Cookies are small files created by web servers and stored on a user\'s computer.
ID: 3906591 • Letter: C
Question
Cookies are small files created by web servers and stored on a user's computer. The privacy and security implications of cookie usage has been a source of debate. Some people feel that cookies pose privacy and security risks, while others argue that cookies are not invasive and are vital to improving user experience.
1. Do you think cookies pose privacy or security risks? Why or why not?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of cookies for both consumers, or users, and website developers?
3. Do you think the advantages of using cookies outweigh the disadvantages? Explain your answer.
Explanation / Answer
cookies pose privacy or security risks?
Yes,Unfortunately ! the original intent of the cookie has been subverted by some unscrupulous entities who have found a way to use this process to actually track your movements across the Web. They do this by surreptitiously planting their cookies and then retrieving them in such a way that allows them to build detailed profiles of your interests, spending habits, and lifestyle.
One more terms are there for threat called as Cookie Hijacking.
he term “cookie hijacking” simply refers to a situation where an impostor (a hacker, perhaps using an untrusted application) gains unauthorized access to cookies. Therefore, cookie hijacking, by itself, does not refer to unauthorized access to protected web resources. When the cookies being hijacked are session cookies, then cookie hijacking potentially increases the threat of unauthorized access to protected web resources, depending upon how the system is configured.
Advantages or cookies :
One of the most advantages of the cookies is their persistence , When the cookie is set on the client’s browser , it can persist for days , months or years , This makes it easy to save user preferences & visit information , The cookies are stored on the client’s hard disk , so , if the server crashes , the cookies are still available .
The cookies do not only remember which websites you have been to , They remember the information about forms , They can fill out the address forms quick & efficient , Most online shopping websites allow the cookies for the address & email information but they make you fill out your credit card information each time .
The cookies can serve up the personalized content which is geared towards that specific user’s preferences , Amazon uses the cookies to provide you with related products , Google uses the cookies to better understand your searches , and Facebook uses the cookies to do just about everything .
Many companies collect the data from the cookies to run the marketing campaigns aimed at a very specific market segment including the product group , geolocation , search term & the demographics .
Disadvantages or cookies :
As mentioned previously, cookies are not secure as they are stored in clear text they may pose a possible security risk as anyone can open and tamper with cookies. You can manually encrypt and decrypt cookies, but it requires extra coding and can affect application performance because of the time that is required for encryption and decryption
Several limitations exist on the size of the cookie text(4kb in general), number of cookies(20 per site in general), etc.
User has the option of disabling cookies on his computer from browser’s setting .
Cookies will not work if the security level is set to high in the browser.
Users can delete a cookies.
Users browser can refuse cookies,so your code has to anticipate that possibility.
Complex type of data not allowed (e.g. dataset etc). It allows only plain text (i.e. cookie allows only string content)
Do you think the advantages of using cookies outweigh the disadvantages ?
No, As website can be visited even though if cookie storage is disabled. But if enabled may leads to many security issue and leak of personal information, That makes cookie more danger than beneficiar.