I've noticed a recent change in the detection and removal of tracking cookies during my weekly full system scan. For the past few years since I've had NIS, the weekly detection of tracking cookies showed anywhere from 40+ to 70+ threat actions performed - all tracking cookie related.
On 6/29/13, there were 58 instances. Then, the next week, on 7/6/13, there were only 3 instances - and during the next two weekly scans, there were only 2 and 4 instances respectively. I find this particularly odd that for so long Norton picked up so many cookies during the scan, then all of a sudden it's finding less than half a dozen. I'm asking this community if this behavior would be considered normal.
For the record, my browsing habits and websites I visit haven't changed during this time period. I'm running a Dell Windows 7 Home Premium PC with a core I5 processor. My Norton 2012 version is 19.9.1.14. The only other security application I have is the free "on demand" version of Malwarebytes version 1.75.0.1300.
My Norton settings are: Settings>Computer>Computer Scan>with Tracking Cookies Scan set to "Remove".
My PC came with IE8 - which I don't use. I'm using Firefox as my Browser - version 22.0. The Firefox settings are: Privacy>Remember History>with accept 3rd party cookies set to "Always" "until they expire". The check boxes boxes for "Clear History When FireFox Closes" and "Private Browsing" are unchecked.
Can anyone offer an explanation as to why the sudden change in cookie detection and removal? Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thank you.