What are cookies?
Cookies are data files that are placed by web servers to track user’s navigation, this way they can identify your user when you visit a web site and customized it with information that you may like.
They contain tracking information but don’t user’s identity because their content is short, it is composed mainly of the url of the website that created the cookie, the duration of the cookie's abilities and effects, and a random number.
Why cookies are called cookies? Their name was inspired in “magic cookies”, which is a packet of data between communicating programs.
How do cookies work?
Besides, it is also important to mention that Cookies are not malware; and what most people are afraid of, they do not contain personal information.
Cookies normally do not compromise user’s security,but you should be careful because there is a growing trend about “malicious cookies” which can sell your information to a publicity company.
There are two types of cookies:
Session Cookie is the one that will be erased when you stop web surf, they do not collect your information from the device.
Persistent Cookie is stored on your hard drive until their expiration date or when you decide to delete the cookie, they collect the user’s information to identify it later.
Cookies functions
The use of cookies mainly has the following purposes:
Recognize your computer when you are visiting a website
Analyze the use of the website
They store preferences on websites; by doing this, the personalize the website for you while including ads which may look attractive for you
To track your web surfing
While customizing websites, the use of cookies may be useful for the user, mostly when shopping, because it gives you possible options that you may like; for example, if you were searching for a computer or a phone, then when you surf through a different website it could appear different ads announcing IT equipment for sell.
