Cookies

Question 1

What are cookies?

Answer 1

Cookies are small files of information that a web server generates and sends to a web browser.

Question 2

How long does a web browser store cookies?

Answer 2

Web browsers store cookies for a predetermined length of time or for the length of the user’s session on the website.

Question 3

How are cookies sent?

Answer 3

Cookies are sent using the HTTP protocol.

Question 4

Where are cookies stored?

Answer 4

Cookies are stored in a designated file on the user’s device.

Question 5

What are some of the things cookies are used for?

Answer 5

User sessions, personalization and tracking.

Question 6

How are cookies used for user sessions?

Answer 6

Cookies help associate website activity with a specific user. A session cookie contains a unique string that matches a user session with relevant content and data for that user.

Question 7

How are cookies used for personalization?

Answer 7

Cookies can be used to help a website remember user actions or preferences which enables the website to customise the users experience. e.g. if you log out of a website your username can be stored in a cookie and sent to your web browser, next time you load the site your browser will send that cookie to the web server.

Question 8

How are cookies used for tracking?

Answer 8

Cookies can record what websites users visit, this information is sent to the server that originated the cookie the next time the browser has to load content from that server. With third-party tracking cookies, this process takes place anytime the browser loads a website that uses that tracking service.

Question 9

What are the different types of cookies?

Answer 9

• Session Cookies
• Persistent Cookies
• Authentication Cookies
• Tracking Cookies
• Zombie Cookies

Question 10

What do session cookies do?

Answer 10

Session cookies allow websites to remember users within a website when they move between web pages. These cookies tell the server what pages to show the user so the user does not have to remember where they left off, or start navigating the site all over again.

Question 11

When are session cookies deleted?

Answer 11

Session cookies are deleted after a user’s session ends - once they log out of their account on a website or exit the website.

Question 12

Do session cookies have an expiration date, why or why not?

Answer 12

Session cookies do not have an expiration date, this signifies to the browser that they should be deleted once the session is over.

Question 13

What do persistent cookies do?

Answer 13

Persistent cookies store information about users across multiple browsing sessions, this allows websites to remember details like login credentials and shopping cart items even after the user has closed their browser.

Question 14

How long do persistent cookies remain in the browser?

Answer 14

Persistent cookies remain in the browser for a predefined length of time. It can range from days to years.

Question 15

Do persistent cookies have an expiration date?

Answer 15

Yes persistent cookies always have an expiration date.

Question 16

What do authentication cookies do?

Answer 16

Authentication cookies ensure that sensitive information is delivered to the correct user sessions by associating user account information with a cookie identifier string.

Question 17

When are authentication cookies generated?

Answer 17

Authentication cookies are generated whenever a user logs in to their account via their browser.

Question 18

What is a cookie identifier string?

Answer 18

A cookie identifier string is a unique alphanumeric code, usually a long string of letters and numbers, that is used to identify a particular user or browser whenever they visit a website.

Question 19

What are tracking cookies generated by?

Answer 19

Tracking cookies are generated by tracking services.

Question 20

What are some things that tracking cookies track?

Answer 20

Tracking cookies can track a users online behaviour, this can include their clicks, sites they visit, their shopping habits, device specifications and location.

Question 21

When do browsers send the data recorded by tracking cookies?

Answer 21

Browsers send the data recorded by tracking cookies the next time they load a website that uses that tracking service.

Question 22

What do zombie cookies do?

Answer 22

Zombie cookies regenerate after they are deleted, they are able to create copies of themselves outside of a browsers typical storage location. They use these copies to reappear after they are deleted.

Question 23

What are zombie cookies used for?

Answer 23

Zombie cookies are used for tracking users without their permission.

Question 24

Can cookies be dangerous?

Answer 24

Yes, cookies cannot infect your device with malware on their own, but criminals can hijack cookies and get access to your browsing data.

Question 25

How much data can be stored in a cookie?

Answer 25

4 Kilobytes can be stored in a cookie.

Question 26

How do you find out how long a persistent cookie is retained?

Answer 26

You can check how long a persistent cookie is retained for by using your browsers developer tools to inspect the cookie details.

Question 27

How are cookies transmitted from the browser to the web server?

Answer 27

Cookies are transmitted in header fields using the HTTP protocol.

Question 28

What is a cookie path?

Answer 28

A cookie path is an attribute that determines which URLs on a domain a cookie is valid for.

Question 29

When creating a cookie how are the numbers counted when setting the expiration date?

Answer 29

exdays*24*60*60*1000 Number of days multiplied by the number of hours in a day, multiplied by the number of minutes in an hour, multiplied by the number of seconds in a minute, multiplied by the number of milliseconds in a second.