Latest in Web Tracking: Stealthy 'Supercookies'

[HardOCP News]

Mmmmm, supercookies.

The new techniques, which are legal, reach beyond the traditional "cookie," a small file that websites routinely install on users' computers to help track their activities online. Hulu and MSN were installing files known as "supercookies," which are capable of re-creating users' profiles after people deleted regular cookies, according to researchers at Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley.

 

[Eisenblut]

"Legal" or not, if I don't want it on my system then they have no right to put it there.

 

[Kritter]

Would be nice if you used a source that didn't require a monthly subscription for full atricles, Steve.

 

[Kromix]

copypaste!

 

[heatlesssun]

Guess well need Supercookie Monsters now.

 

[Eisenblut]

copypaste!

They could possibly get sued for doing so, since it is paid content.

 

[MrGuvernment]

"Legal" or not, if I don't want it on my system then they have no right to put it there.

sure if you read the EULA somewhere they cover their butts with this.

 

[MrGuvernment]

http://www.google.co.cr/#hl=en&sour...l0.9l9l0&fp=ad27719b5047773a&biw=1920&bih=943

 

[Wirth'sLaw]

The best computer in the world is one not connected to the internet?

Why does it feel like I should use a VM for browsing and never touch a browser on here (use only the internet on here for windows update, Steam, and the games needing it for MP)?

 

[mtrupi]

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager07.html

I guess you can remove even supercookies with CCleaner and the flash manager.

 

[Seraphical]

Why does it feel like I should use a VM for browsing and never touch a browser on here (use only the internet on here for windows update, Steam, and the games needing it for MP)?

... It's what I do...

 

[Deleted member 93354]

This is no big exciting news. It's been around for a while now. (Over a year in matter of fact)

control panel->Adobe flash player

You can delete/view the cookies there, or have it prompt you before it adds more.

 

[WetMacula]

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/

 

[sfsuphysics]

"Legal" or not, if I don't want it on my system then they have no right to put it there.

Yeah but as the argument go, you visited their site first

 

[sfsuphysics]

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/

Oh and be careful about deleting your "LSOs" every online flash game you ever played will have all your information wiped.

 

[rivertown_rat]

If I deleted the cookies, then I revoked my (implicit) permission for them to be on my computer. If they recreate themselves somehow, then I'd consider that an illegal intrusion.

 

[Betaboy1983]

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager07.html

I guess you can remove even supercookies with CCleaner and the flash manager.

I was just about to complain that I just started using Hulu. But then I have CCleaner so I guess that makes me feel a bit better.

 

[Insula Gilliganis]

Thought this was about a NEW type of supercookies but since it seems to be about the Flash version of a supecookie, this has been around since late 2008

Under options in CCleaner I include "C:\Users\3\AppData\Roaming\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys\" to make sure it deletes any Flash cookies left on my system

This Gizmodo article about the subject is a bit more informative than the one Steve linked to.

 

[Gnasher]

When they say "legal" that may only refer to the USA and not countries like Canada or the EU. There is nothing new about Supercookies anyway and they can be blocked too.

 

[motomonkey]

When they say "legal" that may only refer to the USA and not countries like Canada or the EU. There is nothing new about Supercookies anyway and they can be blocked too.

Supercookie=Virus as far as I am concerned, and should be dealt with accordingly

 

[ljbade]

The use of HTML5 for supercookies is unfortunate. People will clear these supercookies only to realise their favourite webapp (Google Docs?) saves all their data in their.