Persistent cookies

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. What happens to a persistent cookie when the browser is closed?

A It stays saved on the device

B It is deleted straight away

2. When is a persistent cookie removed automatically?

A When the user closes the tab

B When its expiry date is reached

3. Where is a persistent cookie stored?

A On the hard drive of the user's device

B Only in the computer's temporary memory (RAM)

4. A user visits a website, closes the browser, then visits the same website the next day. What happens to the persistent cookie?

A The website has forgotten it, so nothing is sent

B The browser sends it to the website again

5. Which statement about persistent cookies is true?

A They have an expiry date set

B They never have an expiry date

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Set-Cookie: user=Ava; Expires=Fri, 01 Jan 2027 00:00:00 GMT		ASet-Cookie: lang=en; Expires=Sat, 30 Jun 2029 12:00:00 GMT
2Set-Cookie: theme=dark; Max-Age=2592000		BThis describes a session cookie. A persistent cookie stays on the device after the browser closes until its expiry date.
3A persistent cookie has an expiry date, so it is removed only when that date is reached or the user deletes it		CPersistent cookies are stored on the hard drive and have an expiry date. Cookies held only in memory without an expiry date are session cookies.
4A persistent cookie is sent back to the web server on each later visit to the website, even after the browser was closed		DKeeps the cookie for 30 days, then it is deleted, even if the browser has been closed in between
5A persistent cookie is deleted as soon as the browser is closed.		EGET /home HTTP/1.1 Host: www.shop.com Cookie: user=Ava
6A persistent cookie is kept in RAM and has no expiry date.		FCreates a persistent cookie that stays on the device until the expiry date given

Definitions

persistent cookie

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

__________: id=42; Expires=01 Jan 2027

Set-Cookie: id=42; _______=01 Jan 2027

GET /shop HTTP/1.1 Host: www.shop.com ______: id=42

IF today _ expiry THEN DELETE cookie ENDIF

IF today < expiry THEN SEND cookie TO ______ ENDIF

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A IF cookie has an expiry date

B THEN store in RAM only

C ENDIF

Question 2

A Visit 1: server sets cookie

B Browser is closed

C Cookie is deleted at once

D Visit 2: browser sends cookie

Question 3

A name ← "theme"

B value ← "dark"

C expires ← NONE

D SAVE cookie TO hard drive

Question 4

A Persistent cookie ends on exit

B It is saved on the hard drive

C It is sent again on next visit

Question 5

A Day 1: user ticks Remember me

B Site sets a persistent cookie

C Day 2: cookie is not sent

D Site recognises the user

Answer Key

Persistent cookies

Section A: Quick Questions

A — It stays saved on the device

B — When its expiry date is reached

A — On the hard drive of the user's device

B — The browser sends it to the website again

A — They have an expiry date set

Section B: Match the Pairs

Set-Cookie: user=Ava; Expires=Fri, 01 Jan 2027 00:00:00 GMT → Creates a persistent cookie that stays on the device until the expiry date given

Set-Cookie: theme=dark; Max-Age=2592000 → Keeps the cookie for 30 days, then it is deleted, even if the browser has been closed in between

A persistent cookie has an expiry date, so it is removed only when that date is reached or the user deletes it → Set-Cookie: lang=en; Expires=Sat, 30 Jun 2029 12:00:00 GMT

A persistent cookie is sent back to the web server on each later visit to the website, even after the browser was closed → GET /home HTTP/1.1 Host: www.shop.com Cookie: user=Ava

A persistent cookie is deleted as soon as the browser is closed. → This describes a session cookie. A persistent cookie stays on the device after the browser closes until its expiry date.

A persistent cookie is kept in RAM and has no expiry date. → Persistent cookies are stored on the hard drive and have an expiry date. Cookies held only in memory without an expiry date are session cookies.

Section C: Definitions

persistent cookie — A cookie saved on the device until its expiry date or until the user deletes it, so it stays after the browser closes and is sent again on later visits.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Set-Cookie: id=42; Expires=01 Jan 2027

GET /shop HTTP/1.1
Host: www.shop.com
Cookie: id=42

IF today > expiry THEN
    DELETE cookie
ENDIF

IF today < expiry THEN
    SEND cookie TO server
ENDIF

Section E: Spot the Error

B — A persistent cookie is saved on the hard drive so it survives after the browser closes. RAM is cleared, so it should say: THEN store on hard drive.

C — A persistent cookie is not deleted when the browser closes. It stays on the hard drive until its expiry date, so line 3 should say it stays.

C — A persistent cookie must have an expiry date. With no expiry date it would be a session cookie. It should be something like expires ← "01/01/2027".

A — A persistent cookie does not end when the browser is closed. It lasts until its expiry date, so the line should say it has an expiry.

C — A persistent cookie is sent again to the website on each later visit, so the site can recognise the user. It should say the cookie is sent again.