How do I permanently get rid of tracking cookies?

Question

I'm being serious

I always delete the cookies from all my browsers, but they keep coming back. I do a full scan with AVG, malwarebytes, Spybot, and nothing works. They just keep coming back, what do I do because they are just annoying as f*ck.

NOW STOP WITH THE DAMN COOKIE JOKES.

Answer 1

Turn OFF cookies in your browser preferences, and THEN delete them all. If your browser can not save any, they won't be coming back. The problem is you and what YOU are DOING. YOU are visiting the pages that keep on putting these cookies on your machine. The cookies are NOT the problem, They are simply TEXT files. A virus or malicious piece of software can NOT be transmitted in a PLAIN TEXT file of a cookie! Whoever told you THAT bogus crap, LIED to you. Cookies keep track of things like preferences. Cookies do NOT pop up bogus ads. Cookies do NOT redirect your searches. The website you are visiting does THAT trick using a scripting language like VBSCRIPT or JAVASCRIPT. So, to stop the ads and redirected searches, simply do NOT visit those sites! Cookies store information from a website that can be recovered later through your browser. Yahoo does this when you log in, storing a date and time, among other things. Then, after a period of time, based on the date and time in the cookie, they prompt you for your password again to verify you are still there. It is easy to find where the cookies are on your machine. Simply look for a file with @ in the file name and a dot TXT extension. Then, use a simple text editor like NOTEPAD to open one so you can SEE what is inside. After all, they ONLY contain printable ASCII text. The file name will look something like this:



userid@msn[1].txt



"userid" in the name above will be whatever YOUR user id is on your machine. The cookie from MSN on my machine contains the following:



_MD

alg=m2&C=2010-06-18T15%3a38%3a33

msn.com/

1024

4146029184

30086871

1297061440

30084860

*

SRCHD

D=1295498&MS=1295498&AF=NOFORM

msn.com/

1024

1082876544

30231711

1297561440

30084860

*

SRCHUSR

AUTOREDIR=0&GEOVAR=&DOB=20100618

msn.com/

1024

1082876544

30231711

1297561440

30084860

*

Answer 2

Carry a plate. That way they wont be able to track you when you drop your cookie crumbs :P





Sorry I couldn't resit :D





Doesn't sound like a cookie issue to me, im unsure about the redirect but the popups could be because you pop up blocker isn't on?? If you're using firefox, go to Tools, Options, Content, and make sure the 'Block popup Windows" is ticked.



If you want zero crap on your computer you can use sandboxie, this youtube link shows that you can literally download anything, then when you close the sandbox down all will be deleted. Hmm think the video explains it better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBMWFxRAlzI



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Just shutting down my computer and ran CCLeaner, so though you could use that. It pretty good! Been using it for years... http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/

Answer 3

No cookies can redirect you or write messages to you. They are harmless mostly.

If you get redirects it means that either your settings are corrupted by malware or that your PC is infected with malware. Do a scan with malwarebytes, superantispyware or Spyware doctor.

Check your hosts file, browser plugins and other settings too.

Answer 4

You will always have cookies. Its a sites way of remembering you. They (for the most part) are harmless. If you really dont like the idea of "being tracked", then just clear your history every time you close the browser. You can change the settings (depending on your browser) to do that automatically for you.



Alternativly, you can put your browser into "stealth", "incognito", or something like that "mode" so your tracks are not monitored or recorded.

Answer 5

A cookie distinction should be made:

"1st party" cookie "assets" are from the site you ask the browser to 'fetch'. They are usually helpful, usually harmless and are often required to view and interact with the site.

It's actually better to keep these oft' visited site cookies, because they save your site settings, preferences, and other related things, so exclude them from cleaning with any utilities, like Glary Utilities, CCleaner, or clearing "when browser closes" (a browser setting).

When maximum cloaked discretion is required, use the "Private browsing" feature of your browser.



Cookie "assets" that make trouble and are not helpful are from 3rd parties; usually advertising, almost certainly 'tracking' ability, and sometimes downright evil (as in 'malware' infested). http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=73047



Your primary strategy should be to stop those 3rd party 'assets' from even getting inside your system in the first place; then fall back to removal tactics with a 'scrubber', such as "CCleaner" or "Glary Utilities" (for the less evil 'stuff'); and a malware remover such as "MalwareBytes" http://www.malwarebytes.org/ for the really bad stuff.



Start by getting Firefox as your default browser & use it for everyday surfing; fall back to IE only for "last resort" viewing of substandard websites & Windows updates.

The following tips help, but methods (vectors) constantly change.



►FIREFOX: Tools> Options> Privacy> top slot, drop menu, tick "Firefox will use custom settings..."> Check 'Accept Cookies from sites'

& ►►Un-Check 'Accept 3rd Party cookies'

My recommended Firefox Collection, for improved security, and a tad bit of 'appearance' mod's.

https://addons.mozilla.org/collections/dunbar-pappy/dunbarpappy/

which includes flash cookie blocker.

At minimum get "NoScript" which blocks scripted assets (and tons of leverage vectors) until you allow them...much better than trying to get rid of malware picked up by global allowance.



IE does not have exceptional "3rd party" blocking. For that reason, and many other security related ones (especially 'active scripting' rubbish), it should not be used except for sub-standard websites or Windows updates...but if you must know:

INTERNET EXPLORER: Tools> Internet Options> Privacy> Advanced:

here check 'Override automatic....'; 'Allow session cookies'; 'Allow 1st party cookies' & 'Block 3rd Party Cookies'.

Answer 6

Cookies are really no big deal but... If you are using Internet Explorer for a browser, a simple change of a setting can let you permanently block almost all tracking (3rd party) cookies. (Much easier then constantly removing them!) Go to Tools > Internet Options > Privacy > Advanced > check-mark "Override automatic cookie handling" > Third party cookies > tick "Block" > OK > OK. Leave "Always allow session cookies" checked. Leave First party cookies set to "accept".

Answer 7

Man, cookies always come back man, dont worry about them man!



PS: AVG is crap, don't use it!!! Use AVAST!

Answer 8

Lots of valid replies already for this

Answer 9

super antispyware will do it for you