Please read the following information carefully.
This website uses both own and third-party cookies to provide visitors a much better browsing experience and services tailored to his/her needs and interests. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
In accordance with the EU e-Privacy Directive, in force since May 26, 2012, and the provisions of Law no. 506 of 17 November 2004 on the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector, all website visitors are required to consent to the transmission of cookies on their computers.

What is a cookie?

An Internet Cookie (a term also known as cookie, HTTP cookie or simply cookie) is a small dimension file formed of letters and numbers that will be stored on the computer, mobile terminal or other equipment of an Internet user. The cookie is installed on a web browser’s request (such as Internet Explorer, Chrome) and is completely passive (it does not contain software, viruses, or spyware, and cannot access the information on the user’s hard drive).

The purpose and use of cookies

The platform www.adi-platform.com installs cookies just to improve the features offered so that the experience of visiting the website becomes more pleasant. The bsb-smartfarming.com domain does not use cookies to collect, process, broadcast or record personal data.

Cookies have an important role in facilitating the access and delivery of the many services the user benefits from on the Internet, such as:

  • Customize certain settings like:
    – The language in which the website is displayed
    – The currency of certain prices or rates.
    – Keeping options for different products (measures, other details etc.) in the shopping cart (and storing these options) – generating the flexibility of the shopping cart.
    – Accessing old preferences by using the forward and back buttons.
  • Cookies provide site owners feedback on the way their websites are used by users so they can make them more effective and accessible to users.
  • They allow multimedia or other applications on other sites to be included in a particular website to create a more valuable, useful, and pleasant browsing experience.
  • Improving the efficiency of online advertising.

What are the benefits of cookies?

A cookie contains information that links a web browser (user) and a specific web-server (website). If a browser accesses the respective web server again, it can read the already stored information and respond accordingly. Cookies provide users with a pleasant browsing experience and support the efforts of many websites to provide user-friendly services: e.g. online privacy preferences, site language options, shopping carts, or relevant advertising.

What is the cookie lifetime?

Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifetime of a cookie may vary significantly, depending on its purpose. Some cookies are used for one session only (session cookies) and are no longer retained once the user has left the website, while other cookies are retained and reused each time the user returns to the respective website (‘persistent cookies’). However, cookies can be deleted by the user at any time using the browser settings.

What are third-party cookies?

Certain sections of content on some websites may be provided through third parties / providers (e.g. a news-box, a video or a commercial). These third parties may place cookies through another website and they are called third party cookies because they are not placed by the owner of the respective website. Third-party providers must also comply with the applicable law and privacy policies of the website owner.
These cookies may come from the following third parties: facebook.com, twitter.com etc.

How are cookies used by the website?

Visiting this website may place cookies for the purpose of:

  • Increasing website performance.
  • Visitor analysis.
  • Geotargetting.
  • users’ registration.

Other third-party cookies

On some pages, third parties can set their own anonymous cookies in order to track the success of an application or to customize an application. Due to the use, the website cannot access these cookies, just as third parties cannot access the cookies owned by the respective website. For example, when the user distributes an article using the social network button on a website, that social network records the user’s activity, not the website on which the button is located.

What type of information is stored and accessed through cookies?

Cookies store information in a small text file that allows a website to recognize a browser. The web server recognizes the browser until the cookie expires or it is deleted. The cookie stores important information that enhances your Internet browsing experience, for example:

  • The settings of the language in which you want to access a website.
  • Keeping a user logged in to your webmail account.
  • Online banking security.
  • Keeping products in the shopping cart.

Why are cookies important for the Internet?

Cookies are the central focus of the Internet’s efficient operation, helping to generate a friendly browsing experience and tailored to the preferences and interests of each user. Denying or disabling cookies can make some websites unusable. Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean that the user no longer receives online advertising – but only that they will no longer be able to take into account the user’s preferences and interests, highlighted by the navigation behavior.

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

  • Content and services tailored to user preferences – news, weather, sports, maps, public and governmental services, fun websites, and travel services.
  • Offers tailored to users’ interests – retaining passwords, language preferences.
  • Retaining Child Protection Filters for Content on the Internet (family mode options, safe search functions).
  • Measurement, optimization, and analytics features – such as: Confirming a certain level of traffic on a website, what type of content is viewed, and how a user reaches a website (e.g., through search engines, directly from other websites etc.). Website owners conduct these analyses to refine websites to the benefit of users.

Security and confidentiality issues

Cookies are NOT Viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of pieces of code, so they cannot be executed, or they cannot run automatically. Consequently, they cannot duplicate or replicate on other networks to run or replicate again. Because 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 on both a website and other websites, cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this and consistently mark cookies to be deleted in anti-virus / anti-spyware removal / scanning procedures. In general, browsers have built-in privacy settings that provide different levels of cookie acceptance, lifetime, and automatic deletion after the user has visited a specific site.

Other security issues related to cookies

Since identity protection is very valuable and is the right of every Internet user, it is advisable to know what issues can be caused by cookies.
Because their information is constantly transmitted in both directions between the browser and the website, if an attacker or unauthorized person were to interfere with the data transmission, the information contained in the cookie could be intercepted. This can happen if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g. an unsecured Wi-Fi network) although very rarely.

Other cookie-based attacks involve incorrect cookie settings on web servers. If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers can use this vulnerability to mislead browsers to send information via unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information for unauthorized access to certain sites.

It is very important for users to be careful in choosing the most appropriate method of protecting personal information.

Tips for a safe and responsible cookie-based navigation

Due to their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited websites, including the largest ones, use cookies, they are almost inevitable. Disabling cookies does not allow users to access the most popular and used sites including: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo and others.

Here are some tips to make sure you’re navigating with care, but with the help of cookies:

  • Customize your browser settings for cookies to reflect a comfortable level of cookie security for you.
  • If you do not mind cookies and you are the only person using your computer, you can set long expiration dates to store your browsing history and personal data.
  • If you share access to your computer, you can consider adjusting your browser to delete your individual browsing data each time you close your browser. This is a way to access websites that place cookies and delete any visitor information when the browsing session is closed.
  • Install and constantly update your antispyware applications. Many spyware detection and prevention applications include detection of website attacks. Thus, it prevents the browser from accessing websites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or downloading any dangerous software.
  • Make sure your browser is always up to date. Many of the cookies attacks are exploited by abusing the weaknesses of older versions of browsers.

Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the best and largest websites on the Internet – local or international. With a clear understanding of how they work and the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures so you can safely navigate the Internet.

What do you do if you do not want cookies installed on your computer?

There are people for whom the storage of information extracted from their computer or mobile device is relatively invasive, especially when the information in question is stored and used by unknown third parties. If you prefer, you can block all cookies or just some of them or even remove cookies that have been installed on your device. However, please be aware that you may not be able to use certain features. To enable such blocking of cookies, you need to change your browser’s privacy settings. Some third-party operators have developed tools whose modules allow deactivation of data collection and use. Disabling and refusing to receive cookies can make some sites unfeasible or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing to accept cookies does not mean that the user will no longer receive / see online advertising. It is possible to modify the browser settings so that these cookies are no longer supported or to accept cookies from a particular website. But, for example, if a user is not registered using cookies, he will not be able to leave comments. All modern browsers offer the ability to change cookies settings. These settings are usually found in the Browser Options, Settings or Preferences (buttons).

 

Last update: 01.11.2021