Are We Being "Watched" Here?

Jay Gladwell wrote on 2/28/2006, 6:40 AM

I just ran Spyware Doctor and it found a "tracking cookie" named "jay@sonymediasoftware.122.2o7[1].txt" and was given a "medium" level risk rating.

Anyone have any idea as to what this would be and why?

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Chienworks wrote on 2/28/2006, 5:22 PM

Jay, if you don't have your own programmable router (or in my case, run my own DNS server), you can create a file named C:\Windows\hosts and list the sites you want to block, redirecting them to 127.0.0.1, for example:

2o7.net 127.0.0.1
adserver.com 127.0.0.1
advertise.com 127.0.0.1
doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1

etc. The downside is that you have to list every single host at those domains too. So if you find doubleclick.com using www., ads., dq01. dq02., dq03. you have to have an entry for each one, such as:

doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1
www.doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1
ads.doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1
dq01.doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1
dq02.doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1
dq03.doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1

and so on. After you have them all listed your computer won't even try to look through it's network connection to find the servers (127.0.0.1 means it's right here on this computer).

With a programmable router or DNS server you can list just the domain name part and be done with it.

johnmeyer wrote on 2/28/2006, 11:54 PM

Evidently, some of you didn't read my reply. I DID delete the "tracking cookie" and in doing so it DID NOT effect how I use the forum: I didn't have to sign in again, I can still see what threads I've read, and so on.

You deleted ONE cookie, but most sites place many, many cookies in your browser, and you must delete them all if you want to be anonymous the next time you re-enter the site.

Once you log in, the site will recognize you and serve up your preferences (how many threads to show at once, etc.), and allow you to post, and so on.

I'm not sure what you'll get with all the extra work to delete cookies, etc. Any web site that requires you to log in to use its features (like this one) can track your behavior once you've logged in. No need for cookies. The only time cookies are useful for tracking purposes is when you visit a site anonymously (without logging in). Using cookies, they can still track your behavior, even if they don't have any specific information about you.

Jay Gladwell wrote on 3/1/2006, 3:47 AM

John, I didn't say I wanted to be anonymous. I didn't say I wanted to delete ALL my cookies. I'm well aware of what doing that does along with cookies and their function.

What DID say was a spyware program I use found what THEY called a TRACKING COOKIE and it was attached to or originated from Sony Media Software. Nothing more, nothing less.