How to use
- Copy the installation command and review the source package before installing it in your own agent environment.
- Check the source document for required tools, credentials and supported hosts.
- Describe your input and desired deliverable; review the output against the source material.
npx skills add https://github.com/mukul975/privacy-data-protection-skills --skill cookie-auditBefore you start
- Installation does not include a model subscription, API allowance or permission to access your files.
- Repository stars and installation counts describe activity, not an independent quality or security test.
Rendered from the source repository. Headings, examples, code, tables, links, and referenced images are preserved.
Auditing Website Cookies and Trackers
Overview
A cookie audit is the foundational step in achieving cookie consent compliance. It involves systematically identifying, categorizing, and documenting every cookie and tracking technology deployed on a website. The Court of Justice of the European Union in Planet49 GmbH v. Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen (Case C-673/17, 1 October 2019) established that pre-ticked checkboxes do not constitute valid consent under the ePrivacy Directive, and that users must be informed about cookie duration and third-party access before consenting. A thorough audit reveals what consent must be obtained and what disclosures must be made.
Audit Methodology
Phase 1: Preparation
Before scanning, document the audit scope for Pinnacle E-Commerce Ltd:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Primary domain | www.pinnacle-ecommerce.com |
| Subdomains in scope | shop.pinnacle-ecommerce.com, account.pinnacle-ecommerce.com, blog.pinnacle-ecommerce.com |
| Authenticated pages | Yes — customer account, checkout flow |
| Mobile-specific pages | m.pinnacle-ecommerce.com |
| Third-party integrations | Google Analytics 4, Meta Pixel, Hotjar, Stripe, Intercom |
| Scan frequency | Quarterly (next: Q2 2026) |
Phase 2: Automated Scanning
Deploy scanning tools to capture all cookies and tracking technologies:
Browser-Based Scanning
Use a headless Chromium instance to crawl the site and capture:
- First-party cookies set via
Set-Cookieheaders - First-party cookies set via
document.cookieJavaScript API - Third-party cookies from embedded resources
- LocalStorage and SessionStorage entries
- IndexedDB databases
- Pixels and beacons (1x1 image requests,
navigator.sendBeacon()calls) - Browser fingerprinting scripts (canvas, WebGL, AudioContext)
Network-Level Capture
Monitor HTTP/HTTPS traffic to identify:
- Tracking parameters in URL query strings (utm_*, fbclid, gclid)
- Redirect chains through tracking domains
- Cookie syncing between third parties
- Server-to-server data sharing endpoints
Phase 3: Cookie Categorization
Classify each cookie using the ICC UK Cookie Guide categories, aligned with the ePrivacy Directive Article 5(3):
Category 1: Strictly Necessary Cookies essential for the website to function. No consent required under Article 5(3) exemption.
Examples for Pinnacle E-Commerce Ltd:
| Cookie Name | Domain | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| session_id | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | Session | Maintains user session state |
| csrf_token | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | Session | Cross-site request forgery protection |
| cart_items | shop.pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 24 hours | Shopping cart contents |
| auth_token | account.pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 30 minutes | Authentication state |
| load_balancer | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | Session | Server load distribution |
Category 2: Performance/Analytics Cookies that collect aggregate usage data. Consent required.
| Cookie Name | Domain | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 2 years | Google Analytics client ID |
| gaXXXXXXX | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 2 years | GA4 session persistence |
| _gid | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 24 hours | GA4 session distinction |
| hjSessionUser | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 1 year | Hotjar user identification |
| hjSession | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 30 minutes | Hotjar session data |
Category 3: Functionality Cookies that remember user preferences. Consent required unless strictly necessary.
| Cookie Name | Domain | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| locale | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 1 year | Language preference |
| currency | shop.pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 1 year | Currency selection |
| recently_viewed | shop.pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 30 days | Recently viewed products |
Category 4: Targeting/Advertising Cookies used for ad targeting and cross-site tracking. Consent always required.
| Cookie Name | Domain | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| _fbp | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 90 days | Meta Pixel browser ID |
| _fbc | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 90 days | Meta click identifier |
| gclau | .pinnacle-ecommerce.com | 90 days | Google Ads conversion linker |
| IDE | .doubleclick.net | 13 months | Google ad serving |
| fr | .facebook.com | 90 days | Meta ad delivery and measurement |
Phase 4: Gap Analysis
For each cookie identified, verify against Planet49 requirements:
Planet49 Compliance Checklist:
- Active consent mechanism: Is consent collected via affirmative action (click, toggle), not pre-ticked boxes? (Planet49, para. 62)
- Pre-consent information: Before consent is given, is the user informed of:
- Cookie duration? (Planet49, para. 81)
- Whether third parties have access? (Planet49, para. 81)
- The specific purpose of each cookie category?
- Granularity: Can users consent to cookie categories individually, not just accept all?
- No cookie walls: Is site access available without consenting to non-essential cookies?
- Withdrawal mechanism: Can users withdraw consent as easily as they gave it?
Gap Analysis Template:
| Cookie | Category | Consent Collected | Duration Disclosed | Third-Party Disclosed | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Analytics | Yes | No — listed as "persistent" not "2 years" | No — Google not named | Duration + third-party disclosure |
| _fbp | Targeting | Yes | Yes | Yes | None |
| locale | Functionality | No | No | N/A | Assess if strictly necessary |
Phase 5: Reporting
The audit report for Pinnacle E-Commerce Ltd must include:
- Executive summary: Total cookies found, breakdown by category, critical gaps
- Complete cookie inventory: Full table with name, domain, duration, purpose, category, legal basis
- Third-party tracker inventory: All third-party domains receiving data, with data types shared
- Compliance gap register: Each gap, severity (high/medium/low), remediation recommendation
- Cookie policy update recommendations: Specific text changes needed
- Consent mechanism assessment: Whether current banner meets Planet49 requirements
- Recommended scan schedule: Quarterly for production, on-demand for new feature deployments
Ongoing Monitoring
Schedule automated scans to detect new cookies introduced by:
- Developer deployments (new analytics or marketing tags)
- Third-party script updates (vendor SDK updates adding new cookies)
- A/B testing platforms adding experiment cookies
- CDN or infrastructure changes
Integrate cookie scanning into the CI/CD pipeline: any new cookie detected in staging must be categorized and documented before deployment to production.
Key Legal References
- CJEU Case C-673/17 (Planet49) — Active consent required; pre-ticked boxes invalid; cookie duration and third-party access must be disclosed before consent
- ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC, Article 5(3) — Consent required for storing/accessing information on user devices, with strictly necessary exemption
- GDPR Article 4(11) — Definition of consent: freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous indication
- EDPB Guidelines 05/2020 on Consent — Detailed guidance on valid consent mechanisms
- ICC UK Cookie Guide (2012) — Cookie categorization framework (strictly necessary, performance, functionality, targeting)
- CNIL Deliberation No. 2020-091 (17 September 2020) — Guidelines on cookies and other trackers
