C is for Cookies

www.azcomputersolutions.net — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:50:08 +0000

Computer cookies are small text files that keep track of information entered at a website. For example, the first time you go to ebay and register, cookies are used as you click through the pages on ebay so you don’t have to reenter your information on each page. There are two types of cookiestemporary and permanent. Temporary cookies are stored in your browsers memory then deleted as soon as you close your browser, hence ending the session. Permanent cookies are stored on your computer’s hard drive and don’t delete once a browser is closed. They transfer a text file with a unique ID tag to your hard disk, matching a file on your server. Now, when you log into ebay three days later, your login information will still be displayed.For the most part, cookies are relatively harmless. Their main threat lies in their ability to be used as spyware. It’s a good idea to install an anti-spyware program that will warn you before entering a site with cookies. You can choose whether to accept cookies and how long you want to keep them. The reasoning behind the need for anti-spyware is a privacy concern. Many people don’t want to be tracked or want their personal information remembered by a third party site. More serious problems caused by cookies and spyware is the intrusion of malware, or malicious software. This includes viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and spyware that can cause harm and infiltrate your computer system without your consent.To delete browser cookies, open your internet browser, go to the ‘tools’ button on the toolbar, select ‘internet options’, go to the ‘general’ tab and look for the ‘delete cookies’ option. You might also see an option under ‘browsing history’ where you can delete cookies and other temporary internet files.

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C is for Cookies