Remove Safari history files on logout via shell script

Jul 01, '09 07:30:00AM

Contributed by: Anonymous

If you'd like to remove your Safari history files when you log out, first create the following shell script:

#!/bin/bash

# Point this at your user folder.
useroot=/Users/your_user

# Clear Safari History (except for bookmarks).
rm -f $useroot/Library/Safari/Downloads.plist $useroot/Library/Safari/History.plist 
rm -f $useroot/Library/Safari/HistoryIndex.sk $useroot/Library/Safari/TopSites.plist 
rm -f $useroot/Library/Safari/WebpageIcons.db $useroot/Library/Safari/LastSession.plist

# Add any additional clean-up here.
Save the script somewhere, make it executable, and because it runs as root, make sure it is protected from modification. Then copy and paste this command into Terminal, modifying it to point to wherever you put the above script:

sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LogoutHook "/Users/your_user/scripts/privacy.sh"

To be complete, you should also visit Safari's Preferences, open the AutoFill tab, and clear all of the checkmarks (Safari then won't remember passwords and forms).

[robg adds: I haven't tested this one.]

Comments (14)


Mac OS X Hints
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20090625155239817