RE: Microsoft IE cookies readable via about: URLS

From: Oliver Petruzel (opetruzelat_private)
Date: Mon Nov 12 2001 - 12:33:45 PST

  • Next message: Syzop: "Re: Bug in bash ?"

    Moderators: [This is much more appropriate for the vuln-dev or privacy
    arena, so I am cross-posting to move it in that direction.]
    
    
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Continental Technologies, Inc. [mailto:ctincat_private] 
    > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 1:56 PM
    
    > 
    > Many firewalls already monitor cookie information allow you 
    > to build an exemption list on the fly.  That is, if you don't 
    > mind the constant nagging of the accept/reject mechanism.
    > 
    > Regards,
    >  
    > Steven Kadesch
    > 
    
    I guess my line of thought was more of a disclosure issue with known
    offenders.  I am familiar with several "cookie blocking" mechanisms but
    this still begs for a centralized disclosure solution.  Web-bugs are of
    course more destructive or intrusive rather, but my concern is with
    "popular" sites that may be collecting too much information on ALL
    visitors to their sites, and using IE "funstionality" to do so.
    
    A list of this sort would create a sense (somewhat) of fear in the
    offenders, as their name is mentioned in a negative light.  Raised
    awareness of their intrusive nature may cause them to reevaluate their
    need for personal information such as SSN and CC's and weigh it against
    negative publicity.  This may lead to their removing these "personal"
    portions of their cookies thus returning to a purely functional use.
    (pipedream?)
    
    With w3c and XML developments expanding in the near future, the
    meta-data should include DETAILED information on cookies and such being
    issued when a site is served.  Who knows, that may be the solution to
    this disclosure issue, but in the meantime perhaps a simple blacklist is
    in order.
    
    Oliver P.
    Computer Security Specialist (IC)
    Near DC...
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon Nov 12 2001 - 14:51:32 PST