Name :	Trackware:W32/Tracking Cookie
Detection Names :	TrackingCookie
Category:	Spyware
Type:	Trackware
Platform:	W32

This program secretly monitors user behavior or gathers confidential information, then forwards the information to a third party.

Normal cookies are text files that are saved on the user's computer and contain browser settings providing websites with a unique ID for the visitor. These cookies are constantly created as the user visits different websites, with a separate cookie for each separate website.

Normal cookies are used to remember the user whom is visiting the website in order to show the appropriate content. Without them, some websites would cease to function. If you use a password on a website, then the cookie is used to note that you have signed on.

Unlike normal cookies, which do not generally monitor the user's browsing on different websites, Tracking Cookies track your web browsing habits. They can collect information about pages and advertisements you have seen or any other activity during browsing. Different websites can share tracking cookies, and each website with the same tracking cookie can read the information and write new information into it.

In general, a tracking cookie is not dangerous.  A tracking cookie cannot cause any system instability. They may however potentially infringe upon your privacy and may be removed. Current versions of popular web browsers include options to empty the browser cache folder when the application is closed.

Examples of Tracking Cookies include: