This website uses both its own and third-party cookies to provide visitors with a much better browsing experience and services tailored to each other's needs and interests.
In accordance with the EU's e-Privacy Directive, in force from 26 May 2012, and with the provisions of Law No 1 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Council adopted a directive on the implementation of the Treaty on European Union and the Provisions of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2012 on the protection of the rights of the Member Regulation. 506 of 17 November 2004 on the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector, all visitors to the website are required to consent before the transmission of cookies on their computers.
1. What is a cookie?
An "Internet Cookie" (also known as "browser cookie", "HTTP cookie" or simply "cookie") is a small file, consisting of letters and numbers, that will be stored on the computer, mobile terminal or other equipment of a user from whom the Internet is accessed. The cookie is installed by the request issued by a web-server to a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome) and is completely "passive" (does not contain software, viruses or spyware and cannot access the information on the user's hard drive).
2. Purpose and use of cookies:
Cookies play an important role in facilitating access and delivery of the many services that the user enjoys on the Internet, such as:
• Customize certain settings such as:
– the language in which a site is viewed;
– the currency in which certain prices or tariffs are expressed,
– Accessing old preferences by accessing the "Forward" and "Back" button.
Cookies provide site owners with feedback on how their sites are used by users so that they can make them even more efficient and accessible to users;
• Allow multimedia or other applications from other sites to be included in a specific site to create a more valuable, useful and enjoyable browsing experience;
• Improve the efficiency of online advertising.
3. What are the advantages of cookies?
A cookie contains information that links a web browser (user) to a specific web-server (website). If a browser accesses that web-server again, it can read the information already stored and react accordingly. Cookies provide users with a pleasant browsing experience and support the efforts of many websites to provide comfortable services to users: e.g. online privacy preferences, website language options, or relevant advertising.
4. What is the lifetime of a cookie?
Cookies are managed by webservers. The lifetime of a cookie may vary significantly, depending on the purpose for which it is placed. Some cookies are used exclusively for a single session (session cookies) and are no longer retained once the user has left the website, while other cookies are retained and reused each time the user returns to that website ('persistent cookies'). However, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time through browser settings.
5. What are third-party cookies?
Certain sections of content on some sites may be provided through third parties/providers (e.g. news-box, a video or an advertisement). These third parties may place cookies through another website and they are called "third party cookies" because they are not placed by the owner of that website. Third-party providers must also comply with applicable law and the privacy policies of the site owner.
These cookies may come from the following third parties: facebook.com, twitter.com, etc.
6. How cookies are used by the website
A visit to the website may place cookies for the purposes of:
• increase the performance of the website;
• visitor analysis;
• geotargetting;
• user registration.
7. Other third-party cookies
On some pages, third parties may set their own anonymous cookies in order to track the success of an application or to customize an application. Due to the way in which the website is used, it cannot access these cookies, just as third parties cannot access the cookies held by that website. For example, when the user distributes an article using the social networks button on a website, that social network will record the user's activity, not the website on which the button is located.
8. What type of information is stored and accessed through cookies?
Cookies are the focal point of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a user-friendly browsing experience tailored to each user's preferences and interests. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some websites unusable. Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean that the user will no longer receive online advertising – it only means that they will no longer be able to take into account the user's preferences and interests, highlighted by their browsing behavior.
Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require user authentication through an account):
• content and services tailored to the user's preferences – categories of news, weather, sports, maps, public and government services, fun websites and travel services;
• offers tailored to users' interests – retention of passwords, language preferences (e.g. displaying search results in Romanian language)
• withholding child protection filters on Internet content (family mode options, safe search functions);
• measurement, optimization and features of analytics – such as: confirmation of a certain level of traffic on a website, what type of content is viewed and how a user arrives on a website (e.g. through search engines, directly, from other websites, etc.). Website owners conduct these analyses to improve websites for the benefit of users.
9. Security and privacy issues
Cookies are NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They're not made up of pieces of code, so they can't be executed, nor can they run automatically. Therefore, you cannot duplicate or replicate on other networks to run or replicate again. Because of the fact that they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses. Cookies can, however, be used for negative purposes. Because it stores information about users' preferences and browsing history, both on a particular website and on other websites, cookies can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this fact and consistently mark cookies to be deleted as part of anti-virus/anti-spyware removal/scanning procedures. In general, browsers have built-in privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, shelf life, and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular site.
10. Other cookies – related security issues
Since identity protection is very valuable and represents the right of every Internet user, it is advisable to know what problems cookies may create.
Because information is constantly transmitted in both directions between the browser and the website, if an attacker or unauthorized person interferes with the transmission of the data, the information contained in the cookie may be intercepted. Although very rarely, this can happen if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g. an unsecured WiFi network).
Other cookie-based attacks involve mis-adjusting cookies on webservers. If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers can use this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending information through unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information to unauthorizedly access certain sites.
It is very important that users be careful in choosing the most appropriate method of protecting their personal information.
11. Tips for safe and responsible cookie-based browsing
Due to their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited websites, including the largest ones, use cookies, they are almost inevitable. Disabling cookies will not allow the user access to the most widely used sites, including: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo and others.
Here are some tips that can make sure you browse without worry, but with cookies:
• If you don't mind cookies and you're the only person using your computer, you can set long expiration times for storing your browsing history and personal access data;
• If you share access to your computer, you can consider adjusting your browser to delete individual browsing data each time you close your browser. This is a way to access websites that place cookies and delete any visitation information at the end of the browsing session;
• Install and constantly update your antispyware applications. Many spyware detection and prevention applications include detecting attacks on sites. This prevents the browser from accessing websites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software;
• Make sure your browser is always up to date. Many cookie-based attacks are carried out by exploiting the weaknesses of old versions of browsers.
Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided, especially if you want to enjoy access to the best and largest sites on the Internet – local or international. With a clear understanding of how they operate and the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures, so you can browse the Internet with confidence.
What do you do if you don't want cookies installed on your computer?
There are persons for whom the storage of information extracted from their computer or mobile device is relatively invasive, especially when the information in question is stored and used by third parties they don’t know. If you prefer, you can block all cookies or just some of them or even remove cookies that have been installed on your terminal. However, be aware that you may not be able to use certain features. To enable this blockage, you must change your browser's privacy parameters. Some third-party operators have developed tools whose modules enable data collection and use to be disabled. Disabling and refusing to receive cookies may make certain sites impractical or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing to accept cookies does not mean that the user will no longer receive/see online advertising.
You can adjust in your browser to stop these cookies from being accepted or accept cookies from a specific website. But, for example, if a user is not registered using cookies, they will not be able to leave comments. All modern browsers offer the possibility to change cookie settings.
These settings are usually found in the browser's "Options", "Adjustments", or "Preferences" menus (buttons).
