1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies serve a variety of functions—some are necessary for technical reasons; some enable a personalized experience for visitors and registered users; and others allow the display of advertising or analytics.

Cookies may be set by us (first-party cookies) or by third parties (third-party cookies) to enable features such as embedded video, analytics, or security scanning.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

a. Essential / Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the operation of our website. They include:

  • Login session management

  • Form security

  • Cookie consent storage

Examples:

  • wordpress_logged_in_ – Keeps users logged in.

  • itsec_interstitial_browser – Used for login security enhancement.

  • complianz_consent_status – Stores your cookie preferences.

b. Functional Cookies

These cookies enhance the usability and personalization of the website. For example:

  • Remembering user preferences like screen display options.

Examples:

  • wp-settings-time-1 – Remembers user-specific settings.

  • wordpress_test_cookie – Tests if your browser supports cookies.

c. Performance and Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our site. While we don’t currently use advanced analytics tools like Google Analytics, our server and security systems may log usage data to monitor performance and flag threats.

d. Security Cookies

Our website uses security features that may set cookies to detect and prevent malicious activity, such as brute-force login attempts.

Examples:

  • Cookies related to iThemes Security (now SolidWP) to log IP addresses and suspicious activity.

e. Third-Party/Embedded Content Cookies

Content embedded from third-party platforms (e.g., videos, maps, forms) may set their own cookies. These third-party services behave as if you visited their websites directly.

Examples may include:

  • Gravatar (for user avatars on comments)

  • YouTube or Vimeo (if videos are embedded)

  • Healow widget (for scheduling features)

3. How You Can Control Cookies

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can control cookies by:

a. Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit our site, a cookie banner allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies.

b. Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to:

  • Delete cookies

  • Block cookies

  • Set rules per website

Note: Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the site.

c. Third-Party Tools

There are tools like YourOnlineChoices or Network Advertising Initiative that help you manage ad tracking preferences.

4. Duration of Cookies

The duration for which cookies remain on your device can vary:

  • Session Cookies: Expire when you close your browser.

  • Persistent Cookies: Remain after you close the browser and may last for days, months, or even years.

Examples from our site:

  • Login cookies: 2 days – 2 weeks

  • Screen settings cookies: 1 year

  • Comment-related cookies: 1 year

  • Security logs and cookies: 60 days

5. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or site functionality. We recommend reviewing this policy regularly.

6. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this policy, you can reach out via our website contact form:

📍 Website: https://yarkhanmd.com
📧 Contact Page: https://yarkhanmd.com/contact (if applicable)