What are "Unwanted cookies" means?

Question

I run my antivirus program and after scanning there are unwanted cookies detected, but it was deleted by the antivirus. My question is can this cookies harm my computer if not detected? and how did i get it? thanks

Answer 1

The cookies will not harm you computer, most of the unwanted cookies contain the records of your transition (maybe banking information, account number/s, personal ID, or even password). Cookies will not over-write anything on your computer, but may transmit some private information of yours to the websites that issue the cookies. The anti-virus program simply acts the best interest to you as removing all of the possible risks away from you! Schedule the anti-virus to scan regularly, and receive the most benefit from what you paid for.

Answer 2

Cookies come from web pages and help identify your computer to the site's server. Some cookies are useful, like those that recall your preferences for certain websites. Other cookies aren't so good and are capable of tracking what you do while on the Internet. These you want to get rid of.

Don't worry about deleting cookies... you'll get them back again by simply revisiting the websites.

You dump them and they'll come back. You can create an exception list in your AV software so that it'll leave the ones you choose, intact.

I have yahoo cookies added to my exception list because I want my Yahoo to have a specific color scheme whenever I go there.

Answer 3

This will explain cookies.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/cookie.htm
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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.
Also see session cookie and persistent cookie.

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.

The name cookie derives from UNIX objects called magic cookies. These are tokens that are attached to a user or program and change depending on the areas entered by the user or program.

See What You Need to Know About Cookies in the Did You Know . . . ? section of Webopedia.

Also see Do Cookies Compromise Security? in the Did You Know . . . ? section of Webopedia.
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Check out the other articles shown for more information on cookies.

Answer 4

Usually not. Cookies are short programs downloaded to your computer to facilitate the downloading and execution of whatever you have accessed. Assuming you want to download this
again, the cooky is retained in your computer. The antivirus program, not knowing what you downloaded, considers the cooky as a virus.