Novell ZENWORKS NETWORK ACCESS CONTROL 5.0 - 09-22-2008 User Manual page 394

Browser Vulnerabilities
Table B-1
Item
Cookies
Cache
Scripts
JavaScript
Active scripting /
ActiveX
394 Novell ZENworks Network Access Control Users Guide
Description
Cookies are text files created by Web sites and stored on your computer. They
contain user-specific information—information about what Web pages you
visited, information you filled out in online forms, and your preferences for a
particular Web site. Cookies are good when they enhance your Web experience
(online shopping carts work because of cookies) and can be bad if unencrypted
information is stored in them, which could be misused if an attacker gains access
to them.
The following link provides detailed information about cookies:
http://www.cookiecentral.com/content.phtml?area=2&id=1 (http://
www.cookiecentral.com/content.phtml?area=2&id=1)
Cache is a user-specifiable amount of disk space where temporary files are
stored. These files contain graphics and Web pages you visit. The primary
purposes for storing Web page information is to save time reloading pages and
graphics, and to reduce network traffic by not having to repeatedly send the
information over the network. Risk occurs if there is sensitive information from
encrypted pages stored in the cache, which could be misused if an attacker gains
access to the cache files.
Scripts and scripting languages are executable code that provides a more
interactive Web experience. Some scripts are downloaded to your computer
(ActiveX, Java), others are run via the browser (JavaScript).
JavaScript is a scripting language used to enhance Web pages. JavaScript
programs are embedded in Web pages and enable active functionality; for
example, JavaScript allows you to create images that change when you move the
mouse over them and clocks with moving parts.
The following links provide more detailed information about JavaScript:
http://www.javascript.com/ (http://www.javascript.com/)
http://javascript.internet.com/ (http://javascript.internet.com/)
http://www.javascriptkit.com/ (http://www.javascriptkit.com/)
Active scripting / ActiveX extends other programming languages (such as Java)
by providing re-usable "controls" that enable developers to make Web pages
"active". ActiveX is Microsoft's brand for active scripting.
The following links provide more detailed information about ActiveX:
http://www.active-x.com/articles/whatis.htm (http://www.active-x.com/
articles/whatis.htm)
http://www.active-x.com/ (http://www.active-x.com/)
http://www.newportinc.com/software/activex/whatisAX.htm (http://
www.newportinc.com/software/activex/whatisAX.htm)