Thursday, February 16, 2012

Blocking Tracking Cookies

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=1210467d8af6a3cf&hl=en

The purpose of this tutorial is to show you how to block cookies from all sites except the sites where you have log in accounts. You should also read about Flash Cookies below. Blocking adware tracking cookies will give your adware scanner less to do.

Don't let the following scare you into not doing this. It will take an hour or less to do each browser (depending on how many log in sites you have and how fast you can type). But it's time well spent. My adware scanner keeps telling me no adware was found. :)

GOOGLE CHROME, CHROMIUM, IRON, CHROME PLUS, CHROME BASED THEWORLD, AND CHROME BASED FLOCK BROWSERS

1. Click the Wrench Icon in the upper-right corner of Chrome. Click on Options to open the Options Panel.
2. Click on the Under The Hood tab > Content Settings button > Cookies.
3. Check the radio button next to "Block sites from setting any data" and make certain the box next to "Block all third-party cookies without exception" is checked. Make certain that the box next to "Clear cookies and any other site data when I close my browser" is not checked. If you clear your cookies when you exit your browser you will always have to manually log in to all of your online accounts every time you restart your browser. If there is a cookie you want deleted you can delete it and leave the rest of them in there.
4. Now click on the Exceptions button. Click the Add button to add a site where you have a log in account. Type it into the Pattern box like "www.google.com". Some sites might require you to also type in a subdomain like "support.mozilla.com". Allow is already selected by default so do not change that. Then click OK to save and exit. Keep this up until all of your log in accounts are showing in the box. When you are done click the three Close buttons. DO NOT X OUT OF THEM OR YOUR WORK WILL NOT BE SAVED!

The following has nothing to do with Google Chrome. But since many people have more than one browser installed I thought they might want to benefit from this too.

MOZILA FIREFOX, FIREFOX BASED FLOCK, AND FIREFOX BASED PALEMOON BROWSERS

1. Click on Tools > Options > Privacy tab
2. Uncheck the box next to "Accept Cookies From Sites". Then click on the Exceptions button.
3. In the text box at the top where it says "Address Of The Website" type in the sites where you have log in accounts. You can save yourself some typing in Firefox because the WWWs are the default. Instead of typing "www.google.com" all you need to type is "google.com". Some sites will require you to type in a subdomain like "support.mozilla.com".
4. Click on the "Allow" button to allow that site to save their cookies on your hard drive.
5. Keep repeating steps 3 and 4 until you have all of your log in sites in there.
6. When you are finished click on the Close button. DO NOT X OUT OR YOUR WORK WILL NOT BE SAVED!

INTERNET EXPLORER AND MAXTHON

1. Click on the Gear Icon which is the Tools Menu > Internet Options.
2. Click on the Privacy Tab. Then click on the Advanced Button. In there click on "Override Automatic Cookie Handling". Then click "Block" in both First-Party Cookies and Third-Party Cookies. Leave Always Allow Session Cookies unchecked. Click on OK to save your settings.
3. Now click on the Sites Button. In the Adress Of Website text box enter the domain names of your log in sites. For example, "www.google.com" or "support.mozilla.com". After typing in each one click the Allow Button. After you are finished with all of them click on OK to save your settings. Then in the main dialog box click on OK again and you are done. DO NOT X OUT OR YOUR WORK WILL NOT BE SAVED!

FLASH COOKIES

Flash Cookies sit in the Flash Player folder on your hard drive waiting for you to delete their normal cookie so they can create a new one to replace it. Kind of evil huh? Well, now that you are blocking cookies from all sites except your log in sites Flash Cookies can no longer do their job. It is pointless to clean them out of the Flash Player folder since they can no longer cause you any problems. You should just forget that you ever heard the name Flash Cookies.  You should be happy there are Flash Cookies in there for your log in sites in case you accidently delete one of their cookies in your browser.

There is an application called "Flash Cookie Remover". It is a Trojan, do not install it!
10/27/10
To further increase the security of your browser their are Ad Blocking Extensions.

Adblock Plus for Chrome is pretty much worthless when it comes to blocking ads. But you can add a filter to it to block over 40,000 malicious Web sites. Adsweep used together with Adthwart extensions are better, but not great, at blocking ads.

For Internet Explorer there is a hack for Adblock Plus. But it is completely worthless. I tested it in IE9 Beta 32 & 64 bit.

Adblock Plus for Firefox is superb. I can't remember the last time I saw an ad on a page or in a video. Plus it also can block more than 40,000 malicious Web sites. The only site I have seen so far that you still have to watch ads inside of videos is Hulu.com.

Comments: Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?