Cache cookies for browser authentication

Like conventional cookies, cache cookies are data ob-jects that servers store in Web browsers. Cache cookies, however, are unintentional byproducts of protocol design for browser caches. They do not enjoy any explicit inter-face support or security policies. In this paper, we show that despite limitations, cache cookies can play a useful role in the identification and authentication of users. Many users today block conven-tional cookies in their browsers as a privacy measure. The cache-cookie tools we propose can help restore lost usability and convenience to such users while maintain-ing good privacy. As we show, our techniques can also help combat online security threats such as phishing and pharming that ordinary cookies cannot. The ideas we introduce for cache-cookie management can strengthen ordinary cookies as well. The full version of this paper may be referenced at www.ravenwhite.com