the file is stored locally. They have no access to your browsing history, so you are safe in that regard.



                    However, the above could be rendered false in unlikely scenarios, but that would involve some strange network configurations on your end. Other issues that could affect this are browser plugins, as well as third party programs you installed on your PC. Simply put, do not install software on your computer you do not trust implicitly.






                    share|improve this answer

















                    • 1




                      Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
                      – Fanatique
                      Dec 4 at 16:52















                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote













                    No, the WiFi provider cannot see the file. The file:// protocol accesses a file system available to your operating system. If the PDF is stored locally on your computer, the file never gets transferred over the network. Additionally, they will not see a DNS request, as the file is stored locally. They have no access to your browsing history, so you are safe in that regard.



                    However, the above could be rendered false in unlikely scenarios, but that would involve some strange network configurations on your end. Other issues that could affect this are browser plugins, as well as third party programs you installed on your PC. Simply put, do not install software on your computer you do not trust implicitly.






                    share|improve this answer

















                    • 1




                      Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
                      – Fanatique
                      Dec 4 at 16:52













                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote









                    No, the WiFi provider cannot see the file. The file:// protocol accesses a file system available to your operating system. If the PDF is stored locally on your computer, the file never gets transferred over the network. Additionally, they will not see a DNS request, as the file is stored locally. They have no access to your browsing history, so you are safe in that regard.



                    However, the above could be rendered false in unlikely scenarios, but that would involve some strange network configurations on your end. Other issues that could affect this are browser plugins, as well as third party programs you installed on your PC. Simply put, do not install software on your computer you do not trust implicitly.






                    share|improve this answer












                    No, the WiFi provider cannot see the file. The file:// protocol accesses a file system available to your operating system. If the PDF is stored locally on your computer, the file never gets transferred over the network. Additionally, they will not see a DNS request, as the file is stored locally. They have no access to your browsing history, so you are safe in that regard.



                    However, the above could be rendered false in unlikely scenarios, but that would involve some strange network configurations on your end. Other issues that could affect this are browser plugins, as well as third party programs you installed on your PC. Simply put, do not install software on your computer you do not trust implicitly.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Dec 4 at 15:26









                    Keltari

                    50.2k18115168




                    50.2k18115168








                    • 1




                      Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
                      – Fanatique
                      Dec 4 at 16:52














                    • 1




                      Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
                      – Fanatique
                      Dec 4 at 16:52








                    1




                    1




                    Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
                    – Fanatique
                    Dec 4 at 16:52




                    Why the downvote here? It's a valid answer.
                    – Fanatique
                    Dec 4 at 16:52










                    up vote
                    -1
                    down vote













                    If the site did not use https, the owner of the wifi will see every byte you transmit, including the pdf file.



                    If the whole site uses https, the owner will see the domain you visited, as it can see the dns requests (like www.thesite.com, api.thesite.com). Also the owner might see some more details about what you were surfing on the site, for example if you browse a car related subreddit and the site loads ads from car manufacturers, or porn sites.



                    If the download was through https, the owner will know domain and mostly also the size of the file.



                    WPA2 will only make it harder for other users of the wifi to see your traffic, and people not knowing the wpa key (password). But all your internet traffic will go through the wifi router of the owner.






                    share|improve this answer





















                    • i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
                      – roundtable
                      Dec 4 at 14:10










                    • So edit your question.
                      – davidbaumann
                      Dec 4 at 14:11















                    up vote
                    -1
                    down vote













                    If the site did not use https, the owner of the wifi will see every byte you transmit, including the pdf file.



                    If the whole site uses https, the owner will see the domain you visited, as it can see the dns requests (like www.thesite.com, api.thesite.com). Also the owner might see some more details about what you were surfing on the site, for example if you browse a car related subreddit and the site loads ads from car manufacturers, or porn sites.



                    If the download was through https, the owner will know domain and mostly also the size of the file.



                    WPA2 will only make it harder for other users of the wifi to see your traffic, and people not knowing the wpa key (password). But all your internet traffic will go through the wifi router of the owner.






                    share|improve this answer





















                    • i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
                      – roundtable
                      Dec 4 at 14:10










                    • So edit your question.
                      – davidbaumann
                      Dec 4 at 14:11













                    up vote
                    -1
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    -1
                    down vote









                    If the site did not use https, the owner of the wifi will see every byte you transmit, including the pdf file.



                    If the whole site uses https, the owner will see the domain you visited, as it can see the dns requests (like www.thesite.com, api.thesite.com). Also the owner might see some more details about what you were surfing on the site, for example if you browse a car related subreddit and the site loads ads from car manufacturers, or porn sites.



                    If the download was through https, the owner will know domain and mostly also the size of the file.



                    WPA2 will only make it harder for other users of the wifi to see your traffic, and people not knowing the wpa key (password). But all your internet traffic will go through the wifi router of the owner.






                    share|improve this answer












                    If the site did not use https, the owner of the wifi will see every byte you transmit, including the pdf file.



                    If the whole site uses https, the owner will see the domain you visited, as it can see the dns requests (like www.thesite.com, api.thesite.com). Also the owner might see some more details about what you were surfing on the site, for example if you browse a car related subreddit and the site loads ads from car manufacturers, or porn sites.



                    If the download was through https, the owner will know domain and mostly also the size of the file.



                    WPA2 will only make it harder for other users of the wifi to see your traffic, and people not knowing the wpa key (password). But all your internet traffic will go through the wifi router of the owner.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Dec 4 at 14:06









                    davidbaumann

                    1,832722




                    1,832722












                    • i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
                      – roundtable
                      Dec 4 at 14:10










                    • So edit your question.
                      – davidbaumann
                      Dec 4 at 14:11


















                    • i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
                      – roundtable
                      Dec 4 at 14:10










                    • So edit your question.
                      – davidbaumann
                      Dec 4 at 14:11
















                    i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
                    – roundtable
                    Dec 4 at 14:10




                    i see. sorry if i didn't make this clearer up there but the .pdf i opened is a document on my pc which i opened through browser so the link is something like file:///D:/New%20folder/as/New%20folder%20(8)/asdsd.pdf. so does this still means they know it? thank you in advance!
                    – roundtable
                    Dec 4 at 14:10












                    So edit your question.
                    – davidbaumann
                    Dec 4 at 14:11




                    So edit your question.
                    – davidbaumann
                    Dec 4 at 14:11


















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