Cookies on the site

1. What are “cookies“?
A cookie is a small file made up of letters and numbers that will be stored on your computer, mobile device or other equipment of a user that is used to access the Internet. The cookie is installed by the request sent by the server of a web page to the browser (eg: Edge, Chrome) and is completely “passive“ (does not contain software programs, viruses or spyware and does not access the information from the user's hardware).

2. What are “cookies“ used for?
These files make it possible to know the user's device and to present its content in the appropriate way, adapted to the user's preferences. Cookies provide the user with a pleasant experience while browsing the Internet.

3. What “cookies“ do we use?
We use two types of cookies – per user session and fixed. The latter are temporary files that remain on the user's device until the end of the user session or until the application (web browser) is closed. Fixed files remain on the user's device for the period parameterized by the cookies or until they are manually deleted by the user.

4. Do “cookies“ personal data?
In themselves, cookies do not require information of a personal nature in order to be used and most often do not identify the identity of Internet users. Personal data collected through the use of cookies may only be collected to facilitate the user's use. This data is encrypted in a way that prevents unauthorized persons from accessing it.

5. Delete “cookies“
In general, an application for accessing web pages allows the storage of cookies by default. These settings can be changed so that the automatic management of cookies is blocked by the web browser or the user is informed each time cookies are sent to his terminal. Detailed information on the possibilities and ways of managing cookies can be found in the application settings (on the web browser). Restricting the use of cookies may affect some functions of the web page.

6. Why “cookies“ are important to the Internet?
Cookies are a central point for the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to produce a certain pattern of preferences and interests of each user. Disagreeing or disabling cookies may make some sites unusable.
Rejecting or disabling cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive online ads, but that they will no longer appear in your Favorites and Interests account. collected through browsing behavior.

Examples of important roles of cookies (which do not require account authentication):

Content and services adapted to user preferences – categories of products and services.
Offers adapted to user preferences – remember passwords.
Memorization of child protection filters regarding Internet content (family mode option, safe search function).
Limiting the frequency of using ads – limiting the display of an advertisement to a particular user on the site.
Providing advertisements that would be of interest to the user.
Measurement, optimization and characteristics from analytics – how to validate a given level of website traffic, what type of content is being displayed and how a user arrives at a website (eg: search engines, direct, other websites, etc.). Websites develop these analyzes and their use in order to improve the site for the benefit of users.

7. Security and Privacy
Cookies are NOT viruses! They use the plain text format. They are not composed of pieces of code, so they cannot be executed, nor can they be executed independently. Therefore, they cannot be duplicated or copied to other networks to run or copy afresh. Since they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses.

Cookies can still be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about a user's preferences and browsing history, both on a particular site and on most other sites, cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware software are unaware of this fact and constantly mark cookies to be removed

Usually, browsers have built-in settings for data privacy, providing different levels of cookie acceptance, validity periods, and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular website.

Other security aspects related to cookies:

As data protection is extremely important and constitutes the right of every internet user, it is recommended to be aware of the potential issues that cookies can create. Through them, information is constantly and bidirectionally exchanged between the browser and the website. In the event that a hacker or other unauthorized person intervenes during data transmission, the information containing cookies can be intercepted.

In rare cases, this can happen if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (for example: an unprotected Wi-Fi network.

Other types of attacks based on cookies require incorrect server cookie settings

If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, hackers can exploit this vulnerability to deceive browsers during the transmission of information via unprotected channels. Subsequently, hackers use this information for unauthorized access to specific websites. It is crucial to exercise caution when choosing the most suitable data privacy protection.

8. Tips for secure and responsible browsing based on cookies

Thanks to their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited and largest websites use cookies, the latter are almost inevitable. Disabling cookies will not allow users to access the most common and widely used sites, including Youtube, Gmail, Yahoo, etc.

Here are a few tips that can ensure worry-free browsing, but with the help of cookies:

Customize your browser settings regarding cookies to create an appropriate level of protection against cookie usage;
If you are not concerned about cookie usage and you are the sole user of the computer, you can set longer expiration terms for storing browsing history and accessing personal data;
If you share access to your computer with someone, you can configure your browser settings to delete browsing data every time you close the browser. This option allows access to websites that distribute cookies and ensures the deletion of any information upon session closure;
Install and consistently maintain anti-spyware applications. Many of the applications for detecting and preventing spyware include identifying attacks on websites. This way, the browser is prevented from accessing sites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or download malicious software;
Make sure that your browser is always up to date.

Many of the cookie-based attacks are executed by exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated and unpatched browser versions.

Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the best and largest websites—both local and international. With a clear understanding of how they operate and the advantages they bring, you can take the necessary security measures to surf the internet with confidence.

Disabling or refusing to accept cookies can render some websites inoperable or difficult to visit and use. Additionally, declining cookie acceptance does not mean you will no longer receive or see online advertisements.

All modern browsers offer the ability to change cookie settings. These settings are typically found in the “Options” or “Preferences” menu of your browser. To locate these settings, you can also use the links below or utilize the “Help” option in your browser for more details.

Cookie settings in Internet Explorer
Cookie settings in Firefox
Cookie settings in Chrome
Cookie settings in Safari