Prompted by this story, is there a way to check one's computer for persistant cookies?

I find if I turn the key-board over and shake most of the crumbs fall out.


I think adaware, and spybot are both freeware and do a pretty good job of sweeping for them.

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The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.
--Isaac Asimov

Knowing a little something about how this actually works, this article sounds like typical sensationalism. Cookies can only be retrieved and modified by the very same domain that set them. For example, you can't go to the NSA's website, then visit Google and have the NSA know about it. Even returning to the NSA website after Google will not expose the fact that you visited Google to the NSA.

The only way this sort of thing would be possible is if the NSA also served up, say, advertisements on other websites, or the website you visit requests other content from the same NSA domain.

If you're still concerned, just set up a cookie whitelist.

Firefox:
- Tools -> Options... -> Privacy -> Cookies
- Uncheck "Allow sites to set Cookies".
- Press the "Exceptions" button.
- Type in the domain name of the website you want to allow to set cookies (i.e. bautforum.com).
- Press the "Allow" button. "Allow for Session" will delete the cookie when you close your browser.

Internet Explorer:
- Tools -> Internet Options... -> Privacy -> Advanced...
- Check "Override automatic cookie handling".
- Check "Block" for both First-party and Third-party Cookies.
- Press "Ok".
- Press "Sites..."
- Type in the domain name of the website you want to allow to set cookies (i.e. bautforum.com).
- Press "Allow".

Where ever did the idea that cookies are somehow "evil" come from in the first place? They are far more beneficial to the sellers of anti-spyware software than they are to anyone who actually uses them.

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