I've just switched from Spybot to SUPERantiSpyware and have found 808 of the little rotters!!LOL
2007-12-13 23:10:03 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
LOL!! Edit: Tracking Cookies = 964
Total nasties = 985:-(
2007-12-14 01:13:49 · update #1
Santa tracks cookies,so why shouldnt you!!
2007-12-13 23:17:31 · answer #1 · answered by the gr8t one 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cookies are just small .txt (text) files that by themselves cannot hurt your computer. Cookies are "set" by almost every web-site that you visit, on every visit. You can delete all your cookies today and by tomorrow you will have dozens again just be visiting web-sites.
Cookies do NOT slow down a computer, at least the first million or so that you might have on your computer!
They are not a virus or spyware, BUT some people consider "tracking" cookies to be an invasion of privacy.
Tracking cookies are usually "3rd party cookies" from advertising servers. They can track your movements around the web in order to deliver to you customized, targeted advertising.
It all depends on ones personal level of paranoia, whether one considers tracking cookies some kind of threat. Some anti-spyware programs do not even report tracking cookies as even a minor threat.
If you are using Internet Explorer for a browser, you can permanently block all 3rd party (tracking) cookies. Go to tools > internet options > privacy > advanced > check-mark "override automatic cookie handling" > third party cookies > tick "block" > ok > ok.
Children are about the only people that are always nervous about cookies. Because cookies are an easy way for Mommy and Daddy to find out exactly what their darling 'lil b@$^@#d$ have been looking at on the web.
Personally, If I happen to remember it, I will delete my cookies every 6 months or so :-)
Cookies are much ado about nothin'.
2007-12-14 10:32:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Everyone worries about cookies but they aren't really bad. They just store a little information.
if you by something from an on line store the cookie might have info on what you bought in the past
Or some hold your login information so you don't have to type it in each time you go there.
The only time I have had trouble with cookies is when I got too many of them stored into my temp Internet file and then different things didn't work correctly.
But if you ever have a problem just clean out your temp Internet file and all the cookies and start from scratch.
2007-12-14 07:19:22 · answer #3 · answered by chuckbaker11 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well Elric, i use SUPERantispyware and i trust it to keep my computer clean, and it does a good job, all tracking cookies are declared spyware, but some more than others, the good ones are the ones that say "Hello you, I will help you load your selected page quicker", the bad ones are the ones which say "hello, I'm from such and such advertising agency and i am going to make sure our adds pop up on every web page you visit, because i know exactly where you go".
2007-12-14 07:18:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tracking Cookies are not necessarily bad....
Personally, I'm not exactly worried about them: unless you’ve shared your personal information, the tracking cookies are only going to report browsing habits which helps generate a bunch of marketing statistics.
What is a Tracking Cookie
http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/07/20/what-is-a-tracking-cookie/
How to Block Tracking Cookies
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/16/AR2005071600111.html
Cookies + Tracking
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie#Tracking
2007-12-14 07:21:46 · answer #5 · answered by JA12 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
no there not a web site will download tracking cookies onto your computer so it can pretty much keep track of you.
For example: if i went to a website ans signed in and then i left that website and later came back that is because the web site installed a tracking cookie to remember me.
so it wold be a good idea to keep them off unless you don't mind being signed out of everything. = )
2007-12-14 07:17:20 · answer #6 · answered by Flyboy 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
they can be...websites put them on u'r pc 2 track your whereabouts. i think people can use them to to take control. here have a cookie its chocolate chip
2007-12-14 18:24:54 · answer #7 · answered by xxxxxtenthousandtearsxxxxx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
delete the blighters some contain code for adware and spyware
2007-12-14 07:19:29 · answer #8 · answered by madderstill 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get rid of them,they only take up space,are no good to you and could cause a security risk.
2007-12-14 07:24:21 · answer #9 · answered by shane c 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
if you have a good antivirus package, may be you shouldn't delete everything...
however if you are not confident of they are and are tracking, then you are better off deleting them than be sorry!
2007-12-14 08:27:10 · answer #10 · answered by King 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋