Managing cookies in Firefox
What's a cookie?
Cookies are files created by internet sites that store useful information on your machine that includes your preferences when you are visiting that site. When you visit a website that makes use of cookies, Firefox might place 1 or more cookies on the hard disk. Later when you again visit the website, Firefox will send back the cookies which originally belonged to that site. This ensures that the website presents you with information that is customized to suit your needs.
Cookies also keep personally identifiable information. This information is used for identifying you that includes your e-mail address, your name, work or home address or the telephone number. But a website can only access personal data that you provide. For instance a website cannot find out your email address if you do not provide it. It is also not possible for websites to access other information that is on your computer
When you make use of default cookie settings, the above activity cannot be seen by you. You will also not know when the site is trying to set a cookie for you or when Firefox is placing a cookie on your hard disc. However if you configure your cookie preferences then you will be asked every time the website tries to set a cookie. You can also decide how long you want to keep the cookies in your current Firefox browser session.
Setting up the cookie rules: By default Firefox browser does accept all cookies that allow a website to identify you effectively forever. If you don't want this, you can always tell Firefox browser to remove all the cookies whenever you close Firefox browser.
1] At the top of Firefox window, you have to click on Edit menu and then choose preferences. You have to then choose Privacy panel.
2] From Keep until menu, choose 'I close Firefox' preference.
If you want a website to allow you to automatically log in then click on 'Exceptions', enter website address and then click on 'Allow'.
All the settings: These preferences help Firefox to manage cookies.
Accept cookies from websites: If you don't want any website to place cookies on your hard disk then you must uncheck this preference. However note that some websites might not work properly if cookies are enabled. If you wish to give permission to certain websites to store cookies then open Cookies Exceptions window by simply clicking Exceptions, enter website address and then click on Allow button.
Keep until they expire: If you select this preference, each and every cookie will be automatically deleted when the website that has set it has decided that now the cookie must expire.
I close Firefox: When you select this preference, cookies will be automatically deleted when Firefox is restarted. Website that requires cookies to function properly will start work. However if you again start Firefox the website will assume that you logged in for the very first time again.
Ask me every time: When you select this preference, you will receive an alert, whenever a website tries to place a cookie. The alert will ask if you wish to save the cookie.
Blocking and Accepting Cookies: If you have selected 'ask me every time' from Keep until menu then a dialog box will appear every time a website tries to store cookies on your machine giving the following options.
Allow: If you wish to store the cookie, click on 'Allow button'. Use this if and only if you trust the website.
Allow for session: If you want to store the cookie for now but want it to be deleted when you close Firefox then you should click 'Allow for session'.
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