Problem reading a cookie from within a tracking pixel in IE

Question

I wrote a simple pixel tracking program that works something like this

Step 1) tracker.com sets a cookie
Step 2) mysite.com displays <img src="tracker.com/tracking.php">. That image reads the cookie from Step 1 & does some processing.

Works great in Chrome, Firefox and Safari. But when tested in IE, the cookie can't be read in Step 2. It's as if the cookie doesn't exist -- but I know it does.

Any idea why IE pretends the cookie doesn't exist? I've tried messing with P3P headers, no luck.

Answer 1

Try adding the domain in the src attribute to trusted sites in IE. My guess is this is security, and you've got a rather arcane security measure you're coming up against.

Answer 2

If the cookie setting domain is 2 letters, I believe there is a bug within IE that prevents IE from doing cookies properly with 2 letter domains. If it isn't 2 letters, then nevermind.

Answer 3

So, the first answer was more about testing... try using JS to handle this -

From site-reference.com forums..

var track = new Image(); track.src="http://www.my-site.com/tracker.php?self=" + this.location;

*NOTE: Capital "I" in image, not lowercase!

Let us know! :D

Fred

Answer 4

It may be that IE is blocking 3rd-party cookies.

Answer 5

Its tricky without knowing more specifics of its use, but I'm trying at this late hour to figure out how to clone the cookie for the current domain using REMOTE_ADDR

Answer 6

Does your domain have a privacy policy? I forget what it's called, maybe p3p? Some random list of headers that you have to add.