How to View Your Otherwise Invisible Flash Cookies

By Daniel Miessler on February 14th, 2009: Tagged as Information Security | Privacy

If you have any basic computer knowledge and value your privacy you probably know how to clear your browser’s cookies and cache. It’s Internet 101. But newer web technologies like Adobe Flash, Adobe Air, and Microsoft Silverlight complicate things. Deleting “cookies” from these technologies isn’t necessarily done through your browser.

As an example, if you use Flash in a standard way you are often sending websites information about the other Flash sites you’ve been to–even if you’ve done the standard browser privacy stuff. So you can think you’ve covered your tracks, but in fact still be blabbing about where you’ve been to any site you visit running Flash.

flash_manager

Using this application shown above, you can actually see this invisible content. From there you can manage not only the Flash artifacts you currently have, but also apply settings for handling them in the future.

Pass it on. ::

Links

[ Flash Cookie Manager | adobe.com ]

  • http://blogs.adobe.com/jd John Dowdell

    “if you use Flash in a standard way you are often sending websites information about the other Flash sites you’ve been to”

    Hi, how do you see that as being true? The only way I can see it is if you're talking about third-party content requested across website domains, but there's still a per-domain basis on such third-party content.

    Can you clarify? Thanks!

    jd/adobe

  • http://blogs.adobe.com/jd John Dowdell

    “if you use Flash in a standard way you are often sending websites information about the other Flash sites you’ve been to”

    Hi, how do you see that as being true? The only way I can see it is if you're talking about third-party content requested across website domains, but there's still a per-domain basis on such third-party content.

    Can you clarify? Thanks!

    jd/adobe

  • Good Site but …

    Hi
    Just happened to pass through this webpage. You say “But newer web technologies like Adobe Flash, Adobe Air, and Microsoft Silverlight complicate things. Deleting cookies from these technologies isn’t necessarily done through your browser.”
    I happen to know only about Flash cookies (LSOs). If Adobe Air, and Microsoft Silverlight technologies also bring up such privacy issues, please be more specific. Don't just generalize over all 'flash-like' technologies. Otherwise you help in creating an atmosphere of mistrust and fear. For example, there are people who still believe, HTTP cookies can spread viruses etc.

  • Good Site but …

    Hi
    Just happened to pass through this webpage. You say “But newer web technologies like Adobe Flash, Adobe Air, and Microsoft Silverlight complicate things. Deleting cookies from these technologies isn’t necessarily done through your browser.”
    I happen to know only about Flash cookies (LSOs). If Adobe Air, and Microsoft Silverlight technologies also bring up such privacy issues, please be more specific. Don't just generalize over all 'flash-like' technologies. Otherwise you help in creating an atmosphere of mistrust and fear. For example, there are people who still believe, HTTP cookies can spread viruses etc.

  • slavic

    Useless, new flash cookies could be find in specific folders every few minutes after deleting them… even after unistalling all adobe products.

  • Pingback: A Security-focused HTTP Primer « billyduc.homelinux


Top

Popular

Information Security / Technology

Politics

Philosophy & Religion

Technology & Science

Culture & Society

Miscellaneous

Arguments

Projects

Collections

Twitter

What I'm Reading

Favorite Books and Essays

Top Blog Categories

Inputs