Cookie policy

Last updated: 12 October 2026.

The website iars.ro uses cookies and similar technologies.

The purpose of this cookie policy is to give you more details about how the cookies used on our website are set, used and managed.

We use cookies to remember certain settings, for example the language you chose, and, only with your consent, to learn how the website is used, so that we can make it more efficient and more accessible for you. Cookies also allow multimedia applications from other websites to be included in the site, such as the videos in the exercise archives, for a useful and pleasant browsing experience.

The website iars.ro is owned and operated by the association Institute for Risk Analysis and Strategic Resilience (hereinafter "IARS" or "we"), with its registered office in Bucharest, Str. George Călinescu 23, email [email protected].

What is a "cookie"?

An "Internet cookie" (also known as a "browser cookie", an "HTTP cookie" or simply a "cookie") is a small file made of letters and numbers that is stored on the computer, mobile device or other equipment you use to access the internet.

The cookie is set at the request of a web server to a browser (for example Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge) and it is entirely "passive": it contains no software, viruses or spyware and it cannot access the information on your hard drive.

A cookie has two parts: its name and its content or value. The lifetime of a cookie is limited. Only the web server that sent the cookie can access it again when a user returns to the website associated with that server.

Cookies themselves do not require personal information in order to be used. The identifiers they contain may, however, be personal data; this is why cookies that are not strictly necessary for the website to work are set only with your consent.

There are two broad categories of cookies:

• session cookies: they are stored temporarily in the browser's cookie folder, which keeps them until the user leaves the website or closes the browser window (for example, when signing in to a webmail account or a social network);
• persistent cookies: they are stored on the hard drive of a computer or device for a preset lifetime. Persistent cookies also include those set by a website other than the one the user is visiting at that moment, known as "third party cookies", which can be used to remember a user's interests so that more relevant advertising can be delivered.

What are the advantages of cookies?

A cookie contains information that links a browser (the user, that is, you) to a specific web server (the website, that is, us). If the browser accesses that server again, the server can read the information already stored and respond accordingly.

What is the lifetime of a cookie?

Cookies are managed by web servers. The lifetime of a cookie can vary significantly, depending on the purpose for which it is set. Some cookies are used for a single session only (session cookies), while others are kept and reused every time you return to the website (persistent cookies). Either way, you can delete cookies at any time from your browser settings.

Cookies are NOT viruses!

Cookies use text formats. They are not made of pieces of code, they cannot be executed and they cannot run on their own. As a result, they cannot duplicate or replicate on other networks in order to run or replicate again. They therefore cannot be considered viruses.

Cookies can nevertheless be used for negative purposes. Because they store information about users' preferences and browsing history, both on a given website and across several other websites, cookies can be used as a form of spyware. Many anti-spyware products take this into account and routinely flag cookies for deletion during anti-virus and anti-spyware cleaning or scanning.

Browsers generally have built-in privacy settings that offer different levels of cookie acceptance, validity periods and automatic deletion after the user has visited a given website.

What kind of information is stored and accessed through cookies?

Cookies keep information in a small text file that allows a website to recognise a browser. The web server will recognise the browser until the cookie expires or is deleted.

Why are cookies important for the internet?

Cookies are central to the efficient functioning of the internet, helping to create a friendly browsing experience adapted to the preferences and interests of each user. Refusing or disabling cookies can make some websites impossible to use. On iars.ro, refusing statistics and marketing cookies does not affect how the website works.

Refusing or disabling cookies does not mean that you will no longer see online advertising, only that the advertising will no longer be able to take into account your preferences and interests, as shown by your browsing behaviour.

What are third-party cookies?

Certain sections of content on the website may be provided by third parties or providers (for example, a video). These third parties may also set cookies through the website, and these are called "third party cookies" because they are not set by us. Third-party providers must comply with the law in force and with our privacy policies.

How are cookies used on our website?

On iars.ro we use the following cookies and similar technologies:

• website performance cookies, strictly necessary: they remember your choices, for example the language or your option in the consent bar, and need no consent;
• visitor analysis cookies, in the "Statistics" category: set only if you give your consent;
• registration cookies: the website has no accounts for visitors; the only cookie of this type is the sign-in cookie of the administration panel, which only the website's administrators receive;
• advertising cookies, in the "Marketing" category: set only if you give your consent. The website shows no advertisements.

These cookies may come from the following third parties: Google Ireland Limited, through Google Analytics 4 (statistics), and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, through Meta Pixel (marketing, for Facebook and Instagram). The videos in the exercise archives are hosted on YouTube, a Google service, which may set its own cookies only after you press play.

You make your choice in the consent bar shown on your first visit, by category: "Necessary", "Statistics" and "Marketing". Until you consent, no statistics or marketing script is loaded and nothing is sent to Google or Meta. The full list, with the name, purpose and duration of each item, is in the table at the end of this page.

Performance cookies

This type of cookie remembers your preferences on this website, so that you do not have to set them again on every visit. On iars.ro: the language chosen with the RO/EN switch (the "lang" cookie) and your choice in the consent bar, kept in the browser's local storage, not in a cookie.

Visitor analysis cookies

If you have accepted the "Statistics" category, when you visit the website the analytics software provided by a third party (Google Analytics 4) generates an analysis cookie. This cookie tells us whether you have visited the website before: your browser tells us whether you have this cookie and, if not, one is generated. This lets us count unique visitors and how often they return. Without your consent, this cookie is not created.

This cookie is used for statistical purposes only. The website has no accounts for visitors, so we do not link it to your name or email address. The data you send us through the forms is subject to the Privacy policy and to the legislation in force on the protection of personal data.

Also in the "Statistics" category, the website has its own measurement, without cookies: a session identifier kept in the browser only while the tab is open.

Advertising cookies

If you have accepted the "Marketing" category, Meta Pixel (Meta Platforms Ireland Limited) sets cookies that let us know whether you reached the website from a post or a campaign of the institute on Facebook or Instagram. Meta may also use this information for advertising, under its own privacy policy.

These cookies contain an identifier of the browser, not your name. The institute shows no advertisements on the website and does not set cookies through other websites. Without your consent, these cookies are not created.

Other third-party cookies

On some pages, third parties may set their own cookies to track the success of an application or to customise it. Because of the way they are used, this website cannot access these cookies, just as third parties cannot access the cookies owned by this website. On iars.ro, this is the case of the YouTube videos in the exercise archives: they do not load with the page, but only after you press play; from that moment, YouTube may set its own cookies and record your interaction, under its own policy.

Other security aspects related to cookies

Because protecting your identity is very valuable and is the right of every internet user, it is advisable to know what problems cookies can cause. Because they constantly carry information in both directions between the browser and the website, if an attacker or unauthorised person intervenes while the data is being transmitted, the information contained in the cookie can be intercepted. Although very rare, this can happen if the browser connects to the server over an unencrypted network (for example, an unsecured WiFi network).

Other cookie-based attacks involve wrong cookie settings on servers. If a website does not require the browser to use only encrypted channels, attackers can use this weakness to trick browsers into sending information over unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information to gain unauthorised access to certain websites. It is very important to be careful in choosing the most appropriate method of protecting personal information. The iars.ro website works only over encrypted connections (HTTPS), and its cookies are sent only over these connections.

Tips for safe and responsible browsing with cookies

Because of their flexibility and because most of the largest and most visited websites use cookies, they are almost unavoidable. Disabling cookies will prevent you from using the most widespread websites, including YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo and others.

Here are some tips to help you browse with peace of mind, with cookies:

• customise your browser's cookie settings to reflect a level of security you are comfortable with;
• if you do not mind cookies and you are the only person using the device, you can set long expiry periods for storing your browsing history and personal access data;
• if you share the device with other people, you can set the browser to clear browsing data every time you close it; this is a way of accessing websites that set cookies while deleting any visit information when the browsing session ends;
• install anti-spyware applications and keep them up to date; many spyware detection and prevention applications include the detection of attacks on websites and stop the browser from accessing websites that could exploit browser vulnerabilities or download dangerous software;
• make sure your browser is always up to date; many cookie-based attacks exploit the weaknesses of old browser versions.

How can you stop cookies?

On iars.ro, the choice made in the consent bar can be changed at any time from "Cookie settings", in the footer of every page, or at the end of this page. Withdrawing consent is as easy as giving it: it stops the measurements and deletes the cookies these services set on the iars.ro domain. Cookies on Google or Meta domains can be deleted from your browser settings.

Disabling and refusing cookies can make some websites impractical or difficult to visit and use. Also, refusing cookies does not mean that you will no longer receive or see online advertising. You can set your browser so that cookies are no longer accepted, or are accepted only from certain websites.

All modern browsers let you change cookie settings. These settings are usually found in the "Options" or "Preferences" menu of your browser.