We use the Internet daily to find information about users, products, and organizations. What do we need it for? Ordinary people need it for interest, to communicate, to buy a product, or to get answers to their questions. Law companies and online stores must expand their business and increase traffic and sales. All these are natural processes of modern life, and we are used to them. But what do you do with intrusive advertising windows that pop up when you go to specific sites? It’s about cookies. What is it, why are they collected, and will they not harm users if you agree to them? Is it possible to enter a site without consent to collect your data, and what are the ways to identify a malicious platform? We will answer all these questions in our material.
The concept of “secret” files
Cookies are text data about any user visiting an Internet resource, such as buyers, readers, customers, clients, employees, etc. They are stored in a particular folder in the browser, and when you try to go to the same site, they are automatically updated. They contain important information about the visitor, including:
- location data;
- IP address;
- login and password that is used to access a particular resource;
- e-mail address;
- currency and language selected by the visitor on the first visit;
- favorites and product preferences.
This system was patented in 1994, and a law regulates the provision for collecting special files. In other words, each site must ask the person if he agrees to the information collection and only then collect the data, which will be stored in a special folder called Cookies.
The technology is now present in every browser, so there is no way to avoid it. You just need to be responsible for whether you need to go to a portal where cookies are requested or whether you should first investigate it for fraud. After all, it happens: fictitious sites threaten cybersecurity and try to extract information to get the e-mail addresses of Internet users. Therefore, before agreeing to it, find out if it is safe.
Dangerous or safe cookies: can you recognize the difference
So, is it safe to set cookies? Unfortunately, no. Of course, they don’t carry risks here and now compared to virus programs. A cookie is just a text file that can’t affect the OS in any way.
However, the security of cookies is still very much in question. The technology that was supposed to help the user increasingly turned against him. That’s why site owners were obliged to warn about using cookies so that a person understands certain risks. But, as a rule, such an offer, covering most of the screen, is equipped with only one button, “accept.” And until you agree to the collection of information, normal browsing of the site will be impossible. To eliminate the inconvenience, 90% of users agree and voluntarily put their data at risk.
Identification and search for important information through the program
Data collection technology, of course, makes it easier to share information between programs, people, sites, and users. For example, there are third-party cookies that online retailers use to analyze and determine the number of visitors, their interests, and so on, which generally gives an overall view of the target audience. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to clean a particular folder in the browser with cookies every time so that they do not clog the OS, and we also need to ensure that we do not get to the site with hackers and scammers. And if you get caught, then you should erase the data immediately!
However, before consenting to collect personal information, check your trust in this resource and whether it is essential. The software X-Ray Contact helps identify people, sites, and organizations (by name, photo, email address) and quickly determine how dangerous a particular content is. The software can be downloaded to your phone and used as an application. A vast database stored on servers is available in one place, and it is free to install. Such an effective way will increase safety on the Internet, and you can easily enjoy all the benefits of modern communication without fear for your property, health, and life.
