_cfuvid Cookie Explained: Is it Safe?

Table of Contents

Websites employ many different cookies to limit traffic and maintain a stable rate. Many sites use Cloudflare to distinguish visitors and differentiate humans from bots. One of the primary ways Cloudflare can make these critical distinctions is through the _cfuvid cookie.

Cloudflare utilizes the _cfuvid cookie as a rate-limiting tool and dictates traffic from the same IP address. Without cookies like _cfuvid, many sites would have a lot of difficulty with this kind of traffic.

Let’s learn more about the specific function of the _cfuvid cookie and how long it lasts on a user’s browser before deletion.

The _cfuvid cookie is set as part of the Rate Limiting Rule that websites can enable with Cloudflare. When sites allow this option, Cloudflare uses the _cfuvid cookie to distinguish between users from the same IP address.

The _cfuvid cookie is set on a user’s browser to assign them a unique ID in addition to identifying them through their IP address. Without this cookie, visitors to a site will be recognized as the same user if they share the same IP, and any data collected will be shared for all users with that IP.

Typically, businesses who market to other businesses utilize Cloudflare and the _cfuid cookie. This cookie is an unsung hero in marketing efforts directed only to specific individuals within a business rather than all visitors who may have the same IP.

The _cfuvid cookie lasts only for one session. With this limited timeframe, the _cfuvid cookie assigns a unique ID to a user only for the length of their session and is removed directly after.

If a visitor returns to the site, the _cfuvid cookie is replaced.

This cookie serves the sole purpose of identifying and distinguishing users from the same IP, so it does not collect additional information from a browser.

How Can Captain Compliance Help You?

Websites everywhere use Cloudflare and its verification software to distinguish users as human or bots and set regulations for traffic to their site. Cloudflare employs the _cfuvid cookie as part of the Rate Limiting Rule that sites can set to distinguish users with the same IP address.

The _cfuvid cookie only lasts for the session to which the unique ID was assigned. Rest assured that this cookie does not collect personal information or data from a user’s browser.

Moderating traffic is essential for websites to maintain performance, and the _cfuvid cookie helps businesses do just that and distinguish visitors even amongst those who share an IP address.

Online Privacy Compliance Made Easy

Captain Compliance makes it easy to develop, oversee, and expand your privacy program. Book a demo or start a trial now.