Cookie
First introduced with Netscape 0.9 on October 13,
1994, a cookie is an HTTP header that consists of text-only data saved on your computer. This data commonly contains the domain, path, lifetime, and value of a variable that you set. If the lifetime of this variable is longer than the time the user spends at your site, then this string is saved to file for future reference.
Cookies received over the Internet should be considered more useful than dangerous. Without cookies, users could not have customized settings or would have to verify their identity each time they visit a site. Because cookies can be used to track you while at a site and can contain private information, there is potential that they could be compromised, but it is very unlikely.
If you're concerned about web pages gathering information about your viewing habits or storing personal settings, disable cookies or increase browser security to prompt you before any cookie is created.
- Use the system information tool to determine if your cookies are enabled or disabled.
- How do I enable or disable or delete Internet cookies?
- Are Internet cookies spyware?
- Allow visitors to see history of visiting your page using cookies.
Also see: Browser, Firesheep, Internet definitions, Session