What are the advantages of cookies?

Un cookie conține informații care fac legătură între un web-browser (utilizatorul) și un web-server anume (website-ul). Dacă un browser accesează acel web-server din nou, acesta poate citi informația deja stocată și reacționa în consecință. Cookie-urile asigură userilor o experiență plăcută de navigare și susțin eforturile multor websiteuri pentru a oferi servicii confortabile utilizatorillor: ex – preferințele în materie de confidențialitate online, opțiunile privind limba site-ului, coșuri de cumpărături sau publicitate relevantă.

What is the lifetime of a cookie?

Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifetime of a cookie can vary significantly, depending on the purpose for which it is placed. Some cookies are used exclusively for a single session (session cookies) and are no longer retained once the user has left the website and some cookies are retained and reused each time the user returns to that website ('permanent cookies'). However, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time via the browser settings.

What are third party cookies?

Certain sections of content on some websites may be provided through third parties/suppliers (e.g. a news box, a video or an advertisement). These third parties may also place cookies through the site and they are called "third party cookies" because they are not placed by the owner of that website. Third party providers must also comply with applicable law and the privacy policies of the site owner.

What type of information is stored and accessed through cookies?

Cookies store information in a small text file that allows a website to recognize a browser. The web server will recognize the browser until the cookie expires or is deleted. The cookie stores important information that improves the web browsing experience (e.g.: setting the language in which you want to access a site; keeping a user logged into a webmail account; online banking security; keeping products in your shopping cart).

Why are cookies important for the Internet?

Cookies are at the heart of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a user-friendly browsing experience tailored to each user's preferences and interests. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some sites unusable. Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive online advertising - it just means that it will no longer be able to consider your preferences and interests as evidenced by your browsing behavior.

Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require a user to log in via an account):

• Content and services tailored to user preferences - news categories, weather, sports, maps, public and government services, entertainment sites and travel services.
• Offers tailored to user interests - password retention, language preferences (e.g. displaying search results in English).
• Retention of child protection filters on Internet content (family mode options, safe search functions).
• Limiting the frequency of ads - limiting the number of times an ad is displayed for a given user on a site.
• Providing more relevant advertising to the user.
• Measurement, optimization and analytics features - such as confirming a certain level of traffic to a website, what type of content is being viewed and how a user gets to a website (e.g. via search engines, directly, from other websites etc.). Websites run these usage analytics to improve their websites for the benefit of users.

Security and privacy issues

Cookies are NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of pieces of code so they cannot be executed or auto-run. Consequently, they cannot be duplicated or replicated on other networks to run or replicate themselves again. Since they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses. Cookies can however be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about users' preferences and browsing history, both on a particular site and on many other sites, cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this fact and constantly flag cookies for deletion as part of anti-virus/anti-spyware deletion/scanning procedures. In general, browsers have built-in privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity period and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular site.

Other security issues related to cookies

As identity protection is very valuable and is the right of every internet user, it is advisable to know what possible problems cookies can create. Because cookies constantly transmit information back and forth between the browser and the website, if an attacker or unauthorized person intervenes in the data transmission path, the information contained in the cookie can be intercepted. Although very rare, this can happen if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g. an unsecured Wi-Fi network). Other cookie-based attacks involve incorrect cookie settings on servers. If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers can use this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending information through unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information to gain unauthorized access to certain websites. It is very important to be careful in choosing the most appropriate method of protecting personal information. Tips for safe and responsible browsing based on cookies. Because of their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited and largest sites use cookies, they are almost unavoidable. Disabling cookies will not allow the user access to the most popular and widely used sites including YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo and others.

Here are a few tips to ensure that you can browse worry-free but with cookies:

• Customize your browser's cookie settings to reflect a level of cookie security that is comfortable for you.
• If you don't mind cookies and you are the only person using your computer, you can set monthly expiration times for storing browsing history and personal access data.
• If you share access to your computer, you may consider setting your browser to delete your individual browsing data each time you close the browser. This is one option to access sites that place cookies and delete any visit information when you close your browsing session.
• Install and constantly update anti-spyware applications. Many spywares detection and prevention applications include detection of attacks on websites. This prevents your browser from accessing websites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software.
• Make sure your browser is always up to date. Many cookie-based attacks exploit weaknesses in older versions of browsers. Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the best and biggest sites on the Internet - local or international. With a clear understanding of how they work and the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures so that you can surf the internet with confidence.

How can I stop cookies?

Users can configure their browser to reject cookies. Disabling and refusing to receive cookies may make certain sites unusable or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing to accept cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive/view online advertising. It is possible to set your browser not to accept cookies or you can set your browser to accept cookies from a specific site. But, for example, if you are not registered using cookies, you will not be able to leave comments. All modern browsers offer the possibility to change cookie settings. These settings are usually found in the "options" or "preferences" menu of your browser. To understand these settings, you can use the browser's "help" option to find out more details (for example, search for the following terms, depending on your browser:

• Internet Explorer: http://windows.microsoft.com/ro-ro/internet-explorer/delete-manage-cookies#ie=ie-11
• Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/ro/kb/activarea-și-dezactivarea-cookie-urilor
• Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=ro
• Safari: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1677

For third party cookie settings, you can also visit: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/More information about cookies can be found at www.allaboutcookies.org or http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro.