Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology EDW 647: The Internet...
-
Upload
dylan-roberts -
Category
Documents
-
view
214 -
download
0
Transcript of Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology EDW 647: The Internet...
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
24
Cookies: What is a “cookie”?
Cookie – small chunk of data generated by a Web server and stored in a text file on your computer
A cookie is created by a Web server and stored on your computer’s hard disk
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
25
What is a “cookie”?
Web sites use cookies to: Track your path through a site to keep track of the pages you viewed or the items you
purchased
Provide information that allows the Web site to present you with ad banners targeted to products you previously purchased at that Web site
Collect personal information you type into a Web page form and retain any personal information that you type into a Web page form
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Why do Web sites use cookies?
You are on your favorite online music store
You search for your favorite band, new music, listen to sample tracks
Altogether you may have viewed 2- Web pages
Each time you connect to a different page, the server regards it as a new visit
Cookies allow the music site’s server to identify you so that your request won’t be mixed up with other thousands of people visiting the same online music store
Cookies also enables the server to keep track of your activity and compile a list of your purchases
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
How do cookies work?
the cookie message can include a: customer number shopping cart number part number other data expiration date domain name of the host that created the cookie
a server that creates a cookie can request it the next time you connect to one its Web pages
browser server
your browser connects to a site that uses cookies
the server sends a “set-cookie” HTTP message
the cookie is saved by your browser onto your computer’s hard disk
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
26
Cookies are a relatively safe technology Data, not computer program
cannot executed to activate worms or viruses
Can only be accessed by site that created it
Contain only information you disclose while using the site a cookie cannot rummage through your hard drive to find passwords BUT if you enter your credit card number during an online purchase it is possible for the cookie to
store that number – same with SSN most reputable Web sites do not store such sensitive information
Uses a customer account generated number instead of your name your name is not associated with your cookies unless you entered it into a form, which is then
transferred to a cookie
Are cookies safe and private?
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
27
Does my computer have to accept cookies?
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
28
A Web programmer can program cookie to “time out” You can delete the cookies
Firefox uses Cookies.txt or Magiccookie IE stores each in a separate file
How long do cookies stay on my computer?
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Online Shopping
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Shopping cart – cyberspace version of the good old metal cart that you wheel around a store and fill up with merchandise
Shopper browses Web site, and then adds products using a “Buy” or “Add to Cart” button
Uses cookies to store information about your activities on Web site
Shopping Carts: What’s an online shopping cart?
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Shopping Carts: What’s an online shopping cart?
Add to Cart when you click the “Add to Cart” button, the merchant’s server sends a message to your
browser to add that item number (or ID number) to your cookie, which is them stored on your computer
View Cart When you check out, the server asks your browser for all the cookie data that pertains to
your chopping cart items
Cookies Your browser sends those cookies along with a request for an order summary
Web Server The Web server uses the cookies to produce a Web page listing the items you want to
purchase
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Is it safe to shop online?
spyware is any technology that surreptitiously gathers information In the context of the Web and e-commerce, spyware secretly gathers information and
relays it to advertisers or other interested parties Web marketers use several spyware techniques, including ad-serving cookies and
clear GIFs
Ad-serving cookies if you click an ad, this 3rd party can create an ad-serving cookie and use it to track your
activities at any site containing banner ads from that third party They claim that it is to simply serve you better targeted advertising but privacy advocates worry that shopper profiles are compiled, sold, and used for
unauthorized purposes
Clear GIFs typically 1x1 pixel graphic on a Web page can be used to set cookies to a 3rd party Web site You don’t even have to click a banner ad to receive the GIF-activated cookie simply viewing the page that contains a clear GIF sets the cookie Cookies created with clear GIFs have the same uses and potential for misuse as ad-serving
cookies ad-blocker software and anti-spyware are designed to block ad-serving cookies, clear GIFs, and
other spyware – some even block banner and pop-up adverts altogether – these are becoming increasingly popular products, despite their tendency to slightly slow your browser’s response time
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Can credit cards be intercepted?
Can credit card numbers be intercepted while traveling over the Internet?
YES
A packet sniffer (protocol analyzer) is a computer program that reads (sniffs) data packets as they travel over networks most devices read only packets addressed to them, but packet sniffers read packets
addressed to other devices good for network administrators who have a legitimate need to observe/ open packets to
their network dangerous for hackers
Ethereal is a well-known packet sniffer software
Adapted from Computer Concepts, New Perspectives, Thompson Course Technology
Dr. Roger Webster & Dr. Nazli Mollah
EDW 647: The InternetEDW 647: The Internet
Transaction Privacy & Security
To protect your data from packet-sniffing data, you should engage in electronic transactions only over secure connection
A secure connection encrypts the data flowing between your computer and the Web server
Even if a hacker can access packets containing your payment data, it is of little use if the data is cannot be decrypted
Technologies that create secure connections include SSL and HTTPS