A browser cookie is the term given to describe a type of message that is
given to a web
browser by a web server. The main purpose of a cookie is to identify users and
possibly prepare customized web pages or to save site login information for
you.
A web server has no memory so the
hosted website you are visiting transfers a cookie file of the browser on your
computer's hard disk so that the site can remember who you are and your
preferences. This message exchange allows the web server to use this
information to present you with customized cookie web pages.
To delete unwanted browser cookies,
you can use Internet
Explorer. Select Tools then choose Internet Options. On the general tab
you will see a section titled Browser History. Click Settings then choose View
Files. This will open up a Windows Explorer window that lists all your
temporary Internet files, including your cookies. Each cookie will be
identified by a site URL making it easy to determine which cookies you trust
and want to keep and which you don't recall from visiting a Web site and would
delete.
To change your cookie settings,
simply to go back into Tools then choose Internet Options. On the Privacy tab
you will see a slider bar which you can move to adjust the level at which your
browser accepts cookies. Low for example blocks third-party cookies that do not
have a compact privacy policy and restricts third-party cookies that save
information that can be used to contact you without your consent. Medium High will
do the same but also block first-party cookies that save information about you.
Other privacy options you can choose would be to accept all cookies or to block
all cookies as well.
If you're using a browser other than
Internet Explorer, you can visit the following cookie pages on each browser
website to find out how to manage your cookies when using:
·
Firefox: Clear cookies and site data
·
Microsoft Edge: View and manage cookies
·
Opera: How to Manage cookies
·
Safari: Manage cookies and website data
Here are some types of browser cookies:
A First-Party Cookie is similar to a website’s long-term memory. They
help sites to remember your information and settings when you revisit them in
the future. Without these cookies, sites would not be able to remember your
preferences such as menu settings, themes, language selection, and internal
bookmarks between sessions. With first-party cookies, you can make those
selections on your first visit and they will be consistent until the cookie
expires.
Most
persistent cookies expire after one or two years. If you do not visit the site
within the expiration time frame, your browser will delete the cookie. You can
also remove them manually. First-party cookies also play an important role in
user authentication. If you were to disable them, you would need to re-enter
your login credentials every time you visited a page.
A Flash
Cookie is the most common type of super cookie. In case you’re not aware, a
super cookie performs many of the same functions as a regular cookie, but they
are more difficult to find and delete. In the case of Flash cookies, developers
use the Flash plug in to hide cookies from your browser’s native cookie
management tools. Flash cookies are available to all browsers. They can hold
100KB of data compared to an HTTP cookies’ mere 4KBb.
A Malicious
Cookie is used to store and track your activity online. These are the bad
cookies to watch for because they track you and your surfing habits to build a
profile of your interests. Once that profile contains enough information there
is a good chance that your information can be sold to an advertising company
who then uses this profile information to target you with interest specific targeted
advertisements online.
A Persistent
Cookie is stored on your hard drive with an
expiration date, or until you delete the cookie. Persistent cookies are used to
collect identifying information about the user, such as Web surfing behavior or
user preferences for a specific Web site. Persistent cookies are those stored
permanently in your browser’s subfolder and become activated when you return to
the site. On the downside, companies can
use persistent cookies to track you. Unlike session cookies, they do record
information about your browsing habits for the entire time that they are
active.
A Secure Cookie can only be transmitted over an encrypted connection
that typically is Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure (HTTPS). As long as the cookie’s “Secure” attribute
is active, the user agent will not transmit the cookie over an unencrypted
channel. Without the Secure flag, the cookie is sent in clear text and can be
intercepted by unauthorized third-parties.
Even
with the secure flag, developers should not use a cookie to store sensitive
information. In practice, the flag only protects a cookie’s confidentiality. A
network attacker could overwrite secure cookies from an insecure connection.
This is especially true if a site has both an HTTP and HTTPS version.
A Session
Cookie is stored in temporary memory and is not retained after the
browser is closed. Session cookies do not collect information from your
computer. They typically will store information in the form of a session
identification that does not personally identify the user. It’s easiest to think
of session cookies as a website’s short-term memory. They let sites recognize
you as you move from page to page within their domain. Without the session
cookies, you’d be treated as a new visitor every time you clicked on a new
internal link.
A
Third-Party
Cookie is the bad guy. It is the reason
that cookies have such a bad reputation among internet users. In the case of
first-party cookies, a cookie’s domain will match the domain of the site you’re
visiting. A third-party cookie originates from a different domain. Because it
is not coming from the site you’re looking at, a third-party cookie is not
providing any of the benefits of session cookies and first-party cookies. Instead,
it has one sole focus, and that is to track you.
The
tracking can take many forms; the cookies can learn about your browsing
history, online behavior, demographics, spending habits, and more. Because of
their ability to track, third-party cookies have become a favorite of
advertising networks in a bid to drive up their sales and page views. Most
browsers provide a straightforward way of blocking third-party cookies. Take
the necessary steps in your browser of choice. Third party cookies are the ones
that store information about your preferences for a particular website and they
come from a website that you aren’t visiting. Their primary role is simply to
send your information to advertisers for marketing purposes.
A Zombie Cookie is closely tied to a Flash cookie. A zombie cookie
can instantly recreate itself if someone deletes it. The recreation is possible
thanks to backups stored outside a browser’s regular cookie storage folder. The
recreation relies on Quantcast technology. Because Flash cookie stores a unique
user ID in Adobe Flash player’s storage bin, Quantcast can reapply it to a new
HTTP cookie if the old one is removed.
“Tracking my cookies; you will never get my recipe Internet.” (ShutUpImTalking.com)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“10
Things You Should Know About Web Cookies” by Linkilaw
·
“HTTP - Hypertext Transfer
Protocol” by Webopedia
·
“Hypertext
Transport Protocol Secure (HTTPS)” by Techopedia
·
“What are Cookies and
What Do Cookies Do?” By Vangie Beal
· "7 Types of Browser Cookies You Need
to Know About” by Dan Price
No comments:
Post a Comment