Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
Linda B. Whinfrey ’89 has been promoted to vice president of internal audit and enterprise risk management at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Ms. Whinfrey was most recently the managing director in the department. She will oversee internal audit, enterprise risk management, external audits, and quality monitoring efforts. Prior to joining Blue Cross and Blue Shield in 2003, she worked at Metropolitan Life and Cigna Corporation.
Curtis B. Smith ’90 joined Crown World Mobility as group vice president. Crown World Mobility is the world’s largest privately-held group of logistics and related services companies. Mr. Smith brings a wealth of industry experience with over 20 years of experience and most recently served as vice president, client services at Cartus.
David A. Samuels ’83 was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, in addition to being named Audit Committee Chair. Mr. Samuels also serves as a Board of Governors member and Trustee of the Charles E. Smith Life Communities, one of the nation’s largest eldercare services organization.
David L. Murphy ’96 MBA has been appointed to head of Wealth Advisory at Boston Private, a leading provider of fully integrated wealth management, trust, and private banking services. Mr. Murphy most recently served as the New England and Metro New York regional Investment Director at TD Bank.
Stephen J. LaRosa ’85, CPA has been honored by the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants as a co-recipient of the 2017 “Jack Brooks Leadership Award”. Mr. LaRosa is currently the Senior Director, State and Local Tax with Alexion Pharmaceuticals in Cheshire, CT. The Jack Brooks Leadership Award was created to memorialize the inspiration, dedication, and drive for accomplishment that defined former CTCPA Executive Director, Jack Brooks.
Susan A. Martinelli ’01 MSA, CPA has been elected to serve as president-elect of the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants for the 2017-2018 activity year. Ms. Martinelli is currently an assurance partner in RSM US LLP in New Haven, CT.
Mitchell R. Insero ’10, CPA has been elected to serve as an at-large member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants during the 2017-2018 activity year. Mr. Insero is currently a business advisor with CohnReznick LLP in Hartford, CT and in 2016 was awarded the organizations Jack Brooks Leadership Award.
Michael P. Jordan ’01, 02 MSA has been appointed to serve as Advisory Council chair for the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants for the 2017-2018 activity year. Mr. Jordan is currently the managing director of Andersen Tax in Old Greenwich, CT.
Steven E. Kozlowski ’17 Ph.D. has successfully defended his dissertation titled, “Three Essays on Financial Distress and Valuation.” Dr. Kozlowski has accepted an assistant professor, tenure-track position at Fairfield University, Dolan School of Business.