Cookie policy

About cookies, what they are and how they work.

The information presented below is intended to inform the user about the placement, use and management of cookies used by the website www.pestera.ro .

Please read the following information carefully:

This website uses its own cookies as well as cookies added by third parties, in order to provide visitors with a significantly better browsing experience and services tailored to the needs and interests of each individual. In what we call the "modern web" or "web 2.0", cookies play an important role in facilitating access to and delivery of the multiple services that users enjoy on the Internet, such as: Personalisation of certain settings including: the language in which the website is displayed, the date and time, the retention of options/settings (including the saving thereof) and the retention of previous preferences through the use of various buttons/functions.

Cookies provide website owners with valuable feedback on how their websites are used by visitors, so that they can make them even more efficient or more accessible to users. They allow multimedia or other types of applications from other websites to be included (embedded) in certain pages in order to create a more valuable, more useful and more enjoyable browsing experience.

What is a "cookie"?

An "Internet Cookie" (a term also known as a "browser cookie" or "HTTP cookie" or simply a "cookie") is a small file, consisting of letters and numbers, which will be stored on the computer, mobile terminal or other equipment of a user from which the Internet is accessed.

The cookie is sent via a request issued by the web server on which the website is hosted, to the user's browser (e.g. Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome etc.) and is entirely "passive", in the sense that it does not contain software programs, viruses or spyware and cannot access information on the user's computer.

A cookie consists of 2 parts: the name and the content or value of the cookie, and it is uniquely associated with the domain on which the website that sent it to the user's browser is hosted (e.g. www.pestera.ro). Furthermore, the lifespan of a cookie is determined solely by the web server that sent the cookie, which is the only entity that can access it again, and only when the user returns to the website associated with that web server.

Cookies do not require personal data in order to be used and cannot personally identify internet users.

There are two main categories of cookies:

Session cookies - these are stored temporarily in the web browser's cookie folder until the user leaves the respective website or closes the browser window. Persistent cookies - these are stored on the computer or device used, on the hard drive, for a longer period of time and remain stored even after leaving the website or after closing the web browser (and generally depend on the pre-set lifespan of the cookie). Persistent cookies also include those placed by a website other than the one the user is visiting at that time - known as "third party cookies" - which may be used anonymously to record a user's interests, so that advertising as relevant as possible may be delivered to that user.

The advantages of cookies

A cookie contains information that establishes a link between a browser (the user) and a specific web server (the website). If a browser accesses that web server again, the server can read the information already stored and react accordingly.

Cookies provide users with a pleasant browsing experience and support the efforts of many websites to offer convenient services to users. Examples include online privacy preferences, language options for the website or relevant advertising etc.

The lifespan of a cookie

Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifespan of a cookie can vary significantly, depending on the purpose for which it is placed. Some cookies are used exclusively for a single session ("session cookies") and are not retained after the user leaves the website, while some cookies are retained and reused each time the user returns to that website ("permanent cookies"). Nevertheless, cookies can be deleted by a user at any time through the browser settings.

Cookies placed by third parties

Certain sections of content on some websites may be provided through third parties/providers (e.g. a news box, a video or an advertisement). These third parties may also place cookies through the website and these are called "third party cookies", because they are not placed by the respective website itself. Third-party providers must also comply with applicable law and the privacy policies of the website owner.

The use of cookies by this website

Visiting this website may place cookies for the purposes of:

Website performance cookies

Visitor analytics cookies

Third-party cookies

Performance cookies

Each time a user visits this website, the analytics software provided by a third party generates a user analytics cookie. This cookie tells us whether you have visited this website before. The browser communicates whether this cookie exists, and if it does not, one is generated. This allows unique users visiting the website and the frequency of their visits to be monitored. This cookie cannot be used to identify natural persons; it is used solely for statistical purposes.

On some pages, third parties may set their own anonymous cookies, for the purpose of tracking the success of an advertisement/application or for customising an application. Due to the manner in which it is used, this website cannot access these cookies, just as third parties cannot access the cookies held by this website. Example: when you share an article using the social network buttons available on this website, the social network will record your action.

Online advertising belonging to third parties. Some of these use their own anonymous cookies to analyse how many people have viewed an advertising message, or to see how many people have viewed the same advertisement multiple times. The companies that generate these cookies have their own privacy policies, and this website does not have access to these cookies. Third-party cookies are used to show you targeted advertising on other websites as well, based on your browsing activity on this website.

The type of information stored and accessed through cookies

Cookies retain information in a small text file that allows a website to recognise a browser. The web server will recognise the browser until the cookie expires or is deleted. The cookie stores important information that improves the Internet browsing experience. E.g. settings regarding the language in which a website is to be accessed, keeping a user logged into a member account or email account, online security, the retention and saving of certain settings etc.

The importance of cookies for the Internet

Cookies represent the central point of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a user-friendly browsing experience, adapted to the preferences and interests of each user. Refusing or disabling cookies may make some websites impossible to use. Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive online advertising, but only that such advertising will no longer be able to take into account your preferences and interests as evidenced by your browsing behaviour.

Examples of important uses of cookies (which do not require a user to authenticate through an account):

Content and services adapted to the user's preferences - news categories, weather, sport, maps, public and government services, entertainment websites and travel services. Offers tailored to users' interests - saving passwords, language preferences (e.g. displaying search results in Romanian). Retention of child protection filters regarding Internet content (family mode options, safe search functions).

Limiting the frequency of advertisement delivery - limiting the number of times an advertisement is displayed to a particular user on a website.

Providing relevant advertising to the user. Measurement, optimisation and analytics features - such as confirming a certain level of traffic on a website, what type of content is viewed most and how a user arrives at the website (e.g. through search engines, directly, from other websites etc.). Websites carry out these analyses of their usage in order to improve the websites for the benefit of the user. Security and privacy-related issues

Cookies are NOT viruses! They use a plain text format. They are not composed of pieces of code, so they cannot be executed and cannot self-run. Consequently, they cannot duplicate or replicate themselves across other networks in order to run or replicate again. Since they cannot perform these functions, they cannot be considered viruses.

Cookies can, however, be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about users' preferences and browsing history, both on a specific website and across multiple websites, cookies can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this fact and consistently flag cookies for deletion during anti-virus/anti-spyware deletion/scanning procedures. In general, browsers have integrated privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, validity periods and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular website.

Other security aspects related to cookies.

Given that the protection of identity is very important and represents the right of every internet user, it is advisable to be aware of the potential issues that may arise in connection with cookies. Since information is constantly transmitted in both directions between the browser and the website through cookies, if an attacker or unauthorised person intervenes in the data transmission process, the information contained in the cookie may be intercepted. Although very rare, this can occur if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g. an unsecured Wi-Fi 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 exploit this vulnerability to trick browsers into sending information through unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information for the purpose of gaining unauthorised access to certain websites. It is very important to be careful in choosing the most appropriate method of protecting personal information.

Tips for safe and responsible browsing based on cookies.

Due to their flexibility and the fact that the majority of the most visited and largest websites use cookies, these are almost unavoidable. Disabling cookies will not allow the user to access the most widespread and widely used websites, including YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo, Google and many others.

A few tips that can ensure you browse without concern with the help of cookies:

Customise your browser settings with regard to cookies in order to establish a comfortable level of security.

If you do not mind cookies and you are the only person using the computer, you can set long expiry periods for storing your browsing history and personal access data.

If you share access to the computer, you may consider setting the browser to delete individual browsing data each time you close the browser; this is the option of accessing websites that place cookies and deleting any visit information at the end of the browsing session.

Install and constantly update anti-spyware applications. Many applications for detecting and preventing spyware include detection of attacks from websites. In this way, they prevent the browser from accessing websites that might exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software.

Ensure that your browser is always kept up to date.

Many cookie-based attacks are carried out by exploiting weaknesses in older browser versions. Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you wish to enjoy access to the best and largest websites on the Internet, whether local or international. With a clear understanding of how they operate and the benefits they provide, you can take the necessary security measures so that you can browse the internet with confidence.

Disabling cookies

Disabling and refusing to receive cookies may make certain websites impractical or difficult to visit and use. Furthermore, refusing to accept cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive or see online advertising.

It is possible to set the browser so that these cookies are no longer accepted, or you can set the browser to accept cookies only from a specific website. However, for example, if you are not registered using cookies, you will not be able to leave comments. All modern browsers offer the possibility of changing cookie settings. These settings are generally found in the "Options" or "Preferences" menu of your browser, or you can use the "Help" option of the browser for further details.