Compromising browsers

The second topic of this chapter discussed how cookies are stored in the browser and can collect your information, especially the way third-party cookies will collect information about you. Apart from how cookies collect your information, your browsers keep heaps of other information. Importantly, if an attacker gets access to your computer, they can access and review your online habits, behaviors, and sensitive information. As well as attackers, many web applications can collect this information, using third-party cookies.

Let’s look at the information that a browser reveals about you:

• Web history and cached data: Most of the popular browsers provide a history feature. This feature is important if you accidentally or deliberately close a web page and forget the URL – it can be your savior. On the other hand, think about privacy. As the browser history keeps information about every single web page you visited, if anyone gets access to...