Spyware/Tracking cookies problem

[RMadd]

Question about tracking cookies: how is it that I can remove them each time using Ad-Aware, only to have them come back the next time I run it, whether it's a couple hours in between, or a couple days? All my files are updated for Ad-Aware. I've tried running Spybot S&D, no dice. Same for that new Microsoft AntiSpyware. Hasn't returned any spyware results in the nightly scans I've done for the past week or so (I do run a full system scan, checking everything). I've got a screenshot of the 5 tracking cookies that keep popping up attached. Like I said, I ran a full scan a couple hours ago, removed those and some others, and a couple hours later, they were back.

[Steve]

If you browse sites that use those cookies, they'll keep coming back. For example, one was a RealMedia cookie. If you installed RealMedia player and set it to send usage stats back to Real.com, then anytime you run RealMedia Player, it'll prob install the cookie. Also, if you visit a real.com site or something, it'll prob keep installing the cookie as well. I get similar cookies on my machine all the time for an advertising banner company. Anytime I visit a site that runs banner ads from this company, the cookie is installed. All it does is track what ads I've seen and if I click it.

Generally, those types of cookies are ok. All they do is log stats, like when you visit a site, or something. They won't distribute passwords, or keystrokes or anything.

One thing you can do in IE is go to Tools > Internet Options > Privacy tab and select sites from the settings section. You can add domains to block there. Take the domains from the cookies that won't go away and add them there. It should block any calls to those websites then, and the cookies shouldn't get installed. This can cause problems for legitimate sites though.

[titan9]

What Steve said is definitely right. Generally those cookies aren't anything to worry about. I do weekly Ad-Aware scans and see 5-10 cookies on my scan. I always click to remove them. But really, if I didn't remove them, my computer would probably still run just fine. As long as no spyware/adware programs or trojans pop up in your scans, and it's just cookies, you've got nothing to worry about.

[RMadd]

hey, Steve thanks for the recommendation. looks like blocking the sites that were providing the cookies worked. thanks, you're awesome!
i guess i just wanted 'em off there b/c they seem like they could be bad shit, reporting usage, etc.

[Steve]

Generally they aren't bad.