Super Cookies - New Internet Threats

A few new things to be aware of while you are browsing the internet (surfing the NET).

Types of Super Cookies:

1. Flash LSO’s (Local Stored Objects):  Uses flash code to store tracking info that cannot be removed by browser functions because it is store in the flash plugin and works across multiple browsers
2. Zombie Cookies:  Placed on websites by individuals with no affiliation, for use in attaching to a visitor to use for tracking and gaining a person’s personal information, even after deleting this cookie it can be recreated and still track you because it also uses flash
3. Browser Finger Printing:  Identifies users for tracking based on their browser configuration signatures, IP addresses, plug-ins, system fonts, and operating systems
4. Client-Side scripting:   A website stores information of visitors and stores the information in a database located on their site

New Threats:

ETags:  Are an identifier that a Web server assigns to a specific version of a resource found at a URL. If the content at that URL changes, the Web servers assign it a new ETag.

This lets a system recognize when content hasn't changed between server requests for URL and that the information that browsers have cached is still current. The tags thereby eliminate the need for servers to resend the same information. This makes the process more efficient.

However, the approach also lets online advertisers utilize ETags — which contain information about visitors to sites — as another technique for tracking users.

People who track users via ETags generate unique identifiers that recognize visitors across multiple returns to a given site.

ETags are stored in a browser's cache and aren't eliminated when users delete cookies. Instead, users must manually clear their browser caches to get rid of ETags.

Top 12 Excel 2010 formulas

LEN - It will count the number of text in a given string. The string can be referenced from another column or hard coded inside the string.

=LEN(A1)

=LEN("1234asdf") Output:8

LOWER - This formula makes all character to lowercase

=LOWER(A1)

=LOWER(AsDF) - Output:asdf

UPPER - This formula makes all character to upper case

=UPPER(A1)

=LOWER(AsDF) - Output:ASDF

PROPER - This is like Init Caps or capitalizes the first character.

=PROPER(A1)

=PROPER(asdf) Output:Asdf

TRIM - Used to remove trailing and preceding spaces. Remove all blank space before and after the content.

=TRIM(A1)

=TRIM("  asdf 1234  ") Output: asdf 1234

Note: It won’t remove space in between the words

SUBSTITUTE - This formula used to replace or substitute a text with another text.

=SUBSTITUTE(B1,” “,”-“)

=SUBSTITUTE("asdf 1234",” “,”-“) Output:asdf-1234

=SUBSTITUTE("asdf 1234",” “,”!@#$“) Output:asdf!@#$1234

CONCATENATE - This formula is used to concatenate or join two or more text

=CONCATENATE("1234","asdf") Output: 1234asdf

TEXT - Used to format an existing column data to a new format. This is very useful to change date format.

=TEXT("12/31/2001","DD-MMM-YYYY") Output: 31-Dec-2001

LEFT - Return the number of characters from left

=LEFT("asdf",2) Output: as

RIGHT- Return the number of characters from right

=LEFT("asdf",2) Output: df

HYPERLINK - Used to open a folder or file from the local or network share folder.

=HYPERLINK("C:\Blog","Open Blog Folder") Output: when the user clicks the link it will open the folder C:\Blog from the local machine.

Count: This will count the number of NUMBERs in the given range. It will ignore the string or any other special data.  

=COUNT(H6:H11) Output: Identify the total number of excel cells which has numbers and ignore all other cells. It will provide the number of cells matching the count.