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| Cookies in Cybersecurity |
A detailed exploration of cookies in cybersecurity. Learn how cookies work, their risks, forensic implications, and critical research based analysis.
Cookies are a fundamental part of today’s internet. They make browsing more convenient by storing login sessions, shopping cart items, and personalization preferences. However, in field of cybersecurity and digital forensics, cookies are also seen as both a valuable data source and a potential threat.
What Are Cookies in Cybersecurity?
In technical terms, cookies are small text files created by websites and stored on a user’s device. They can be classified into:
- Session cookies: Temporary, deleted after closing browser.
- Persistent cookies: Remain stored for a set period, useful for “remember me” features.
- Third party cookies: Placed by advertisers or external services, often used for tracking across multiple sites.
Despite their usefulness, cookies present multiple risks:
- Session hijacking: Attackers can steal session cookies and impersonate a user.
- Cross site scripting (XSS): Injected scripts may exfiltrate cookies.
- Third party tracking: Privacy concerns from advertisers and data brokers monitoring user behavior.
- Unencrypted transmission: If cookies travel over insecure connections, they can be intercepted.
In digital forensic investigations, cookies play a crucial role:
- Reconstructing user activity: Identifying logins, visited sites, and timestamps.
- Attribution evidence: Linking devices to accounts or online services.
- Timeline building: Cookies support chronological reconstruction of digital actions.
Research and Critical Analysis
Academic and industry research highlights a few critical points:
- Privacy erosion: Studies show third party cookies contribute to large scale surveillance capitalism.
- Security gaps: Even with HTTPS adoption, poorly configured cookies remain vulnerable.
- User consent loopholes: Many websites use “cookie consent banners” that technically comply with GDPR or CCPA but still push users toward accepting intrusive tracking.
- Emerging alternatives: Privacy preserving technologies (like Google’s Privacy Sandbox) are being tested, but critics warn these may simply rebrand surveillance practices rather than eliminate them.
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