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From: Cawshus on 5 Aug 2010 01:55
Not sure if this has made its way into the NG yet:

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/100805/#story1

"Eliminate Flash-spawned 'zombie' cookies


Way back in a 2008 column, I spotlighted one of the most insidious and least-known features on the Internet: Adobe Flash cookies that were not subject to the usual cookie rules.

Almost two years later, these special Flash cookies are still living in our PCs, and enterprising privacy-busters now use them to create zombie cookies regular cookies that come back from the dead."

Read on for further information and a link to CCleaner (well known) and Flash Cookie Cleaner:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Secure-cleaning/Flash-Cookies-Cleaner.shtml




--
� Steve

Due to the volume of garbage I filter out googlegroups.

From: VanguardLH on 5 Aug 2010 13:24
Cawshus wrote:

User-Agent: Xnews/2006.08.24

Figure out how to configure Xnews to physically wrap lines at 72-76
characters.

> Not sure if this has made its way into the NG yet:
>
> http://windowssecrets.com/comp/100805/#story1
>
> "Eliminate Flash-spawned 'zombie' cookies
>
> Way back in a 2008 column, I spotlighted one of the most insidious and least-known features on the Internet: Adobe Flash cookies that were not subject to the usual cookie rules.

Oh, YOU just discovered about .sol cookie files (via this article) and
so they must be new. Uh huh. Some security goober managed to scare yet
another noob. Some budding neophyte "journalist" is required to eat up
some page space to qualify their continued employment so they rehash the
same old trite cookie scare.

From the article, "Way back in a 2008 column, I spotlighted one of the
most insidious and least-known features on the Internet: Adobe Flash
cookies that were not subject to the usual cookie rules." Oooh, yeah,
he suddenly "spotted" .sol cookie files in 2008 despite they've been
around since 2004, maybe longer, and have been reported and
sensationalized long before 2008. This statement proves this
"journalist" is no such thing since he never researches his topic
beforehand and just wants to ping his presence somewhere.

> Almost two years later, these special Flash cookies are still living in our PCs, and enterprising privacy-busters now use them to create zombie cookies regular cookies that come back from the dead."
>
> Read on for further information and a link to CCleaner (well known) and Flash Cookie Cleaner:
>
> http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Secure-cleaning/Flash-Cookies-Cleaner.shtml


So why not configure ActiveX to not allow cookies if you don't want
them?

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager.html

Don't allow any storage.
Don't permit any 3rd party components get stored on your host.
Don't store "common Flash components" on your host.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_cookie

I also have CCleaner and have it scheduled to run (when idle) at regular
periods using Task Scheduler. Eventually its author learned and updated
CCleaner to *not* delete the settings.sol flash cookie file (around
2005, I think) where the security settings get stored and where you can
specify NOT to have Flash store anything on your host. My instance of
CCleaner can't find any .sol cookie files to purge because I configured
Flash not to allow them in the first place!

If you read Piriform's online documentation for CCleaner, it says:

Flash cookies are stealthier than regular cookies. Flash can install
cookies on your computer without your permission by default. You can
change the default setting for Flash cookies at <the-URL-given-above>
("Allow third-party Flash content to store data on your computer.").
Or, you can use CCleaner to clean Flash cookies when it runs. By
default, CCleaner is set to leave Flash cookies alone.

So FIRST use the settings page to configure Flash to *not* use local
storage objects (cookies) on your host and to purge any existing .sol
cookie files on your host. Then, and only if you want to look for .sol
cookie files that won't be there, use CCleaner to include Flash in its
cleanup.

If you configure Flash not to use LSO on your host, you would only be
getting cookies if some cleaner utility you employ happens to also
delete the settings.sol file (i.e., that cleaner hasn't yet learned how
security settings are configured for Flash so it wipes all .sol files).
I have not heard of a rogue version of Adobe's Flash AX control that
won't honor the settings you save in its settings.sol file - but
obviously that file must exist to enforce your settings.
From: Cawshus on 6 Aug 2010 17:47
VanguardLH <V(a)nguard.LH> wrote in news:i3es3f$526$1(a)news.albasani.net:


>
> Oh, YOU just discovered about .sol cookie files (via this article) and
> so they must be new. Uh huh. Some security goober managed to scare
> yet another noob.
>
>

Do you always leap to incorrect conclusions? Re-read what I wrote: "Not
sure if this has made its way into the NG yet". This was not a request for
help.

I currently deal with privacy more than adequately, not including that
particular app not CCleaner. Having said that, I did run FlashCookieCleaner
and it located nothing. So, thank you for your attempt to help but not for
your offensive words.
From: VanguardLH on 6 Aug 2010 19:26
Cawshus wrote:

> VanguardLH <V(a)nguard.LH> wrote in news:i3es3f$526$1(a)news.albasani.net:
>
>>
>> Oh, YOU just discovered about .sol cookie files (via this article) and
>> so they must be new. Uh huh. Some security goober managed to scare
>> yet another noob.
>>
>>
>
> Do you always leap to incorrect conclusions? Re-read what I wrote: "Not
> sure if this has made its way into the NG yet". This was not a request for
> help.

As you already realize, this is Usenet. You cannot command anyone to
not respond. Too bad for you that your advice is shown less important
because I mentioned already available solutions that don't require
installing 3rd party solutions.

> I currently deal with privacy more than adequately, not including that
> particular app not CCleaner. Having said that, I did run FlashCookieCleaner
> and it located nothing. So, thank you for your attempt to help but not for
> your offensive words.

You got caught proliferating an old scare. Too bad.
From: Slarty on 7 Aug 2010 10:36
On Fri, 6 Aug 2010 18:26:40 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:

>> I currently deal with privacy more than adequately, not including that
>> particular app not CCleaner. Having said that, I did run FlashCookieCleaner
>> and it located nothing. So, thank you for your attempt to help but not for
>> your offensive words.
>
> You got caught proliferating an old scare. Too bad.

Why don't you direct your invective to the originator of the information
which upsets you so much, Woody Leonhard?

I shan't insult you by telling you how to contact him by email, but there
was a clue in the original posting which started of this thread if it's too
difficult for you.

Cheers,

Roy
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