Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains how Consisto ("we", "us", and "our") uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our web application. It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them.

1. What are cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.

2. Why do we use cookies?

We use first-party and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Service to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies.

• Authentication & Security: We use cookies to verify your account session (`user_sessions` with sha256 token hashing) so you can securely access the Consisto platform.
• Bot Defense & Anti-Automation: Our bot protection system (`bot-check.php`) issues an HMAC-signed consisto_human cookie (TTL 1800s) to verify human interaction without tracking user identities.
• Session Management: Our session cookies ensure that your requests are properly authenticated and state is maintained across page loads.
• Preferences: We use preference cookies (e.g., consisto_theme) to remember your settings, such as your choice of Light or Dark mode.

3. Essential Cookies vs. Analytics

Strictly Necessary Cookies: These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our web application and to use some of its features, such as access to secure areas.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the application to you, you cannot refuse them without impacting how our Service functions. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings, but be aware that the Consisto application will not function properly without them.

Analytics Cookies: We may use minimal, privacy-respecting analytics to understand how our application is being used. These do not track you across other websites or build advertising profiles.

4. Third-Party Cookies

In some special cases, we also use cookies provided by trusted third parties. For example:

• Payment Processing: Razorpay may set cookies when you interact with the checkout interface to prevent fraud and process your transaction securely.
• Identity Verification: Didit may set temporary session cookies during the account recovery verification process.

5. How can you control cookies?

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our website though your access to some functionality and areas of our website (including logging in) will be severely restricted.