Cookies were created to maintain user information and to customize Web sites. In many cases, they make it easier to navigate and use the Internet. For instance, upon your first visit to a site you are often asked to register by giving your name and a password for access to that site. The site will then place a cookie on your hard drive, which contains that information. When you return to that site, the cookie is retrieved and read and the web site "recognizes" you as an authorized guest. This means that you only have to register once, instead of having to enter information every time you access the site.

Because cookies allow a site to know who you are, they can customize information for you. It’s like having a door attendant recognize you, greet you by name, and ask about your family. Or like going into a store where the salesperson knows you personally and knows your preferences so he or she is able to present you with customized merchandise in order to make your shopping easier.

Cookies cannot be used to get data or view data off your hard drive. Cookies do not give anyone access to your computer or any personal information about you unless you have given that information to the web site by answering questions or filling in a form. For example, the site cannot determine your e-mail name or your address unless you choose to type it. Cookies cannot give your computer a virus. Allowing a Web site to create a cookie does not give that or any other site access to the rest of your computer. Only the site that created the cookie can read it. And yet, cookies have a very bad reputation.

The reason that cookies have gotten so much bad press recently is that cookies represent a potential loss of privacy. Cookies, by design are meant to work invisibly. They are used to track people and their activities and that makes many people uncomfortable. Cookies can potentially be used to build detailed profiles of your interests, spending habits and lifestyle. An innocent use of this information might be to target advertising campaigns to specific groups or individuals. However, it is scary to contemplate the fact that some individual or group might be able to accumulate information about our private activities and personal preferences. There is a possibility that some unscrupulous group could potentially accumulate such information and sell it to companies to be used for their own purposes.

Cookies are like a personal tag or tracer. Some people see this as the most invasive of privacy. However, you must realize that every time you log on to a web site you give away a lot of information. Any web site that you visit can determine your:

If you are concerned about accepting cookies, you can change the settings in your browser regarding cookies. Look through the menus and find the "Preference" or "Options" choice to change the setting. Most versions of Netscape Navigator and older versions of Internet Explorer have three different settings. You can disable all cookies, accept all cookies, or have the browser warn you before accepting a cookie.

Internet Explorer Version 5.0 goes one step further. It allows you to specify different settings for different security zones. For example, you might want to allow Web sites to create cookies if they are in your Trusted sites, but prompt you before creating cookies if they are in your Internet zone, and never allow cookies if they are in your Restricted sites zone. While this approach is more complicated for the end user, it does give you more control over the use of cookies. So if you are concerned about cookies, using Internet Explorer 5.0, may be helpful to you.

You can also delete all of the cookie files that are already on your hard disk. In most versions of Internet Explorer, the cookies are found in a cookie folder inside the Windows folder. You can delete everything in the cookie file without harming anything else in your computer.

Most versions of Netscape keep cookies in a file in the Netscape folder called cookies.txt or magiccookie on the Mac. This file is where all the all the cookie entries are found. You can delete the contents of this file regardless of the warning at the top of the page. If you cannot find the cookie files or folders use the find option on the Start Button in Windows 95/98 or use Finder on the Mac to locate the files.

Many, many web sites are using cookies today. If you want to see just how many cookies are being used, set your browser to warn you before a cookie is set. I guarantee you that you will quickly tire of seeing these notices. Also, be advised that if you refuse to accept cookies, some sites will not allow you access.

If you are really concerned about cookies you can stop them with software made especially for that purpose. A few of the good cookie gobbling programs available are: Cookie Cruncher, Cookie Cutter, and PGPcookie.cutter.

The main concern about cookies is that they work without anyone's knowledge or permission. Some people consider the use of this information harmless, but some find the gathering of information in this manner invasive to their privacy. I, personally, do not mind the use of cookies, but I fear that this loss of privacy, however small, may lead to more loss of privacy as technology continues its onward march into our lives.

 

Recommended reading
PCTNT Security Page	Understand the dangers of the Internet
PCTNT TECH NEWS	PCTNT Documentation and information