What are Cookies?

Cookie is a small file, made of letters and numbers, which is to be stored on the computer, mobile terminal, or other equipment of a user, where internet is accessed from. Cookies installed by the request issued by a web-server of a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome) and it is totally „passive” (it does not include software programs, viruses or spyware and cannot access the information on the user’s hard drive).

What are Cookies used for?

These files make possible to recognize the user’s terminal and expose the content in a relevant way, adapted to user’s preferences. Cookies provide users with a good browsing experience, and support Dobromin efforts to provide user-friendly services: e.g. – online privacy preferences, shopping cart or relevant advertising. They are also used for preparing some aggregated anonymous statistics that help us understand how a user benefits from our web pages, allowing us to improve their structure and content, excepting user’s personal identification.

What Cookies do we use?

We use two types of Cookies: per session and persistent. The latter are temporary files that remain in the user’s terminal until the session is completed or until the (web browser) application is closed. The files remain persistent on the user’s terminal for a period within the parameters of the Cookie or until they are manually deleted by the user.

How are cookies used by this site?

A visit on this site may place cookies for the purposes:

• Site Performance Cookies
• Targeting Cookies
• Geo Targeting Cookies
• Registration Cookies
• Advertising Cookies
• Advertising Provider Cookies

Do Cookies include personal data?

Cookies do not themselves require personal information to be used, and in most cases they do not personally identify internet users. Personal data collected by using Cookies may only be collected to facilitate certain functionalities for the user. Such data is encrypted so that unauthorized persons’ access to it is impossible.

Cookies Deletion

Generally, an application used to access web pages allows you to save by default your Cookies to the terminal. These settings can be changed so that the automatic Cookie management is blocked by the web browser or the user is informed whenever Cookies are sent to its terminal. Detailed information about the possibilities and ways of managing Cookies can be found in the application settings area (of the web browser). Cookies use restriction may affect certain features of the web page.

Why are cookies important for the Internet?

Cookies represent the central point of the Internet efficient operation, helping to generate a friendly browsing experience and to adapt the preferences and interests of each user. Denying or disabling the cookies can make some sites impossible to be used.

Denying or disabling cookies does not mean you will not receive online advertising – just that it will no longer be able to keep track of your preferences and interests highlighted by your browsing behavior.

Cookie examples and important uses (that do not need authentication of a user with an account):

• Content and services adjusted to the user’s preferences – categories of products and services.
• Offers fitted to the user’s interests– memorizing passwords.
• Memorizing protection filters of copies regarding content on the Internet (family mode options, safe search functions).
• Limiting ad distribution frequency – limiting the number of an ad displays for a particular user on a site.
• Providing more relevant advertising for the user.
• Measurement, optimization, and analytics features – such as confirmation of a certain website traffic level, what type of content is viewed, and how a user reaches a website (e.g. through search engines, directly from other websites, etc.). Websites run these analyzes of their use to improve sites for the benefit of users.

Security and other confidentiality problems

Cookies are NOT viruses. Cookies use a plain text format. They are not compiled pieces of code so they cannot be executed nor are they self-executing. Accordingly, they cannot make copies of themselves and spread to other networks to execute and replicate again. Since they cannot perform these functions, they fall outside the standard virus definition.

Cookies can be used for malicious purposes though. Since they store information about a user’s browsing preferences and history, both on a specific site and browsing among several sites, cookies can be used to act as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products are well aware of this problem and routinely flag cookies as candidates for deletion after standard virus and/or spyware scans. Generally, browsers have built-in privacy settings that provide different cookie levels of acceptance, shelf life, and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular site.

Other cookie-based threats:

Since identity protection is highly valued and is every internet users’ right, it pays to be aware of what threat cookies can pose. As cookies are transmitted back and forth between a browser and website, if an attacker or unauthorized person gets in between the data transmission, the sensitive cookie information can be intercepted.

Although relatively rare, this can happen if the browser is connecting to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g. a non-secured WiFi channel).

Other cookie-based attacks involve exploiting faulty cookie-setting systems on servers. If a website doesn’t require browsers to use encrypted channels only, attackers can use this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending sensitive information over insecure channels. The attackers subsequently use the information to illegally access certain sites. It is very important to be careful in selecting the most appropriate method to protect personal information.

Tips for safe and responsible cookie-based Web browsing

Due to their flexibility and the fact that many of the largest and most-visited websites use cookies by default, cookies are almost unavoidable. Disabling cookies will lock a user out of many of the most widely-used sites on the Internet like Youtube, Gmail, Yahoo mail, and others.

Here are some tips you can use to ensure worry-free cookie-based browsing:

Customize your browser’s cookie settings to reflect your comfort level with cookie security or use our guide to delete cookies.

If you are very comfortable with cookies and you are the only person using your computer, you may want to set long expiration time frames for storing your personal access information and browsing history.

If you share access on your computer, you may want to set your browser to clear private browsing data every time you close your browser. While not as secure as rejecting cookies outright, this option lets you access cookie-based websites while deleting any sensitive information after your browsing session.

Constantly install and update antispyware applications.

Many spyware detection, cleanup applications, and spyware removers include attack site detection. They block your browser from accessing websites designed to exploit browser vulnerabilities or download malicious software.

Make sure your browser is updated.

Many of the cookie-based attacks are performed by exploiting weaknesses of browser old versions.

Cookies are everywhere and can’t really be avoided if you wish to enjoy the biggest and best websites out there. With a clear understanding of how they operate and how they help your browsing experience, you can take the necessary security measures to ensure that you browse the Net confidently.

Cookies are everywhere and they cannot be avoided, if you want to enjoy the access on the best and largest sites on the Internet – local or international. By clearly understanding how they work and the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures so you can trustfully browse on the internet.

Disable and refusal to receive cookies can make certain sites impassable or difficult to visit and use. Also, the refusal of accepting cookies does not mean you will not get/see online advertising anymore.

All modern browsers give the opportunity to change cookie settings. Such settings are commonly found in „options” or in the ”preferences” menu of you browser.

In order to understand these settings, the following links can be useful, so you can use the ”help” option of the browser for further details.

Cookie settings in Internet Explorer

Cookie settings in Firefox

Cookie settings in Chrome

Cookie settings in Safari

For cookie settings generated by third parties, you may also visit the site: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/