Local Shared Object (LSO), sometimes known as flash cookies, is a cookie-like data entity used by Adobe Flash Player. HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies tracking cookies or just cookies are parcels of text sent by a server to a Web client (usually The Adobe Flash Player is a widely distributed proprietary multimedia and application player created by Macromedia and now developed and distributed by Adobe The player allows web content to read and write LSO data to the computer's local drive on a per-domain basis[1]. The Local Shared Objects[2] are available in Flash Players starting from version 6. This technology permits web sites to preserve session state and record user data and behavior[3].
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Storage policy
By default, any domain containing Flash applications, can store up to 100kb of data to user's hard drive (web browser cookies have a 4kb limit)[1]. The possible storage sizes are 0kb, 10kb, 100kb, 1Mb, 10Mb and Unlimited[4].
If the current limit is exceeded, the user is shown a dialog requesting storage space of the next size. The user can manually override the amount by clicking the Flash application with right mouse button and selecting Settings - however, this applies only to the domain of the Flash movie. If the selected setting is smaller than the current data size, the data is deleted.
The global LSO settings can be amended at Adobe's web site using a manager tool[4][5], itself using the Flash technology. Using the manager, the LSO's can be turned off completely.
Storage location
LSOs are stored in "SOL files" (typically, files with the extension "SOL"). String data, or data containing alphanumeric characters, are stored by default within SOL files as plain text, which means that the data can easily be read by any application with read access to the files. In Computer programming and some branches of Mathematics, a string is an ordered Sequence of Symbols.
The default storage location for LSOs is operating-system dependent.
Windows
%APPDATA%\Macromedia\Flash Player
Mac OS X
Websites - ~/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash Player
AIR Applications - ~/Library/Preferences/[package name (ID) of your app]
GNU-Linux
~/. macromedia
Additional information is available at the Electronic Privacy Information Center [3].
Viewing and editing LSOs
LSO editors and toolkits
| Software | Website | Developer | First public release | Latest stable version | Cost (USD) | Open source | License | Programming language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SolVE | SolVE | Darron Schall | 2004-09 | 0. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Open source is a development methodology which offers practical accessibility to a product's source (goods and knowledge 2 (2004-10-15) | Free | Yes | CPL | Java |
| . The CPL (Common Public License is a Free software / Open-source software license published by IBM. sol Editor | .sol Editor | Alexis Isaac | 2005-02 | 1. 1. 0. 1 (2005-02-21) | Free | Yes | MPL | ActionScript, Delphi/Kylix |
| Dojo Toolkit | Dojo Toolkit | Dojo Foundation | 2004 | 1. The Mozilla Public License (MPL is a free and Open source Software license. ActionScript is a scripting language based on ECMAScript. ActionScript is used primarily for the development of websites and software using the Adobe Flash Player The Dojo Toolkit is a modular Open source JavaScript toolkit (or library) designed to ease the rapid development of cross platform JavaScript/ The Dojo Toolkit is a modular Open source JavaScript toolkit (or library) designed to ease the rapid development of cross platform JavaScript/ 0. 2 (2007-12-19) | Free | Yes | BSD, AFL | JavaScript |
| MAXA Cookie Manager | MAXA Cookie Manager | Maxa Research | ? | 2. BSD licenses represent a family of Permissive free software licences. The Academic Free License (AFL is a Permissive free software license written in 2002 by Lawrence E JavaScript is a Scripting language most often used for Client-side web development x (2007-10-02) | 49 | No | proprietary | ? |
| PyAMF | PyAMF | Nick Joyce | 2007-10-07 | 0. Proprietary software is Computer software on which the producer has set restrictions on use private modification copying, or republishing. 3. 1 | Free | Yes | MIT | Python |
| SOLReader | SOLReader | Alessandro Crugnola | ? | ? | Free | No | ? | C#, PHP [6] |
| s2x | s2x | Aral Balkan | ? | ? | Free | Yes | ? | Python [7] |
Operating system support
| Software | Windows | Mac OS X | Linux | BSD | Unix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SolVE | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| . The MIT License is a Free software license originating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT used by the MIT X Consortium. Python is a general-purpose High-level programming language. Its design philosophy emphasizes programmer productivity and code readability C# (pronounced C Sharp is a Multi-paradigm PHP is a computer Scripting language. Originally designed for producing Dynamic web pages it has evolved to include a Command line interface capability Python is a general-purpose High-level programming language. Its design philosophy emphasizes programmer productivity and code readability Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks Unix (officially trademarked as UNIX, sometimes also written as Unix with Small caps) is a computer sol Editor | Yes | No | Yes[8] | Yes[8] | Yes[8] |
| Dojo Toolkit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MAXA Cookie Manager | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| PyAMF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Web browser tools
For users of the Firefox web browser, there is an extension called Objection [9][10] that allows LSOs to be viewed and deleted. The Dojo Toolkit is a modular Open source JavaScript toolkit (or library) designed to ease the rapid development of cross platform JavaScript/ A web browser is a software application which enables a user to display and interact with text images videos music games and other information typically located on a Add-ons are installable enhancements to the Mozilla Foundation 's projects (and compatible variants such as Portable Firefox)
Criticisms
Flash Player uses a sandbox security model, but, contrary to some definitions, the application does not ask the user's permission to store data permanently. This article is about the Computer security mechanism For the Wikipedia feature where newcomers can experiment with editing or established editors can experiment with This may constitute a collection of cookie-like data that may include not only user-tracking information but any personal data that the user has entered in any Flash-enabled application, whether it be stand-alone or Web-based.
Consumers often see cookies as an invasion of privacy and resent having them loaded into their computers without permission. While we have learned to delete traditional cookies, most are unaware of LSOs, and don't know how to disable them[11]. HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies tracking cookies or just cookies are parcels of text sent by a server to a Web client (usually Users who delete traditional cookies may find those cookies resurrected because of Adobe/Macromedia's LSOs [12]. HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies tracking cookies or just cookies are parcels of text sent by a server to a Web client (usually Since LSOs, unlike traditional cookies, have no expiration dates, the information resurrected in those cookies may persist indefinitely.
References
- ^ a b Macromedia Flash MX Security. Adobe (2002-03-01). Adobe Systems Incorporated (pronounced a-DOE-bee əˈdoʊbiː ( is an American Computer software company headquartered in San Jose California See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ What are local shared objects?. Adobe. Adobe Systems Incorporated (pronounced a-DOE-bee əˈdoʊbiː ( is an American Computer software company headquartered in San Jose California Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ a b Local Shared Objects -Flash Cookies. Electronic Privacy Information Center (2005-07-21). Electronic Privacy Information Center or EPIC is a Public interest research group in Washington D Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ a b Global settings manager. Adobe. Adobe Systems Incorporated (pronounced a-DOE-bee əˈdoʊbiː ( is an American Computer software company headquartered in San Jose California Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ TechNote: How to manage and delete local shared objects?. Adobe. Adobe Systems Incorporated (pronounced a-DOE-bee əˈdoʊbiː ( is an American Computer software company headquartered in San Jose California Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ PHP example with source code. Alessandro Crugnola. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ Web demo written in Python. Aral Balkan. Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the
- ^ a b c Originally written for Microsoft Windows, but will run on Unix-like systems using Wine
- ^ Addons Mirror (2007-06-07). Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Wine is a free Software application which aims to allow Unix-like computer Operating systems on the X86 architecture to execute Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ Objection web site. Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ Company Bypasses Cookie-Deleting Consumers. InformationWeek (2005-03-31). InformationWeek is a multimedia brand with a weekly print magazine online site face-to-face and virtual events and research Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- ^ Tool Can Resurrect Deleted Cookies. Out-Law. com (2005-05-04). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
External links
- New Technique for Tracking Web Site Visitors. Slashdot (2005-04-04). Slashdot, often abbreviated as /, is a technology-related news Website owned by SourceForge Inc Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
- Tracking with Flash Cookies. InformIT (2007-10-05). InformIT, a subsidiary of Pearson Education, is an online book vendor and an Electronic publisher of technology and education content Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Retrieved on 2007-12-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
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