Transcript Restoring Privacy, Cleaning Your Computer`s Cookies and Beacons

Restoring Privacy, Cleaning Your
Computer's Cookies and Beacons
Photo by: KayVee.INC
Cookies Historical
• Cookies – Browsers have allowed websites to
store small amounts of information on the
computer.
– Number of visits
– Preferences
– Login
Beacons/Bugs Historical
• 1x1 pixel transparent image
• Track customers across a web site
• Spammers use to determine valid emails
What is tracked?
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IP address – general vicinity of your location
Time you accessed the page / email
Computer type and operating system
The browser you used
Any previous information stored in cookies
they stored
Turning Cookies Off
Browsers allow you to turn cookies off.
However, there is a downside:
Many times the functionality of the website
fails. For example, you may not be able to login
to the site, or preferences are lost, shopping
carts don’t work.
Third Party Cookies
Cookies with a different domain than the site
you are visiting.
Quite often used in advertising to track the
websites you visit.
Clearing Cookies
• Browsers typical allow you to clear the data
stored in normal cookies.
– When the cookie expires
– When you close the browser
– Ask before clearing
Flash Cookies
• Local shared objects (LSO)
• Latest versions of Flash do not allow 3rd party
sharing.
• Much larger data storage
• Little public awareness of LSOs
• Browsers are unaware of LSOs
New Information Collected
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Assess what you are doing on a web
Determine your location
Estimate your income
Determine shopping interests
Assess medical conditions
New Market
Your profiles is built as you browse the web.
Companies buy and sell your profile to target
their specific ads to certain types of individuals.
Google Ad/Preference Video
iPhone / iPad 3G
• Track location (lat/lon) with time stamp and
stored on iPhone or iPad -- Encrypt
Review ebay’s cookie policy
• Take a look at how ebay uses cookies and
beacons
http://pages.ebay.com/help/account/cookiesweb-beacons.html
Discussion
• Is it of concern that advertisers are tracking
you?
Opting Out
http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/
http://privacy.yahoo.com/aim
Companies including Yahoo, Microsoft,
Google and AOL will be adding links to
their European ads that will allow web
surfers to opt out of tracking.
Enhancing Privacy through Software
Better Privacy
Firefox
Addblock Plus
Firefox, Chrome
Abine Privacy Suite
Firefox, IE soon
WOT – FF, Safari, IE,
Chrome, Opera
McAfee Site Advisor
Firefox
Firefox, Safari, Chrome, IE
Tips for Safe Browsing
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Use antivirus software
Keep browser updated
Update Adobe software – Flash, PDF readers
Avoid clicking on malicious ads
Only accept friend requests from those you
know.
Removing Flash Cookies
• Global Storage Settings Panel
http://www.macromedia.com/support/docum
entation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manag
er.html
• Flash announced in January they will provide a
means for browsers to remove flash cookies.
– So far Chrome has adopted
Email Disclaimer
• This message is the property of Time Inc. or its affiliates. It
may be legally privileged and/or confidential and is
intended only for the use of the addressee(s). No addressee
should forward, print, copy, or otherwise reproduce this
message in any manner that would allow it to be viewed by
any individual not originally listed as a recipient. If the
reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you
are hereby notified that any unauthorized disclosure,
dissemination, distribution, copying or the taking of any
action in reliance on the information herein is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this communication in
error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this
message.
Going Further
• WSJ article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052
748703940904575395073512989404.html
Add Ghostery/WOT to Your Browser
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www.ghostery.com/download
www.mywot.com/download
Configure Ghostery
Surf some sites and see who is tracking you