A cookie is a small file, made up of letters and numbers, that will be stored on a user’s computer, mobile terminal or other equipment from which the Internet is accessed. The cookie is installed by a request issued by a web-server to a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome) and is completely passive (it does not contain any software programs, viruses or spyware and cannot access information on the user’s hard drive).
What are cookies used for?
These files make it possible to recognize the user’s terminal and present content in a relevant way, tailored to the user’s preferences. Cookies ensure a pleasant browsing experience for users and support our efforts to provide convenient services to our users.
What Cookies do we use?
We use two types of Cookies: per-session and fixed. Per-session cookies are temporary files that remain in the user’s terminal until the session ends or the application (web browser) is closed. Fixed files remain on the user’s terminal for a period of time within the cookie settings or until manually deleted by the user.
Examples of cookies used on the site
| COOKIE | FURNIZER | GENERAL PURPOSE | COOKIE VALIDITY |
| _gat_gtag_UA_ | Google Analytics | This cookie collects information about how users use the website. | 1 minute |
| _ga | Google Analytics | This cookie is used for user differentiation. It is updated whenever data is sent through Google Analytics. | 2 year |
| _gid | Google Analytics | This cookie is used for user differentiation. It is updated whenever data is sent through Google Analytics. | 24 hours |
For full information on cookies, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
What are cookies used for on our websites?
Cookies are used to provide users of these websites with a better browsing experience and services tailored to the needs and interests of each individual user, such as:
Customize certain settings such as the language in which a site is displayed, the currency in which prices and rates are expressed, keeping options for various products / services in the shopping cart / forms.
Improving the usability of the websites, including by identifying certain errors that occur during the visit / use of the websites by users.
Provide anonymous statistics on how these web pages are used by hotelpetrosani.com, as their owner.
-Anticipation of certain goods / services that will be made available to users in the future through these websites.
How are these cookies used by our websites?
By using / visiting the website the following cookies may be placed:
Necessary cookies or website performance cookies
User analytics / statistics cookies
Geotargeting cookies
Registration cookies
Marketing/advertising cookies
Necessary cookies or website performance cookies
These cookies are used to memorize the preferences of the user of these Internet pages, so that it is no longer necessary to set them each time you visit the site.
User analysis / statistics cookies
They inform us whether a user of our web pages has visited these pages in the past. These cookies are used for statistical purposes only.
If you have been previously registered we may know the details you have provided us with such as your e-mail address or username – these are subject to the confidentiality and provisions of the Privacy Policy and the provisions of the legislation in force regarding the protection of personal data.
Cookies for geotargeting
These are used by a software that determines the country of origin of the user of the internet pages. The same advertisements will be received regardless of the language selected.
Registration cookies
When you register on our websites, we generate a cookie that tells us whether you are registered or not. Our servers use these cookies to show us which account you are registered with and whether you have permission for a particular service.
It also allows us to associate any comments you post on our websites with your username.
If you have not selected “Stay logged in”, this cookie will be automatically deleted when you close your browser or computer.
Marketing/advertising cookies
These cookies allow us to track whether or not you have viewed an online advertisement, what type of advertisement it is and how long it has been since you saw the advertisement.
They are therefore also used to target online advertising. We may also use third-party cookies for better targeting of advertising.
These cookies are anonymous, they do not store information about the user but about the content viewed.
Do cookies contain personal data?
Cookies themselves do not require personal information in order to be used and, in most cases, do not personally identify Internet users. Personal data collected through the use of Cookies may be collected only to facilitate certain functionality for the user. Such data is encrypted in a way that makes it impossible for unauthorized persons to access it.
Deleting Cookies
In general, an application used for accessing web pages allows cookies to be saved on the terminal by default. These settings can be changed in such a way that the automatic management of Cookies is blocked by the web browser or the user is informed each time Cookies are sent to his/her terminal. Detailed information about the possibilities and ways of managing Cookies can be found in the settings area of the application (web browser). Limiting the use of Cookies may affect certain functionality of the website.
All modern browsers offer the option to change cookie settings. These can usually be found in the “options” or “preferences” menu of your browser.
- Cookie settings for Google Chrome
- Cookie settings for Mozilla Firefox
- Cookie settings for Apple Safari
- Cookie settings for Microsoft Internet Explorer
Since the installation of cookies and other tracking systems realized by third party services cannot be technically controlled by the owner, any specific reference to these cookies or tracking systems installed by third parties are indicative.
Why are cookies important for the Internet?
Cookies are central to 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 sites unusable. Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive online advertising but only that it will no longer be able to take into account your preferences and interests, evidenced by your browsing behavior.
Security and privacy issues
Cookies are NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of pieces of code so they cannot be executed nor can they autorun. Consequently, they cannot be duplicated or replicated on other networks to run or replicate themselves again. Because they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses. Cookies can still be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about users’ preferences and browsing history, both on a particular site and on many other sites, cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this fact and constantly mark cookies for deletion as part of their anti-virus/anti-spyware removal/scanning procedures.
In general, browsers have built-in privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity period and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular site. Other security issues related to cookies.
Because identity protection is very valuable and is the right of every Internet user, it is advisable to know what possible problems cookies can create. Because cookies constantly transmit information back and forth between the browser and the website, if an attacker or unauthorized person intervenes in the data transmission, the information contained in the cookie can be intercepted.
Although very rare, 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 incorrect cookie settings on servers. If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers can use this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending information over unsecure channels. Attackers then use the information to gain unauthorized access to certain websites. It is very important to be careful in choosing the most appropriate way to protect your personal information.
Tips for safe and responsible browsing based on cookies.
Due to their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited and largest sites use cookies, they are almost unavoidable. Disabling cookies will not allow the user to access the most popular and widely used sites including Youtube, Gmail, Yahoo and others.
Here are a few tips that can ensure that you can browse worry-free but with cookies:
Customize your browser’s cookie settings to reflect a comfortable level of cookie security for you.
If you don’t mind cookies and you are 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 may consider setting your browser to delete individual browsing data each time you close your browser. This is an alternative to accessing sites that place cookies and deleting any visiting information when you close your browsing session.
Install and constantly update your anti-spyware applications.
Many spyware detection and prevention applications include website attack detection. 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 exploit weaknesses in older versions of browsers.
Cookies are everywhere and can’t be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the best and biggest sites on the Internet, local or international. With a clear understanding of how they work and the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures so that you can confidently surf the Internet.
Disabling and refusing to receive cookies may make certain websites impracticable or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing to accept cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive/see online advertising.
It is possible to set your browser to stop accepting these cookies or you can set your browser to accept cookies from a specific site. But, for example, if you are not registered using cookies, you will not be able to leave comments.
All modern browsers offer the possibility to change cookie settings. These settings are usually found in the options or preferences menu of your browser. To understand these settings, the following links may be useful, otherwise you can use your browser’s help option for more details.
Useful links
If you want to know more about cookies and what they are used for, we recommend the following links:
http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/
For any further questions about how cookies are used through our websites, please email us at contact@hotelpetrosani.com