Cookie Theft: The Silent Cyber Threat You Need to Know About
🔐 What You Need to Know About Cookie Theft
- Cookie theft is a serious and rising threat that lets hackers hijack your online sessions using stolen browser cookies.
- These cookies can grant access to your email, bank accounts, and cloud files—no password or 2FA needed.
- It’s often caused by malware, public Wi-Fi, or browser vulnerabilities.
- Protect yourself by using a VPN to encrypt traffic and block malware.
- NordVPN is one of the best tools available, with built-in Threat Protection Pro™ that defends against cookie hijacking.
Try NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro
What Are Cookies on the Internet?
Internet cookies are small text files stored by your browser when you visit a website.
Internet cooking can actually be helpful. They can:
- ✅ Keep you logged in
- 🧠 Store your preferences
- 🛍️ Remember what’s in your cart
There are several types:
- First-party cookies: From the website you visit
- Third-party cookies: From advertisers and trackers
- Supercookies and Zombie cookies: Harder to remove and can reappear after deletion
⚠️While cookies improve usability, they can also store sensitive session data-and that’s exactly what cybercriminals are after.
What Is Cookie Theft?
Cookie theft is when attackers steal these files to:
- 🕵️♂️ Hijack your active sessions
- 📧💳☁️ Access email, banking, or cloud accounts
- 🚫🔐 Bypass two-factor authentication
- 🎭 Impersonate your identity online
Recent research from NordVPN revealed that 94 billion cookies were stolen in one malware campaign-a 74% increase from the previous year. Alarmingly, over 15.6 billion of them were still active, meaning they could be used immediately for session hijacking.
How Cookie Hijacking Works
Most session cookies are stolen through:
- Infostealing malware hidden in pirated software or fake downloads
- Insecure Wi-Fi connections, especially public ones
- Browser vulnerabilities
Malware Examples:
| Malware | Stolen Cookies | % Still Active |
|---|---|---|
| Redline | 42B | 6.2% |
| Vidar | 10.5B | 7.2% |
| LummaC2 | 8.8B | 6.5% |
| CryptBot | 1.4B | 83.4% |
These cookies are then sold on the dark web with tags like “ID”, “session”, and “auth”, showing they’re linked to real, exploitable accounts.
Real-World Risks of Session Hijacking
- Account Takeovers – Access to email, social media, or cloud accounts
- Financial Theft – Fraudulent transactions from banking sessions
- Corporate Espionage – Access to internal tools and confidential data
- Identity Theft – Use of personal info for scams or fake accounts
Who’s Most at Risk?
- Top affected countries: Brazil, India, Indonesia, USA, Spain
- Top platforms targeted: Google, YouTube, Microsoft, Amazon
Over 4.5 billion cookies came from Google services alone, and Windows devices were most vulnerable, given malware’s focus on them.
How to Protect Yourself from Cookie Theft
✅ Use a Secure VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your internet traffic, including session cookies, making it nearly impossible for attackers to intercept them-even on public Wi-Fi.
Recommended VPNs:
| VPN | Unique Benefit |
|---|---|
| NordVPN | Threat Protection Pro™, Meshnet, AES-256 encryption |
| ExpressVPN | TrustedServer tech, blazing fast speeds, 24/7 support |
| Surfshark | Unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad/tracker blocking |
| ProtonVPN | Swiss-based no-logs privacy, Secure Core |
| PrivadoVPN | Free plan with no logs, good for basic use |
Try NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro
Try ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer
Read our reviews of all of 2025‘s best VPNs & find the best one for you!
🔐 Use Security Tools
NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro™ scans downloads, blocks phishing sites, and quarantines malware that tries to steal cookies. It detected 83.42% of harmful links in an independent AV-TEST study.
🚫 Limit Cookie Acceptance
Don’t blindly accept cookies. Reject third-party or unnecessary trackers. Use browser extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger.
🧹 Clear Cookies Often
Manually delete cookies, especially after using public or shared computers.
🧹 How to Delete Cookies (And Why You Should)
Clearing your cookies regularly is one of the easiest ways to reduce your risk of cookie theft and session hijacking. Old cookies can linger in your browser for months, some may even still be valid for active logins. Deleting them resets your sessions and removes any trackers that could be exploited.
Here’s how to do it in all major browsers:
🔵 Chrome (Desktop)
- Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
- Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data.
- Choose a time range (select “All time” for a full clean).
- Select Cookies and other site data.
- Click “Delete data“.
🟠 Firefox
- Click the three-line menu in the top right.
- Select Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to Cookies and Site Data, then click Clear Data.
- Check the Cookies and Site Data box and hit Clear.
🔵 Microsoft Edge
- Click the three-dot menu in the top right.
- Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and hit Clear now.
🍎 Safari (macOS)
- Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu.
- Go to Preferences > Privacy.
- Click Manage Website Data.
- Select individual sites or click Remove All to delete all cookies.
📱 Mobile Browsers
Chrome (Android):
- Tap the three-dot menu > History > Clear browsing data.
- Choose a time range and select Cookies and site data.
- Tap Clear data.
Safari (iOS):
- Open Settings > Safari.
- Tap Clear History and Website Data.
🔁 Pro Tip: Set Your Browser to Auto-Clear Cookies
Most browsers let you auto-delete cookies when closing the browser or after a set period. Consider turning this on for better long-term protection.
Regularly clearing your cookies is like resetting the keys to your online accounts. Combine it with a VPN like NordVPN to fully protect your internet traffic and session data from hijackers.
Final Thoughts
Cookie theft is no longer a fringe threat-it’s a booming underground business with billions of stolen cookies traded like currency. Most people have no idea it’s happening.
Understanding what internet cookies are, how they’re exploited in cookie hijacking, and how to shield yourself from session hijacking is crucial.
With VPNs like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN, and PrivadoVPN, you can encrypt your traffic, hide your IP address, and block cookie-stealing malware before it strikes.
Try NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro
Try ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer
❓ FAQ: Cookie Theft, Session Hijacking, and How to Stay Safe
Cookie theft is when hackers steal browser cookies from your device. These cookies can store login information, session IDs, and account tokens—meaning attackers can use them to access your accounts without knowing your username or password.
Session hijacking is a form of cyberattack where someone takes control of your active web session—often by stealing your cookies. Once inside, they can use your identity to send emails, make purchases, or access private files.
Internet cookies are small files stored in your browser by websites. They remember things like your login status, preferences, and shopping cart contents. While helpful, they can also hold sensitive information that hackers can exploit if stolen.
Cookies are typically stolen through:
Malware like infostealers and keyloggers
Insecure or public Wi-Fi networks
Vulnerabilities in browsers or extensions
Phishing websites or fake downloads
Yes. If the stolen cookie is still active, it can allow full access to your account—just like a valid login session. No password or two-factor code is needed. That’s why cookie hijacking is so dangerous.
A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, including session cookies. This makes it nearly impossible for hackers to intercept them, especially on public Wi-Fi. VPNs like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark also block malware that steals cookies.
Yes. Regularly clearing cookies-especially after using shared or public devices-reduces the risk of session hijacking. It also removes trackers and refreshes your login tokens.
Here are top-rated VPNs for protecting against cookie theft:
NordVPN – With Threat Protection Pro™ to block malware and phishing sites
ExpressVPN – Known for speed, privacy, and no-logs
Surfshark – Great value with unlimited devices and CleanWeb filtering
ProtonVPN – Swiss privacy laws and Secure Core protection
PrivadoVPN – A solid no-logs option with a free plan
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