Restoring Privacy, Cleaning Your Computer's Cookies and Beacons

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Restoring Privacy, Cleaning Your Computer's
Cookies and Beacons
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Photo by KayVee.INC
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Cookies Historical

• Cookies Browsers have allowed websites to store
  small amounts of information on the computer.
• Number of visits
• Preferences
• Login

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Beacons/Bugs Historical

• 1x1 pixel transparent image
• Track customers across a web site
• Spammers use to determine valid emails

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What is tracked?

• IP address general vicinity of your location
• Time you accessed the page / email
• Computer type and operating system
• The browser you used
• Any previous information stored in cookies they
  stored

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Turning Cookies Off

• Browsers allow you to turn cookies off. However,
  there is a downside
• Many times the functionality of the website
  fails. For example, you may not be able to login
  to the site, or preferences are lost, shopping
  carts dont work.

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Third Party Cookies

• Cookies with a different domain than the site you
  are visiting.
• Quite often used in advertising to track the
  websites you visit.

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Clearing Cookies

• Browsers typical allow you to clear the data
  stored in normal cookies.
• When the cookie expires
• When you close the browser
• Ask before clearing

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Flash Cookies

• Local shared objects (LSO)
• Latest versions of Flash do not allow 3rd party
  sharing.
• Much larger data storage
• Little public awareness of LSOs
• Browsers are unaware of LSOs

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New Information Collected

• Assess what you are doing on a web
• Determine your location
• Estimate your income
• Determine shopping interests
• Assess medical conditions

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New Market

• Your profiles is built as you browse the web.
• Companies buy and sell your profile to target
  their specific ads to certain types of
  individuals.

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Google Ad/Preference Video
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iPhone / iPad 3G

• Track location (lat/lon) with time stamp and
  stored on iPhone or iPad -- Encrypt

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Review ebays cookie policy

• Take a look at how ebay uses cookies and beacons
  http//pages.ebay.com/help/account/cookies-web-bea
  cons.html

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Discussion

• Is it of concern that advertisers are tracking
  you?

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Opting Out
http//www.google.com/ads/preferences/ http//pr
ivacy.yahoo.com/aim
Companies including Yahoo, Microsoft, Google and
AOL will be adding links to their European ads
that will allow web surfers to opt out of
tracking.
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Enhancing Privacy through Software
WOT FF, Safari, IE, Chrome, Opera
Better Privacy Firefox
McAfee Site Advisor Firefox
Addblock Plus Firefox, Chrome
Abine Privacy Suite Firefox, IE soon
Firefox, Safari, Chrome, IE
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Tips for Safe Browsing

• Use antivirus software
• Keep browser updated
• Update Adobe software Flash, PDF readers
• Avoid clicking on malicious ads
• Only accept friend requests from those you know.

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Removing Flash Cookies

• Global Storage Settings Panel http//www.macromedi
  a.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/se
  ttings_manager.html
• Flash announced in January they will provide a
  means for browsers to remove flash cookies.
• So far Chrome has adopted

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Email Disclaimer

• This message is the property of Time Inc. or its
  affiliates. It may be legally privileged and/or
  confidential and is intended only for the use of
  the addressee(s). No addressee should forward,
  print, copy, or otherwise reproduce this message
  in any manner that would allow it to be viewed by
  any individual not originally listed as a
  recipient. If the reader of this message is not
  the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
  that any unauthorized disclosure, dissemination,
  distribution, copying or the taking of any action
  in reliance on the information herein is strictly
  prohibited. If you have received this
  communication in error, please immediately notify
  the sender and delete this message.

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Going Further

• WSJ article http//online.wsj.com/article/SB10001
  424052748703940904575395073512989404.html

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Add Ghostery/WOT to Your Browser

• www.ghostery.com/download
• www.mywot.com/download
• Configure Ghostery
• Surf some sites and see who is tracking you