A small text file created by a website that is stored in the user's computer is called

Question

A small text file created by a website that is stored in the user's computer is called

1. A. cookie (Correct answer)
2. B. cache
3. C. malware
4. D. registry

Correct Answer

Option A — cookie

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is cookie.

Key Points

• A cookie is a small text file a website stores on the user's computer to remember information between visits.
• Cookies hold data such as login sessions, preferences and shopping-cart contents.
• Session cookies are deleted when the browser closes, while persistent cookies remain until they expire.
• A cache stores copies of page resources to speed loading, malware is malicious software, and the registry is a Windows configuration database.

Additional Information

• Cookies come in kinds that are commonly distinguished in exams:
  • Session cookies — deleted when the browser closes
  • Persistent cookies — stored with an expiry date and survive restarts
  • First-party — set by the site being visited; third-party — set by another domain, typically for advertising and tracking
• Because they can track behaviour across sites, cookies are the subject of privacy regulation such as the EU's GDPR, which is why sites now ask for consent.
• Cookies are plain text and cannot execute, so they are not themselves malware — a point objective papers like to test.