Web developers beware

[AtomicChip]

Just a quick FYI for all internet developers out there-

Cookie manipulation (up to this point) to my knowledge has been a tougher task than the average user is up to. What I mean by cookie manipulation is editing existing cookie values.

For example, let's say that once a user has logged in you store their user id as a plaintext cookie variable. To change this, some trickery on the client side is involved.

This is the case no more.

I try to get familiar with as many browsers as I can. I most recently installed and began using Opera v7.54u1. I immediately fell in love with it. Full of fluff features (like mouse gestures), no slow loading time (like Firefix - on Windows anyways).

One of the first things I noticed was Tools > Cookies. With this little built-in utility, not only can you view cookies and their values, but you can edit them as well! If you're just storing unencrypted userID's (or any other unencrypted information for that matter), Opera has made it simple for anyone to edit this information.

Just yet another heads-up to all the developers out there: Encrypt your cookies!

 

[CliveC]

Since cookies have always been plain text files they have always been editable.

Clive

http://tubularity.com

http://PalliativeCareConsulting.org

 

[AtomicChip]

Netscape cookies have been editable via text editors (cookies.txt). IE cookies are more difficult (editing the cookies stored in the ..\Cookies folder doesn't actually do anything - they seem to be just by-products).

I didn't say that they weren't editable. I'm just saying that the Opera browser made it a lot easier and "in-the-face" of the average user.

Just yet another reason (if there weren't enough already) to encrypt cookies.

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http://www.liquidfuzion.com

"The night sky over the planet Krikkit is the least interesting sight in the entire universe."
-Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy

 

[AtomicChip]

Cookie manipulation (up to this point) to my knowledge has been a tougher task than the average user is up to.

With an emphasis on "average user"

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http://www.liquidfuzion.com

"The night sky over the planet Krikkit is the least interesting sight in the entire universe."
-Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy