Contents
Data is transferred constantly between the user’s browser and your web server. Without SSL, this data (cookies) is sent in plain text. If a hacker intercepts this data, they can simply read it. So even if a hacker manages to steal it, they can’t read the data.
Hackers get users’ personal information by stealing their cookies. They can use this information for phishing attacks. A phishing attack is a fraudulent attempt to get the users’ sensitive information.
How can people steal cookies?
How do hackers steal cookies? If hackers can access your computer or your network, they can probably steal your cookies. Sometimes they can steal them directly from an insecure webserver too.
What does steal your cookies mean?
Cookie theft occurs when a third party copies unencrypted session data and uses it to impersonate the real user. Cookie theft most often occurs when a user accesses trusted sites over an unprotected or public Wi-Fi network.
Cookies are a common technology that allow websites to recognize you. But they can also give hackers enough data to steal your personal information. Search for anything online — and the next thing you know that item is following you on the internet in the form of an ad at just about every website you visit.
Since the data in cookies doesn’t change, cookies themselves aren’t harmful. They can’t infect computers with viruses or other malware. However, some cyberattacks can hijack cookies and enable access to your browsing sessions.
Is there a way to steal my cookies?
The most common way for cookie stealing to happen is when a hacker logs in the same network as the website user. This is why it is unsafe to use public Wi-Fi or an unsecured network, especially when making purchases. Another way is through session hijacking.
How to prevent Cookie stealing and hijacking sessions?
There are two parties that play a role in preventing cookie theft and session hijacking – the website owner and the visitor. We’ll discuss preventive measures for both sides.
An adversary may steal web application or service session cookies and use them to gain access to web applications or Internet services as an authenticated user without needing credentials. Web applications and services often use session cookies as an authentication token after a user has authenticated to a website.
Cookies are used widely across the internet and it’s scary just how often they get stolen. If you’re a victim of cookie stealing or session hijacking, the repercussions of it are severe.