Internet Security ABC - Are You an Enabler? What Enabling Cookies

Are You an Enabler? What Enabling Cookies Really means to your Computer's Security

Some, because of privacy concerns, have put cookies in the same class as spyware and adware. They are not harmful to your computer but cookies do provide capabilities that make surfing the Web much easier. Almost every major site uses cookies because they provide a better experience and makes it easier to collect accurate information about the visitors to the site. A cookie is said to be a program that sits on your computer gathering information. It gathers everything you do on the Internet and whenever the Web site wants the information, all it has to do is download the information from the cookie. This is untrue. Cookies aren't programs; they can't gather any information on their own or collect personal information from your computer.

A cookie is a piece of text that a Web server stores on the users hard disk. It allows the web site to store information on

the users' computer and then later recover. What it does is, gives you an individual ID that identifies you whenever you visit that Web site. It can remember names and passwords that automatically log you on to your favorite site. Most sites only store that one-piece of information on their web site and that is your user ID. A web site can only recover the information it placed on your computer. It can't retrieve information from other cookie files or any other information from your computer.

Cookies do not pose a threat to your security and the integrity of your computer system. They are mainly used to help get you into your favorite web sites automatically when you click on to them. You can control this process. You can set your browser to tell you every time a site adds a cookie. You can accept or deny them when asked.

Web sites use cookies to store state information on your machine. This information allows a Web site to remember what state your browser is in and gives you an ID that will help track how many times you visit that particular web site. Web sites can determine how many people actually visit the site by assigning them a unique ID. This unique ID tells them how many visitors have been there, how many were new versus repeat visitors and how many times they have visited.

A cookie will also allow you to personalize a Web site. For instance, you can put in your location and that site will give you the temperature and forecast for your home. It can also give you easier check out options when you are shopping on-line. The cookie contains an ID that contains what you have shopped for previously and stores your credit card information as well as shipping information. This makes it much simpler to go through the check out process. Again, always be sure that you are ordering from a trustworthy site and one with a secure connection. You should see a little lock at the bottom of the tool bar indicating a secure site.

Although cookies are not harmful to your computer or a danger to your system, they do come with a few problems. Any time you have trouble with your browser and call someone in tech support, the first thing they will tell you is to erase all of your temporary internet files. When you do that, you lose all of your cookie files. So when you visit a site again, it thinks you are a new visitor and give you a new ID. Some companies have taken care of this problem by having you register on their sites. If you register, using a user name and a password even if you lose your cookies you can still recover your stored preferences.

In addition, if people share machines, such as in a public area or an office environment if you make a purchase on-line it will store a cookie on that computer. If someone else goes to the same site, they could try to purchase something from the site using your account.

Another problem is if you use more than one computer during the day. I have a personal pc in my office and a laptop that is connected wirelessly to that computer. I use it when I have projects I need to input into the computer while away from home. Any site I visit from either of these computers will track me as two different users.

The only drawback that I could find is that if you buy something online, the company has your personal information and everything you have bought. It can sell your information to other companies who sell similar products. That is what makes junk mail possible. Different sites have different privacy policies so be sure to check them out before you do any transaction. You may decide not to order from that site if it doesn't have a policy against selling personal information.

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