cookies

A security researcher in Italy has discovered a flaw in Internet Explorer that he says could enable hackers to steal cookies from a PC and then log onto password-protected Web sites.

Referring to the exploit as "cookiejacking," Rosario Valotta claims that a zero-day vulnerability found in every version of Microsoft's IE under any version of Windows allows an attacker to hijack any cookie for any Web site.

Demonstrating his findings at security conferences this month in Switzerland and Amsterdam, Valotta acknowledges that to exploit the hole, the hacker must employ a bit of social engineering because the … Read more

When you think about it, Internet cookies are a lot like the snacks they're named for: Good, even necessary, in moderation, but bad for your system in abundance. So it's a good idea to keep a close eye on the various cookie jars scattered throughout your PC. NirSoft's FlashCookiesView is an extremely compact piece of portable freeware that monitors Local Shared Object (LSO) cookies created by Adobe Flash components in your Web browsers. Like transfats, LSOs are persistent and potentially unhealthy, raising privacy concerns and other issues. FlashCookiesView displays the contents of each LSO in readable form … Read more

Users of Internet Explorer can now get rid of those persistent "Flash cookies" thanks to the latest version of Adobe Flash and support from within Microsoft's IE.

Cookies are files created on your PC and used by sites to keep track of certain data, such as site settings and usernames. All the major Web browsers let you remove cookies. But one flavor of cookie, known as a Flash cookie, doesn't get thrown out when you delete your traditional Web cookies. That limitation has triggered privacy concerns.

But the latest release candidate of Adobe Flash 10.3 … Read more

For privacy fans or others who want to keep their computers free of traces of what they've been doing online, Google's Chrome browser is getting an option to make sure Adobe Systems' Flash Player isn't getting in the way.

Web sites often store details about a user in small text files called cookies that can record details such as usernames, browsing history, and advertisements that have been seen. But storage abilities in Flash mean that even if a person deletes regular cookies, a Web site could reconstruct particulars from Flash data. There are other storage mechanisms arriving … Read more

Links from Friday's episode of Loaded:

New rules in Europe prevent Internet advertisers from tracking people without permission

The next version of Apple's OS X operating system may have a do-not-track option in the built-in Safari browser

Toshiba has a new hard drive that will self destruct in the wrong hands

Google now allows you to set your own background image in Gmail

You can now control your Netflix queue with motion control in Microsot Kinect

The Nook Color is coming to Staples

The next Madden NFL game will launch August 30

European advertisers fear they will face a huge new obstacle this May when the European Union's Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive takes effect. The so-called Cookie Directive will require that users explicitly allow Web sites to leave cookies and other data on their machines, according to Raul Mendez on ChiefPrivacyOfficers.com.

It's unclear whether the opt-in requirement will be satisfied by the browser's setting that allows first- and third-party cookies. This uncertainty hasn't prevented some pundits from predicting the end of the world for the European advertising industry, as reported by TechCrunch Europe's Mike Butcher.… Read more

We get nostalgic about kid cereals of yore in The 404 preshow this morning, and if you miss Cap'n Crunch OOPS! All Berries and Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats Cereal as much as we do, you can still buy both on Amazon.com. Don't blame us if you get a stomach ache from 17-year-old crunchberries.

Sprint's dual-touch-screen Kyocera Echo is the latest victim of the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" cliche.

Bonnie Cha was at the special event in New York yesterday and raises concerns about the effects of the double screens on the phone's battery life, not to mention the lack of 4G support that will likely push this handset to the clearance bin by the end of this year.

The war of the smartphones will always be a heated topic of discussion on the show, but as the numbers of handsets grows, we're getting less excited about the hardware in lieu of the new apps that make them really stand out--things like Grindr, a new service that lets men and women turn their GPS-powered phones into mobile-dating tools.

The mobile service was initially rolled out to help gay men track their nearest potential dates (aka, gaydar) and has grown to support nearly 1.5 million members with apps for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android.

Once you sign onto Grindr and fill out your profile, the app shows a grid of pictures for potential daters in your area based using GPS technology that works up to a couple of hundred feet. If you see someone of interest, you can then send a photo or a message to start the conversation.

It's opened up a realm of possibilities that take the guesswork out of spotting gay men, but now its 33-year-old founder, Joel Simkhai, is attempting to port the service over for straight women as well.

The problem lies in the effort to incorporate features that appeal specifically to that demographic, since most straight women can walk into any bar and lock down a date. Wilson also brings up a good point about the safety and privacy issues behind an app that keeps track of your location.

Along the same vein, an article in New York Mag caught our attention and hits so close to home that we have to address it in the second half of the show. It examines the negative psychological effects of Internet pornography on the male libido.

Based on interviews with men of all ages (including John Mayer, an expert on the subject), the author questions the possibility that Internet porn is causing men to detach from their partners and instead form mental bonds with the stars in these movies.

Obviously there's plenty to be said on this topic (anecdotally, not personally), so I'm sure we'll spend more time on it tomorrow. Read the article and let us know what you think!

Adobe Systems is offering assurances that it's adapting Flash Player to make it easier for people to protect their identities online.

Since time immemorial, browsers have been able to store small text files called cookies that Web sites have been able to use to track people's identity online--for example when Amazon wants to present product suggestions.

That's always raised hackles among those who'd rather not register their identities with any number of servers on the Internet, so for years people have been able to manage cookies, including rejecting them in the first place or deleting them … Read more

The Federal Trade Commission recently announced its intention to promote the addition of a "do not track" mechanism in Web browsers. FTC Chairman Jon Lebowitz said the agency would offer "best practices" to browser makers, according to Declan McCullagh's Politics and Law blog, but wouldn't seek legislation mandating the feature, which likely made browser developers breathe easier.

With just a little effort, you can set Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome to clear out and block the cookies most online ad networks and other Web trackers rely on to build their valuable … Read more