Delete Flash Cookies

[...] Sitio oficial | Objection Vía | gHacks [...]

I know it’s still in development, but it would be nice if they have a feature that deletes all flash cookies upon exit from the browser.

As usual, thanks for the tip. Keep them coming.

[...] Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Many sites that use Flash objects put Local Shared Objects, or “Flash Cookies,” on your computer in often out-of-the-way locations. Objection, a free Firefox add-on, automatically tracks down those cookies (most of the time) and provides an interface for learning more about what information they’re storing and deleting them. Why go through this effort? It’s a more complete way of covering your browsing tracks at work or home, for one thing, and Flash Cookies are not the most secure items to keep laying around. If Objection doesn’t find your LSO directory right off, hit the via link below for a list of common locations. Objection is a free download, works wherever Firefox does. Objection [via gHacks] [...]

[...] Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Many sites that use Flash objects put Local Shared Objects, or “Flash Cookies,” on your computer in often out-of-the-way locations. Objection, a free Firefox add-on, automatically tracks down those cookies (most of the time) and provides an interface for learning more about what information they’re storing and deleting them. Why go through this effort? It’s a more complete way of covering your browsing tracks at work or home, for one thing, and Flash Cookies are not the most secure items to keep laying around. If Objection doesn’t find your LSO directory right off, hit the via link below for a list of common locations. Objection is a free download, works wherever Firefox does. Objection [via gHacks] [...]

1. Even after you go (repeatedly) to the adobe/macromedia website and think
you have set FlashPlayer to stop hiding these nasty secret cookies, they
still appear on your hard drive.

2. You can do a Search for them on your machine by searching for *.sol and
you will find a lot of them.

3. You can VIEW the content of some of the cookies (some are encrypted)
with your Notepad or similar program.

4. MAXA COOKIE MANAGER (Germany) will find these secret cookies (and will
let you see their content), but if you want to delete them, you need to buy
the Paid Version of MAXA.

5. These cookies are NOT HARMLESS! They contain highly specific, personal
info about your computer and your viewing habits. Some of them even include
your computer’s name and directory paths. This is way too invasive and
should not be allowed–especially when done secretly behind our backs like
this, by Adobe/Macromedia.

6. If you feel these secret Adobe/Macromedia spy cookies are a violation of
your privacy and personal boundaries, COMPLAIN LOUDLY to Adobe & DEMAND that
they provide a PATCH that allows end-users to set the parameters (ON OUR OWN
HARD DRIVES without interference from Adobe!) for whether these cookies
appear on our machines…

We need a way to PERMANENTLY OPT OUT of these invasive Flash Cookies.

GOOD LUCK!

Objection is a plugin which is headed in the right direction; but, as one of the previous posters indicated, has no automation available through the extension.

Another solution (which I personally implement and recommend) is to set up a periodic nulling run (every few minutes or so) of a great freeware backup program called “Replicator”:

(http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp)

The desired functionality is realized through a job setup which is configured to copy content from any arbitrary directory of your system (”C:\” for example) WITHOUT TRANSFERRING ANY FILES OR SUBFOLDERS (in other words, nothing at all) directly to your “C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\” folder.

The resulting mirror will be void: Complete automated deletion of all LSO cookies; with the bonus of having a fantastic freeware backup program in your system tray.

Savvy?

Note: in Linux, LSOs are stored in ~/.macromedia/Flash_Player/#SharedObjects not just ~/.macromedia

In Linux, it looks like they also may be stored in ~/.adobe

[...] using FireFox you can install a plugin to remove them (Regular ways to remove cookies don’t work) described here and find some more additional info on flash [...]