All about Internet Cookies.

This page is taken from the Help file of Ad-Aware 4.1 by LavaSoft.

 
What is a cookie ?
 
A Client Side Persistent Cookie is a small textfile, only a few bytes in size.
It is used to store information on your harddrive.
The size of the cookie can never exeed 4kb.
A cookie has a limited lifetime.

 

 
Are cookies dangerous?
 
The answer is no.
A cookie is a pure textfile, and can never contain any executable programs or viruses.
Only the webserver that has created the cookie can get it in return.
It is impossible for anybody else that does not have actual access to your computer to snoop around among your cookies and therefore see which sites you have visited.
However, some cookies do assign you a unique identifier.
That means you will be identified when you return to the website.
Some identify you personaly (i.e. Doubleclick.
 
  Please visit the www.lavasoft.de website were you can find a more info about Spyware.
  They also have a complete overview and company profiles of known spyware production companies.
 
With more advertising companies using cookies, more Internet users are deleting them.
Note:
Unfortunately, most PC/Windows computer's are connected to the internet "straight out of the box".
Such computers are easily accessed at any time by anyone on the internet.
To see if your computer is publicly accessable go to  www.grc.com and look for the following link;
 "Shields Up!  Can anyone crawl onto your computer when your on the internet?"

 

 
How long will a cookie remain on your system?
 
A cookie does not stay on your system forever.
Normally the cookie will be stored in your computer's Random Access Memory (RAM), and will be deleted as soon as you close your browser.
Anyhow there are cookies that wil not be deleted, unless you do it manually.
 

 
What is a secure cookie?
 
This kind of cookie can only be written to your system if your connection is encrypted.
 

 
Note:  Please visit the Ad-aware forum at http://www.morelerbe.com/cgi-bin/ubb-cgi/Ultimate.cgi if you have a question that is not covered in this document.
 

 
This page was taken from the Help file of Ad-Aware 4.1 by LavaSoft.

 

If you want more information on any program's option Right-click the item and choose WHAT'S THIS?

      -OR-      

If you want more information on any program's option press the Tab key until the item has the
dashed square enclosing it (some items may be high-lighted blue instead) then press the F1 key.

 

This website was tested with Internet Explorer 5 under Windows 95a at 800 x 600 video resolution (24-bit True Colour).

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