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Clear terminal history

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Works with any Linux distroWorks with any Linux distribution that can run bash scripts.
  • Linux onlyThis script improves your privacy on Linux
  • Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
  • Impact: Medium

    System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Moderate

    This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.

    This action improves privacy with some impact when you run the recommended script.
  • Bash (Shell script)These changes use Linux system commands to update your settings.
  • 7 scripts
  • No subcategories
  • Sudo/root requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
  • Fully reversible

    You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.

    The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

Overview​

Reading terminal history is one of the attack techniques. The existence of bash history files is defined as an unsecured credential attack technique by MITRE 1.

Use with Caution

This script is only recommended if you understand its implications.

Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.

Sources
PrivacyLearn.com maintains strict sourcing standards for accuracy, integrity and up-to-date content. Our content relies on authoritative sources including vendor documentation, industry standards, and verified research. Learn more about our verification process and quality standards in our editorial standards page.

Apply Now​

Choose one of two ways to apply:

Download script​

Download and run the script directly
  • No app needed
  • Offline usage
  • Free
  • Open-source

High — Advanced Privacy​

  • For advanced privacy-conscious users
  • May affect some features

Read more about High and other protection levels

Help

How to apply "Clear terminal history" using script​

  • ≈ 3 min to complete
  • Tools: Web Browser
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • ≈ 5 instructions
  1. 1

    Download

    Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
  2. 2

    Keep the file

    If warned by your browser, keep the file.
  3. 3

    Open

    Open the downloaded file.
  4. 4

    Exit

    Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
  5. 5

    Restart

    Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.

Apply with privacy.sexy​

Guided, automated application with safety checks
  • Recommended for most users
  • Includes safety checks
  • Shows the code
  • Free
  • Open-source
  • Popular
  • Offline/Online usage
Open privacy.sexy
Help

How to apply "Clear terminal history" using privacy.sexy​

  • ≈ 3 min to complete
  • Tools: privacy.sexy
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 4 instructions
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily with more advanced options.
  1. 1

    Open or download

    Open or download the desktop application
  2. 2

    Choose script

    1. Search for the category name: Clear terminal history
    2. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
  3. 3

    Run

    Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.

    This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.

Explore This Guide​

  • 7 Privacy settings

Choose what to protect based on your needs:

Click any option to learn more about what it does.

Each change can be applied and reversed individually.

Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.

Clear bash history

Bash (Bourne-Again SHell) is from the GNU project. It is used by most distributions as their default shell. See also (Reference: GNU Bash Homepage).

Clear Zsh history

Zsh is also known as Z-shell. See its (Reference: homepage) for more information. It is one of the most used shells and has been the default shell in Kali Linux since 2020.4. Arch Linux installer uses zsh but sets bash on disk as default.

Clear tcsh history

C shell (csh) with file name completion and command line editing. "~/.history" is its default histfile (history file). It's shipped by FreeBSD as the default root shell. See also: (Reference: tcsh homepage), • (Reference: tcsh source code).

Clear fish history

It is one of the most popular exotic shells that favors usability over standard compliance. Its history file is stored in "~/.local/share/fish/fishhistory" and "~/.config/fish/fishhistory". It is used by PEUX OS as the default shell. See also (Reference: fish shell homepage) for more information.

Clear KornShell (ksh) history

KornShell is a shell that has different versions by different maintainers and developers such as "ksh93+u", "ksh93v-", and "ksh2020". The latest maintained version is "ksh93u+m", see its (Reference: GitHub repository (ksh93/ksh)). Its history file (histfile) is saved at "~/.sh_history" by default. OpenBSD symlinks sh to ksh. See also the [Wikipedia page](https://web.archive.org/web/20221029212931/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KornShel...

Clear ash history

It's also known as Almquist shell. It's mainly a fork of dash (Debian Almquist shell) used in embedded Linux distributions such as DSLinux, Alpine Linux, Tiny Core Linux and Linux-based router firmware such as OpenWrt, Tomato and DD-WRT. It was also used by Android until Android 4.0. It uses "~/.ash_history" as the history file.

Clear crosh history

crosh is also known as ChromiumOS shell. It is used in Chromium OS. The history file is found in "~/.crosh_history" by default. See its (Reference: source code (chromiumos/platform2)) for more information.

Similar Guides​

Wider Goal​

The guide below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.

See other more general settings that includes this one as one of its actions.

These plans combine multiple privacy settings, including this one, for stronger protection.

These scripts allow you to increase privacy by deleting collected data about you and your behavior.

— Privacy cleanup

Same Goal​

Other guides in Privacy cleanup 

See settings that are in the same category as this guide.

Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.

See all 9 guides

About the Creators​

These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:

  • Avatar of undergroundwires. The creator of PrivacyLearn and privacy.sexy. Black and white portrait showing a person wearing a polka dot tie and suit jacket, reflecting the professional expertise behind the privacy protection tools.
    • Certified security professional
    • 7+ years experience securing banks
    • Open-source developer since 2005
    • EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
    • Hundreds across the globe
    • Testers, reviewers, developers
    • Companies, military agencies
    • Community since 2017
About Us

Reviewed By​

This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:

  • Expert review by undergroundwires​

    • Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
    • Assessed system impact and user privacy risks

  • Public review by large community​

    • Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
    • Millions of end-users tested across different environments

History​

We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.

Review Change History Our Change Process