What happens if we accept cookies while online? Three serious situations that jeopardize your privacy
When you visit a website, a window opens asking you to accept cookies or select which ones you wish to reject. Typically, to avoid wasting time choosing which cookies we want or don't want, we grant permission without actually knowing what data they collect.
In case you weren't aware, cookies are small files created by the websites you visit. These files store browsing information to provide a more complete browsing experience. They also enable websites to remember your preferences and deliver relevant content based on your location. However, it's important to note that cookies can pose a risk to our online privacy.
INCIBE states on its website that "sometimes, cookies are exploited by cybercriminals to carry out illegal activities," such as:
- Weaknesses in your computer software or web browser: Software flaws or weaknesses in the protocols used by your browser can allow session cookies, i.e., passwords, to be stolen.
Cookie theft: This type of attack involves inserting a modified cookie into the browser of a user who has previously visited a website controlled by cybercriminals. Furthermore, when the user accesses a website that requires authentication using the modified cookie, the attacker impersonates the legitimate website to obtain credentials.
- Fraudulent online stores: When browsing the internet, third-party cookies record all searches performed, for example, for products and services. Therefore, fraud occurs when internet users are redirected, using this data stored in cookies, to fraudulent stores through misleading advertisements displaying very low prices for goods or services they previously searched for.
Why should we delete cookies?
As mentioned, cookies are small text files that websites store in your browser. Their main function is to recognize users, remember login credentials, and customize web pages according to preferences. However, some users may occasionally review their cookie settings or delete them from their browsers. According to Kaspersky, this is usually done for the following reasons:
- Improved security to prevent the theft of personal data.
- Protect your personal information so that websites cannot track your online activity.
- Prevent data or identity theft by not deleting cookies when using public computers.
- Speed up hard drive performance, because the accumulation of cookies in excess slows down your system.
Advantages and disadvantages of online cookies
In an interview with 20bits, Rafael Jimenez, CEO and founder of SEAL Metrics, stated that cookies have both advantages and disadvantages. While they "improve the user experience by making browsing more seamless and user-friendly," they are also used "to collect information about browsing habits and gather personal data." Therefore, as previously mentioned, this latter aspect compromises privacy, as "every internet user's online activity can be tracked."
In this way, third parties can use information about the pages we visit to send targeted advertisements. Jiménez also explained that one reason users are unaware of their consent to cookies is the technical language, which leads to errors: "It confuses internet users, so the texts should be more precise and clear about what each change or action entails."
What types of cookies are available?
The first distinction to understand is between temporary cookies, which remain in your browser while you are on the website, and persistent cookies, which remain on your computer or mobile device until you visit the website again.
There are also first-party and third-party cookies. In the first case, the data is used only by the website you are visiting, while in the second case, third-party companies or services are granted access to your information.
On the other hand, there are mandatory cookies that can never be disabled. These are the cookies that cannot be disabled even when all permissions are enabled one by one. These cookies allow you to control and share internal data traffic, make online purchases for security purposes, and share content on social media platforms.
Finally, preference cookies are used to save your preferences on the website, performance and analytics cookies make it easier to reload the page later, and marketing cookies measure the effectiveness of advertisements.