Cookie

Small data file dropped by a website

A cookie is a small file dropped by a website onto a system that has visited it, to record their visit. When a user returns to a site, the cookie can be read to determine the user's site preferences, login information etc., so that the user can remain logged into the site across several visits.

The dangers of cookies are that malicious sites may drop tracking cookies, or may even attempt to gather information from cookies relating to other sites, potentially gathering sensitive personal information.

Most browsers allow the user to control and limit cookies, and to remove them after a certain period.

Poll

Do you use the same password(s) across multiple websites?
I use the same password for all sites
I have a number of passwords but use the same for some sites
I use a different password for each site
I don't sign up to any sites that require a password

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Virus Bulletin

In this month's magazine:
  • Social networking meets social engineering
  • Flying solo
  • Geneva convention
  • 7th German Anti Spam Summit 2009
  • Anti-phishing landing page: turning a 404 into a teachable moment
  • An update on spamming botnets: are we losing the war?
  • Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition SP2 x86
Virus Bulletin 10 2009
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