Cookie Question

[rtcatfish]

I’m trying to settle a discussion. I had cookies on my PC from places like horoscopes, travel, and hotels and I never went to any of those type of sites. My question is, cant a cookie appear without going to that site? Is it adware, spy ware or a tracking cookie from a banner or popup? Thanks in advance for any help.

[mjc]

I’m trying to settle a discussion. I had cookies on my PC from places like horoscopes, travel, and hotels and I never went to any of those type of sites. My question is, cant a cookie appear without going to that site?

Yes, banners, frames and other techniques can be used to place cookies from sites other than the one you are directly visiting.

Is it adware, spy ware or a tracking cookie from a banner or popup? Thanks in advance for any help.

It can be any/all of the above. Most often, though it is a 'tracking cookie'...the banner host drops a cookie that says basically you saw banner X at site A on day W at xx:yy:zz hrs.

If your browser allows, set it to only receive cookies from the originating site...that will dramatically reduce the number of cookies from banners and such.

[Sylvander]

"set it to only receive cookies from the originating site..."
Does that mean I should untick "Accept third-party cookies" in Firefox?
.

[mjc]

Yes...third party cookies would be the ones from banners and such.

[sassie05]

Sylvander,
What version of FF are you running?
I'm on ver. 2.0.0.17
I don't seem to have that option??
2794

[Fruss Tray Ted]

You should be using the latest FF which is 3.0.3 at this time.

Curious minds just want to know. these cookies,,, any good with milk? :p

http://www.michael-noll.com/w/images/Cookie-monster-workflow.gif

[George Hallam]

hahaha you crack me up :p

[sassie05]

Updated and now I have that option.:)

Now I can not access my web based email @ Yahoo unless I have that option enabled. Geez:(

[Sylvander]

Yep, 3.0.3 is what I have. :)