Cookies: a marketing ally… but also a loophole for fraud

Why are cookies such a prime target?

• Easy to hijack: A stolen cookie can be enough to steal someone’s online identity.
• Rich in sensitive data: Usernames, sessions, preferences… all this information can be exploited for targeted attacks.
• Invisible to the user: Most internet users are unaware of the scope of the information stored, which facilitates fraud.

The impact on your brand

• Advertising fraud: Falsified cookies artificially inflate impressions and clicks, distorting your KPIs and increasing your costs.
• Session hijacking: Hackers can access customer accounts, generating fraudulent transactions.
• Reputational damage: A vulnerability exploited via cookies can damage your image and your GDPR compliance.

Examples of techniques used by fraudsters

• Session sniffing: Interception of cookies on unsecured websites.
• XSS injection: Malicious scripts to steal cookies.
• CSRF: Fraudulent actions performed without the user’s knowledge.
• Predictable credentials: Exploitation of weak algorithms to guess sessions.

How to protect your digital ecosystem?

• Proactive monitoring: Detecting anomalies in cookie-related behaviour.
• Advanced anti-fraud solutions: Identifying falsified or cloned cookies.
• Awareness and transparency: Informing your users and building trust.

Conclusion
Cookies are valuable tools for improving user experience and optimising marketing strategies. However, their exploitation by fraudsters poses a major risk: session theft, identity theft, advertising fraud, etc. These threats can impact customer confidence, distort your metrics and damage your image.

To remain competitive and protect your digital ecosystem, it is essential to take a proactive approach: secure your customer journeys, integrate anti-fraud solutions, and inform your users. Protecting cookies means protecting your business and your reputation.

👉 Contact us to secure your customer journeys and build trust in your services.