Someone told me that cookies will give my computer a virus, is that true.?

Question

I have trouble opening up some cards, that uses Macro Flash, and some of them say you need cookies. I'm not very good at this so I hope you can understand this.

Answer 1

Hey there!!
Here's some interesting lowdown on cookies -

A Cookie is a message given to a Web browser by a Web server. The browser stores the message in a text file. The message is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized Web pages for them. When you enter a Web site using cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form providing such information as your name and interests. This information is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser which stores it for later use. The next time you go to the same Web site, your browser will send the cookie to the Web server. The server can use this information to present you with custom Web pages. So, for example, instead of seeing just a generic welcome page you might see a welcome page with your name on it.

Cookies do not act maliciously on computer systems. They are merely text files that can be deleted at any time - they are not plug ins nor are they programs. Cookies cannot be used to spread viruses and they cannot access your hard drive. This does not mean that cookies are not relevant to a user's privacy and anonymity on the Internet. Cookies cannot read your hard drive to find out information about you; however, any personal information that you give to a Web site, including credit card information, will most likely be stored in a cookie unless you have turned off the cookie feature in your browser. In only this way are cookies a threat to privacy. The cookie will only contain information that you freely provide to a Web site.

So, basically other than eating up some space on your hard drive, a cookie is basically harmless!!

To clear cookies from time to time - Go to Tools >Internet Options> Click on "Delete Cookies" and click OK on the new window which comes up > Click on "Delete files" and on the new window which comes up, check the option which says "Delete all offline content" and click OK.

Dont worry!! Surf and enjoy!!

Answer 2

Macs do not get viruses, however they do get malware. A virus is a type of malware that replicates and sends itself to other computers. Due to apple's low market share, it is not reasonable to expect an infected mac to have contact details of many other macs, so programs written to infect macs do not attempt to replicate themselves and therefore cannot technically be considered a virus . Although far less common, malware does exist for macs- again this is mostly due to market share(why write a virus with so little potential?). Unfortunately market share is a double-edge sword- little malware exists, but there are even fewer security programs so if you do get infected it isnt nearly as easy to get rid of. If apple's market share increases, you will start seeing more viruses. If you are the kind of person to unknowingly find and download viruses on a pc, you will probably also manage to get them on a mac. I've had a pc for 13years and never had a virus whereas my sister downloads them on a regular basis. Whether you get a mac or keep your pc, you should really google something like "how to avoid malware". If you decide to get a mac you should know that you will be paying more for a slower computer(compared to buying a new pc) and that you'll loose a lot of compatibility. You should first see if your favorite games and programs have a mac version.

Answer 3

Hi,

Not really. Basically a cookie is a link of communication between your computer and the other computer running the website. Depending on the place you go to it may monitor some settings such as internet browsing and some light information about your computer specs and activities for surveying purposes usually but not to send a virus.

Hope that helps you out.

Answer 4

nopr that cant but some cookies are going to slow you down come some cookies come in as spyware it is always best to clean out that cookies box and check for spyware day by day and run antivierus update keep all antispyware upto date when checking for spyware virus or tarjns . scan the pc in safemode as some back door trojans can hide with in windows and ur software scan will miss them

Answer 5

Highly unlikely. The worst that can happen with cookies is tracking, and anti-spyware programmes will get rid of those for you.
http://www.cookiecentral.com/faq/#2.4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie

Answer 6

no they cannot

some cookies can temporarily track your website browsing (between one site to another), but virus's? No

It's easier just to get an antivirus program and turn your cookies on. Everyone likes cookies! Yum!

Answer 7

Some times. but it you have anti virus program running in the back of the computer , you don't have to worry about that.

Answer 8

Some cookies can be infected but most are harmless. Just run your anti-virus and anti-spyware daily.

Answer 9

It depends on what kind of cookies you're trying to feed it. My laptop prefers oatmeal raisin,but the desk top upstairs likes chocolate chip,go figure!

Answer 10

they can but mostly they just slow the computer down because cookies take up a lot of your cpu (the part of your computer that processes input and programs, like a brain).