The use of Internet cookies, also known as web cookies or browser cookies, is essential in the new age of the Internet, but on the other hand, its use violates the privacy of users. In this article, we are going to see what a cookie is, how it works on a computer, how it works on a website, whether it can be dangerous, and whether it can be disabled.
Utilizing HTTP cookies (the most common type of cookie ) is essential today to facilitate and speed up web browsing. HTTP cookies, which are actually packets of data, help developers make it easier for users to access their websites, as well as allow sites to access a range of user information.
HTTP cookies allow websites to remember users’ identities, the number of times they visit websites, the items they add to the shopping cart of online stores, and other information. Although HTTP cookies help facilitate users ‘access to websites, they are also a valuable treasure trove of users’ personal information that can also spy on the user and infringe on his or her privacy.
Protecting privacy in cyberspace is a difficult task today. Even a simple cookie introduction can help you stay alert to your online activities and prevent your privacy from being compromised.
What is a cookie?
Cookies are actually text files with small amounts of data (such as usernames and passwords) that are used to identify your computer when you log on to the Internet. Specific cookies, known as HTTP cookies, are used to identify specific users on the web and improve their browsing experience. The data stored in cookies is generated by the webserver. The data stored in the cookie is labeled with an ID specific to you and your computer.
When different cookies are exchanged between your computer and the server of the site you are visiting, the server accesses your ID and thus provides you with specific information.
Different types of cookies
Cookies are divided into two categories: Magic Cookies and HTTP Cookies. Both types of cookies have the same function, but different uses.
The term magic cookies or magic cookies are old words in the field of computers and refer to those information packages that are sent and received without change. These cookies are commonly used to log into computer systems (databases). Lou Montulli, a leading web browser design and development programmer, first invented and used magic cookies in 1994. To solve the problem of heavy load on the servers of an online store, he created these cookies as a tool in browsers.
HTTP cookies are the same cookies used today for easier access to websites; Unfortunately, these cookies can also be used to spy on people with malicious intent and to steal personal information.
What are HTTP cookies?
HTTP cookies, or specific Internet cookies, are created specifically for web browsers to track, personalize, and store information related to how long each user has been visiting a website.
Cookies are created to identify you when you visit a new website. When a user logs into a website, the website server, where all the website information is stored, provides the browser with a small amount of information related to his / her identity. Once this is done, browser cookies are identified and read by name-value pairs, which specify where the cookies should be sent and specify the data to be called.
Servers only send cookies to browsers when browsers want to save them. Browsers store cookies on users’ devices to remember the value-number pair that identifies users.
If the user revisits a previously visited website after a period of time, the browser returns the data in the form of a cookie to the website server. The browser provides this data to the website server in order to retrieve information related to the duration of the user’s previous visits to a website.
If we want to define cookies with a simple and understandable example, I must say that the process of creating them and using them is just like when you deliver something to the safe. Let’s follow the steps to create and use cookies with the steps of delivering a product to the safe and receiving that product from the box.
- Delivery of goods to the person in charge of the safe deposit box: At this stage, when the user enters a website, a packet is created in the website server and assigned to the user. These packages can contain information related to your account, merchandise added to an online store, or just information related to the web page you have visited.
- Receiving a receipt from the person in charge of the safe deposit box: In this step, your own cookie is created and stored in the browser. The saved cookie has a unique ID to identify you.
- Receipt of goods delivered to the inbox was provided: If you enter a website that you have already visited, the browser will provide you with your own cookie and the website will access your unique ID to provide information about your activity in the box. Retrieve the website and call and load the page you were visiting when you left the website.
Cookie applications in browsers
Websites use HTTP cookies to enhance the web browsing experience. If you do not use cookies, if you create an account on a website, after each login you must enter your username and password and log in to your account or when in an online store adding products to You are in your shopping cart and accidentally close the page, after opening that page again you have to add your desired goods to your shopping cart; Therefore, the use of cookies is very important to facilitate web browsing. Here are some of the most important uses for cookies:
Provide the desired information to the user when visiting a website
Websites can use cookies to identify users and retrieve information about their access to the website and their favorite information to users; For example, they provide sports reports to some users and other political reports.
Personalize the content being displayed
Personalizing the content displayed on websites based on the tastes, interests and needs of each user is one of the main uses of cookies. When you visit different websites, you usually see the goods you want to buy or the content with specific topics that you usually follow or are interested in.
Tracking information
Online stores use cookies to track items that visitors have visited, and in this way products similar to those that visitors have visited before, or may need, are displayed to specific users. Such items may even be automatically added to their cart when users are shopping for other items.
Disadvantages of cookies
Cookies also have disadvantages that can not be ignored in any way. These packets are stored in the user’s computer memory and take up a lot of space over time in order to save server storage space and reduce the cost of data protection and storage. Also, as I said, the information stored in cookies can be a big threat to your privacy and personal information.
Different types of HTTP cookies
Cookies in the cyber world are divided into two categories: “Session cookies” and “Persistent cookies” with a slight difference.
Session cookies
These cookies are used only when the user is visiting a website, and in fact the term “session” refers to the length of time the user is visiting the website. These cookies are stored only in the device’s RAM and are not transferred to its main memory. These cookies are automatically deleted when the user leaves the content of the site being visited.
This type of cookie also triggers the back button in browsers (left arrow next to the browser’s address bar) as well as other anonymizer plugins called anonymizer plugins, designed in some browsers to protect users’ privacy. To work better.
Persistent cookies
These browsers remain indefinitely in the computer memory and are therefore called permanent; Of course, some of these cookies have a specific expiration date and are automatically deleted when they expire.
Persistent cookies are used for two main purposes, as follows:
- Authentication: Browsers sometimes use these cookies to see if a particular user has logged in to a website and what username they have entered when they log in. These cookies are used to store user account information; Therefore, if you use them, users no longer need to remember their passwords to log in to various websites.
- Tracking users: Persistent cookies can be used to track the simultaneous visits of multiple users to a website. E-commerce merchants can use these cookies to track visits by a particular user, such as web pages or specific goods. They can use the information obtained from these cookies to suggest products that users may be interested in, and gradually create a list of a particular user’s favorite products based on their browsing history.
What makes cookies dangerous?
The cookies themselves are not inherently dangerous; But as we said, their information does not change and this feature can become a dangerous feature; Although they can not infect computers with viruses and malware; But hackers can take control of cookies through some cyber attacks and access the information stored when you visit various websites, so that they can easily track users’ browsing history.
To better understand this, let’s see what information cookies can be used to track. In this respect, cookies can be divided into two categories: “First-party cookies” and “Third-party cookies”.
- First-person cookies: These cookies are created by the websites you are visiting, and as long as you only visit reputable websites or websites that have not been cyber-attacked before, you are not at risk from these cookies.
- Third-party cookies: These cookies are more dangerous than first-person cookies. They are created by websites that differ from websites visited by users (such as websites and web pages that provide ads that link to another website or page). A page contains 10 advertising links containing 10 cookies that can be used by companies active in the field of advertising or data analysis to track the user’s browsing history through websites containing links (even if the user does not click on advertising links and similar links, cookies can still Be used to track information).
Third-party cookies can change the user’s browsing path and redirect them to websites that they did not intend to access at all. “Zombie cookies” are a type of third-party cookies that are permanently installed on the user’s computer (even if the user does not want to install them); They can still be created even if they are deleted by the user (hence the name zombies!).
The zombie cookie was first created with data stored in the Adobe Flash storage bin, which is why it is also called the Flash cookie and is very difficult to delete. This type of cookie can be used like other types of cookies to track the user’s browsing history by advertising and data analytics companies. Some websites use zombie cookies to prevent certain users from logging in.
Should we use cookies or not?
As mentioned, cookies can be used to facilitate web browsing; But if you want, you can disable them on your computers or mobile devices, or at least restrict their activity; Of course, the advantages of cookies outweigh their disadvantages, and the risk of using them is not so great that it can be a reason to ignore their usefulness to speed up and facilitate web browsing.
To authorize the use of cookies in your browser, after entering the privacy player in your browser settings, check the Allow all cookies option or similar options such as Allow local data or uncheck it to enable or disable cookies, you can also select the option Disable Block third-party cookies or similar third-party cookies.
Enable or disable cookies page in Google Chrome
Some websites also ask users about their willingness to use or not to use cookies to improve their browsing experience when they first visit them.
Ask a website user about their willingness or unwillingness to use cookies to improve their browsing experience
In the settings related to cookies in browsers, you can also apply the desired customizations for cookies; These customizations include adding or deleting websites that you want to always use cookies, adding or deleting sites that you can never use cookies at all, and adding or deleting sites where you want cookies to always use cookies. They are cleared after their windows are closed (Always clear cookies when windows are closed). You can make these changes in the Customization section and add or remove the websites you want using the Add or Remove options.
What is a cookie?
HTTP cookies allow websites to recall users’ identities, the number of times they log in, the items they add to the online shopping cart, and other information.
What are the uses of cookies?
The main uses of cookies include facilitating the identification of individuals when they enter various websites, providing appropriate information to each user according to their tastes and interests, or providing the goods required by each user to them in online stores.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of cookies?
The advantages of using cookies include improving the web browsing experience and facilitating and speeding up web browsing and its disadvantages include the possibility of tracking users’ personal and identity information by advertising companies and information analysts and hackers through this.
