What is Cookiejacking? |
Posted: April 13, 2014 |
“Cookiejacking” may sound like someone taking a bite out of that delicious chocolate chip cookie you were planning to have after lunch, but it is actually an online security risk that could lead to your personal information falling into the hands of a cybercriminal. But to understand this risk, you first need to know about Internet cookies. An Internet cookie is a small text file that gets stored on your computer or mobile hard disk from a website that you have previously visited, so the next time you’re on that site, it alerts the site that you’re back. The cookie holds information such as an identifier the site assigns to you, and any preferences or personal information you may have shared with that website, such as your name and email address. Cookies are the reason why you may see a message that says “Welcome back, John” when you revisit a website. Now that you know what an Internet cookie is, you can better understand cookiejacking. This is when your device’s cookies are stolen, potentially giving thieves access to the information they hold. This can be problematic when the cookies stored on your computer contain sensitive and personal data, such as your bank login information and social media account passwords. A cybercriminal could use the stolen information to access your accounts or impersonate you. Of course, clicking on links in malicious emails or on risky websites increases the odds that you could fall victim to cookiejacking, so the more dangerous clicking you do, the more at risk you are. How do you avoid cookiejacking? Here are a few simple tips to help you avoid falling victim to this security concern:
Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! Disclosures.
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