A recurring cookie

JB007

Level 26
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May 19, 2016
1,574
Hello,
Every time I run Hitman after surfing with Microsoft Edge it finds the same cookie: "scorecardresearch.com".
I know it is not dangerous but I'm wondering why this cookie is not stopped by Adguard and Kaspersky anti-banners ?
1.PNG
 

rain2reign

Level 8
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Jun 21, 2020
363
Cookies are downloaded by the browser for a website you're visiting. Tracking cookies are in the majority of cases not malicious, and therefore not in need of cleaning technically speaking. You can create your own clean tracking cookie very easily for your own domain/website. Neither AdGaurd, AV, Kaspersky anti-banners etc... block cookies. Merely the connection to domains (URL's), IP's and/or hides elements through cosmetic filtering. In the end, the website you visit will always deliver the cookie to the browser nonetheless, unless the browser is instructed otherwise. After deleting that cookie have you tried either to:
  • Block the cookie domain under Cookies and data stored -> Cookies and site data?
  • Block all third-party cookies?
 

JB007

Level 26
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May 19, 2016
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Cookies are downloaded by the browser for a website you're visiting. Tracking cookies are in the majority of cases not malicious, and therefore not in need of cleaning technically speaking. You can create your own clean tracking cookie very easily for your own domain/website. Neither AdGaurd, AV, Kaspersky anti-banners etc... block cookies. Merely the connection to domains (URL's), IP's and/or hides elements through cosmetic filtering. In the end, the website you visit will always deliver the cookie to the browser nonetheless, unless the browser is instructed otherwise. After deleting that cookie have you tried either to:
  • Block the cookie domain under Cookies and data stored -> Cookies and site data?
  • Block all third-party cookies?
Thanks @rain2reign
No I have not tried. Is it an Edge tweak ?
 

Freud2004

Level 10
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Jun 26, 2020
440
Hello,
Every time I run Hitman after surfing with Microsoft Edge it finds the same cookie: "scorecardresearch.com".
I know it is not dangerous but I'm wondering why this cookie is not stopped by Adguard and Kaspersky anti-banners ?
View attachment 259893

Tracking cookies are not all bad, many of them have a security propose. For example, if I try to log in to your Google account, you will be alert that a user in another country is trying to access to your account from a different location. Cloth stores ill adapted the language to your region automatically, etc.
So many tracking cookies have a noble propose, others have not a so noble purpose.
 

plat

Level 29
Top Poster
Sep 13, 2018
1,793
JB007: I have set Edge tracking protection in Settings to "Strict." HitmanPro would also find this very same cookie on here if it's set to say: "Basic." This setting is under Settings/Privacy, Search and Services.

Maybe try it on "Balanced" or "Strict." Hopefully, it doesn't interfere too much with your browsing.

Edit: removed "Alert"--just HitmanPro scanner. :):coffee:
 
Last edited:

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Apr 24, 2016
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JB007: I have set Edge tracking protection in Settings to "Strict." HitmanPro Alert would also find this very same cookie on here if it's set to say: "Basic." This setting is under Settings/Privacy, Search and Services.

Maybe try it on "Balanced" or "Strict." Hopefully, it doesn't interfere too much with your browsing.
Balanced should not interfere.
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Apr 24, 2016
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I've found that even "Strict" does not break pages but of course YMMV, depending on your browsing style.
Strict brakes the embedded content on some Dutch news pages for me.
You can "whitelist" those and then you use only your adblocker on them, Edge won't filter them anymore when whitelisted.
I would be great if you could set only those sites on balanced, but it is all or nothing.
No problems with balanced.
 

SeriousHoax

Level 47
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,630
I have said it before that it's stupid how Microsoft Edge's homepage relies on some third-party domains. It has the worst-performing homepage of any popular browser out there.
My host is set to block "scorecardresearch.com" but sill somehow Edge keeps setting a cookie for it 😒
 

Lenny_Fox

Level 22
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Oct 1, 2019
1,120
@ rain2reign Nope Adguard has the coockie option which uBlock misses: link to Adguard $cookie Gorhill is also working on a cookie option for uBlock (a scriptlet called cookie remover, which does not removes the cookie itself, but sets the date in the past or max age to zero or something similar).

@JB007 add this to your rules in Adguard
||scorecardresearch.com^$cookie,important

Edge in default settings also blocks of tracking domains (in strict mode it blocks the requests to these tracking domains). To prevent website breakage some cookies of a few known tracking networks are not blocked.
 
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JB007

Level 26
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May 19, 2016
1,574
@ rain2reign Nope Adguard has the block coockie option which uBlock misses: link to Adguard $cookie Gorhill is also working on a cookie option for uBlock, only that feature does not block cookies, but sets the cookie due date to past.

@JB007 add this to your rules in Adguard
||scorecardresearch.com^$cookie,important

Edge in default settings also blocks of tracking domains (in strict mode it blocks the requests to these tracking domains). To prevent website breakage some cookies of a few known tracking networks are not blocked.
Thanks @Lenny_Fox
Just added this rule and also checked Preference Page - Scorecard Research thanks to @Parvoo
 

rain2reign

Level 8
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Jun 21, 2020
363

plat

Level 29
Top Poster
Sep 13, 2018
1,793
I looked around some and found that Edge uses the Disconnect lists to determine what URL/tracker to block. There are other parameters but if you just want to test the Disconnect list by itself, it's an idea. Then, try it with keeping the "Balanced" setting in Edge.

Disconnect home page

You get the list from Filter Lists.com. Just to know in advance: I have not tested this myself becuase I have "Strict" setting and therefore don't have that cookie. So, this is at your/anyone's discretion since I'm not sure the list is used in the Balanced setting, just in the Strict. It works well alongside what I have enabled in uBlock Origin.


Edit: for anyone-=-the formal name of the list to enter into Filter List's search box is: Disconnect Tracking Filter list. Or, just type in: Disconnect and the list should be at the bottom.
 
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SeriousHoax

Level 47
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,630
I moved away from NextDNS for a couple of months ago and was using Cloudflare because it was faster. When I did that I put "Peter Lowe’s Ad and tracking server list" list in the host file thinking it should be enough to stop some known ads domain to connect outside the browser or something like Edge's home page which for some stupid reasons relies on some third party domains to fully function. The host list also includes this "scorecardresearch.com" domain which is the topic of this discussion.
But I was very wrong. The host file was good for nothing. After you shared this thread I found the same cookie in my Edge browser which I already stated above. I also tested other portable browsers without any extension to check if any of the ads that are connected to the domains included in my host files are being blocked.
The result is that it blocked absolutely nothing. The "scorecardresearch.com" cookie was also appearing in Edge every time even after deleting the cookie.
Then switched to NextDNS again and no more "scorecardresearch.com" cookie in the browser, most ads in other portable browsers are also being blocked.
So if any of the solution provided by other users above didn't work then you'll have to use something like NextDNS.
"scorecardresearch.com" is not included in Adguard DNS's list otherwise I could've also suggested that if you don't want to go through configuring NextDNS.
You may the check the NextDNS thread in the forum.
 

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