One for the Mac experts

[eGuru]

I use a the safari (v3.1.2) browser on my Macs. For some time now I have noticed cookies from Legal and General. I never visit their websites and I have also ticked the box to accept cookies only from sites that I navigate to.
I am curious because all other cookies are only from sites I have visited.

 

[agatward]

These are probably from ad banners on the sites that you do visit, where the banners are served from the LandG server.

 

[Spinal]

http://www.legalandgeneral.com/legal-security/use-of-cookies.html

Seems like it would be advert/banner related... Easy way to find out is to ask for permission on all cookies... then check what's popping up...

Either that, or switch to a more secure browser...

M.

 

[kay7]

Disable Pop-ups and u`ll be fine. Some cookies are encoded to 124mb or even 512( seen some on the net ) and may be "record" anything on your mac. Keyloggers are bad as well. Some t&c`s are linked on some external sites but rooted to main website and again watch out!
Security online is very important! Do not ignore it!!!
I`d rather not use sites like : youtube,facebook,gumtree, chat rooms and all dating sites...and porn sites. This MB CLub is my 1st ever forum and will be the only one! I`ve done my homework and all is safe&sound.

 

[eGuru]

Disable Pop-ups and u`ll be fine. Some cookies are encoded to 124mb or even 512( seen some on the net ) and may be "record" anything on your mac. Keyloggers are bad as well. Some t&c`s are linked on some external sites but rooted to main website and again watch out!
Security online is very important! Do not ignore it!!!
I`d rather not use sites like : youtube,facebook,gumtree, chat rooms and all dating sites...and porn sites. This MB CLub is my 1st ever forum and will be the only one! I`ve done my homework and all is safe&sound.

Kay7
The pop ups are disabled. This is why these cookies concerned me. The only other 'uninvited' cookies I have had in the past are from the TV licencing people. I try to be very careful about sites I visit as well. Is there anything similar to Adaware for the Mac?
I am going to try Spinals suggestion and ask for permission on all cookies for a while.
Appreciate all the feedback

 

[laf]

Disable Pop-ups and u`ll be fine. Some cookies are encoded to 124mb or even 512( seen some on the net ) and may be "record" anything on your mac. Keyloggers are bad as well. Some t&c`s are linked on some external sites but rooted to main website and again watch out!
Security online is very important! Do not ignore it!!!
I`d rather not use sites like : youtube,facebook,gumtree, chat rooms and all dating sites...and porn sites. This MB CLub is my 1st ever forum and will be the only one! I`ve done my homework and all is safe&sound.

Paranoia? I think so.

Just browse the net, that's what your PC/Laptop is there for, stop over worrying about things like cookies.

 

[kay7]

Laf, why paranoia ? I hope you`ll never have the chance to see one cookie killing your pc/laptop. If you don`t know about these things , keep it low . You carry on to do whatever you want

 

[Dryce]

I hope you`ll never have the chance to see one cookie killing your pc/laptop. If you don`t know about these things , keep it low

Cookies are just markers to show where you've been. And I can't recall an instance where a cookie has been used to infect a PC.

They simply allow a web server to store some sort of persistent information under control of a browser that can be passed back to the web server at a later date.

AV and anti-Ad/Spyware software like to highlight them because they make the software look like it has been doing something useful. They may also act as tripwire to show that spy/adware has been active with your browser.

There are potentially privacy issues but even these are generally overstated.

 

[Dryce]

This MB CLub is my 1st ever forum and will be the only one! I`ve done my homework and all is safe&sound.

That's very reassuring.

 

[Spinal]

Laf, why paranoia ? I hope you`ll never have the chance to see one cookie killing your pc/laptop. If you don`t know about these things , keep it low . You carry on to do whatever you want

The only way I can see a cookie "killing" a machine is through an error in the coding of the browser (thus running executable code in the cookie) - something like a buffer overflow...

A cookie can track where you've been, and the site can then harvest this information for their own evil purposes...

Keep your browser patched, stick to a reputable browser and you should be fine (I'm not a fan of safari...). Apache did have some buffer overflow issue; but again, keep your software up to date and you should be fine

Now... trojans, that's a whole new pot of fish...

M.

 

[laf]

Laf, why paranoia ? I hope you`ll never have the chance to see one cookie killing your pc/laptop. If you don`t know about these things , keep it low . You carry on to do whatever you want

Thanks for the heads up, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be safe with my browsing habits thanks