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0 pointsuntog14y ago0 comments

Cookies do not cross browsers. If he's using a second browser, Facebook cannot read the cookies set in the first browser. They could use some IP matching logic or something, but it would be prone to a lot of false positives.

0 comments

jr29914y ago

I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store.

Firefox and multiple firefox profiles isolate cookie storage and I also use Fluid on OS X to build site-specific browsers. The paid version offers a feature to isolate cookie storage within each app.

untogOP14y ago

"I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store."

If that's true then it's utterly insane. This StackOverflow question from 2008 seems to confirm what you're saying, though:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364219/how-can-i-have-mul...

I really hope it isn't still the case...

mkjones14y ago

> If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store.

Where are you getting this? Safari and Chrome (both built on webkit) definitely do not share cookie stores on OS X.

jr29914y ago

In my limited understanding it's the difference between the webkit engine that OS X provides to developers to use, as opposed to Chrome which probably does something different in that regard. Besides site-specific browsers, there are plenty of makeshift OS X tools that implement their own built in browser, and these applications do indeed share cookies with Safari.

The easiest way to test this is with Safari and any of the OS X site-specific browser or http debugging tools.

1 more reply

cpeterso14y ago

The Flash Player's "Shared Objects" (aka Flash cookies) are stored in a common directory, so the same Flash data is accessible from any browser (running as the same user). I do not believe Facebook's tracking is this nefarious, but the method would be quite easy to implement.

code_duck14y ago

Chrome, Chromium and Safari absolutely don't share the same cookies on Mac OSX. This is easily verifiable. Not sure about other browsers... (what other browsers?).

I think you're referring to other applications which embed Safari's rendering engine. I wouldn't really call those browsers.

gord14y ago

Webkits share cookies = ouch.. so you really need a VM.

New browser feature - open this site in a temp VM.

randomdata14y ago

These days, most browsers come with a private browsing feature, which will dump your cookies, caches (for etag tracking), etc. when you're done.

1 more reply

jr29914y ago

The convenience/security trade-off varies user to user, but for something as simple as FB, it might be considered overkill by most.

I would encourage browsers that support isolated profiles, multiple browsers that don't share cookie storage, or using a jailed site-specific browser approach.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

jr29914y ago

I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store.

Firefox and multiple firefox profiles isolate cookie storage and I also use Fluid on OS X to build site-specific browsers. The paid version offers a feature to isolate cookie storage within each app.

untogOP14y ago

"I believe this isn't always the case. If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store."

If that's true then it's utterly insane. This StackOverflow question from 2008 seems to confirm what you're saying, though:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/364219/how-can-i-have-mul...

I really hope it isn't still the case...

mkjones14y ago

> If you're using multiple browsers in OS X all built on Webkit for instance, they share the same cookie store.

Where are you getting this? Safari and Chrome (both built on webkit) definitely do not share cookie stores on OS X.

jr29914y ago

The easiest way to test this is with Safari and any of the OS X site-specific browser or http debugging tools.

1 more reply

cpeterso14y ago

code_duck14y ago

Chrome, Chromium and Safari absolutely don't share the same cookies on Mac OSX. This is easily verifiable. Not sure about other browsers... (what other browsers?).

I think you're referring to other applications which embed Safari's rendering engine. I wouldn't really call those browsers.

gord14y ago

Webkits share cookies = ouch.. so you really need a VM.

New browser feature - open this site in a temp VM.

randomdata14y ago

These days, most browsers come with a private browsing feature, which will dump your cookies, caches (for etag tracking), etc. when you're done.

1 more reply

jr29914y ago

The convenience/security trade-off varies user to user, but for something as simple as FB, it might be considered overkill by most.

I would encourage browsers that support isolated profiles, multiple browsers that don't share cookie storage, or using a jailed site-specific browser approach.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse