Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains how Rust Shield uses cookies and similar technologies, such as browser localStorage, on the Rust Shield website at rustshieldsecurity.com (the "Site"). It describes what these technologies are, the specific categories we rely on, why we use each one, and the choices available to you for controlling or disabling them.
Rust Shield is a fast, lightweight antivirus for Windows and macOS built around a Rust core. We aim to keep the Site as lean and privacy-respecting as the product itself, which is why we use only a small number of strictly purposeful cookies and storage entries. We do not use any third-party advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
1. What are cookies and similar technologies?
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store on your device. When you return to the site, the browser sends the cookie back, allowing the site to remember information about your visit. Cookies can be "session" cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or "persistent" cookies, which remain for a set period or until you delete them.
Alongside cookies, modern browsers provide storage mechanisms called localStorage and sessionStorage. These let a website save small pieces of data directly in the browser. Unlike cookies, this data is not automatically sent to a server with every request; it stays in the browser and is read by the page's own scripts when needed. We use browser localStorage for our website chat feature, as described below.
We refer to all of these technologies collectively as "cookies" in this policy, except where we specifically distinguish localStorage.
2. How we categorize the technologies we use
We group the cookies and storage entries on the Site into three categories: essential, functional, and security and performance. The table below summarizes each category, and the sections that follow explain the specific items in detail.
| Category | Purpose | Examples | Can it be disabled? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Keep the Site working, maintain your session, and support core navigation and security. | Session cookie | No, the Site cannot function correctly without these. |
| Functional | Remember choices you make and keep features working across a visit, such as the chat widget. | rs_chat_vid, rs_chat_tok (localStorage) | Yes, but the related feature may stop working. |
| Security and performance | Protect the Site from malicious traffic and help content load quickly and reliably. | __cf_bm (set by Cloudflare) | Not practically, as they protect the Site's availability. |
3. Essential cookies
Essential cookies are strictly necessary for the Site to operate. They enable core functions such as maintaining a browsing session, remembering the state of a page as you move through it, and supporting basic security. Because these cookies are required for the Site to work, they cannot be switched off through our controls, although you can still block them through your browser settings, as explained in Section 6.
Session cookie
We use a session cookie to keep track of your interaction with the Site during a single visit. This allows pages to load correctly and preserves short-lived state so that the experience is consistent as you navigate. The session cookie is typically deleted when you close your browser and does not store personal information beyond a randomly generated session identifier.
4. Functional storage and the chat widget
Functional technologies remember choices you make and keep specific features working. On our Site, the primary functional use is the website chat widget, which lets you start a conversation with our support team without creating an account or losing your place if you navigate between pages.
To keep a single conversation continuous, the chat widget stores two values in your browser's localStorage:
- rs_chat_vid — a visitor identifier that lets us associate your messages with the same conversation thread across page loads, so replies from our team reach the right session.
- rs_chat_tok — a session token used to authenticate the chat connection and keep your conversation secure, so that only your browser can view and continue that conversation.
These values are stored locally in your browser and are used solely to operate the chat feature. They are not used for advertising or to track you across other websites. If you clear your browser's localStorage or use private browsing, these values are removed and any active chat conversation will not be remembered on your next visit. Disabling the chat widget or clearing this storage does not otherwise prevent you from using the Site.
5. Security and performance cookies (Cloudflare)
Our Site is delivered through Cloudflare, a service that protects websites from malicious traffic and helps content load quickly by caching it closer to visitors. To provide this protection, Cloudflare sets a small number of cookies that are necessary for security and performance rather than for tracking individuals.
__cf_bm
The __cf_bm cookie is a bot management cookie set by Cloudflare. It helps distinguish humans from automated bots so that malicious or abusive automated requests can be filtered out before they reach the Site. This cookie is short-lived, is tied to the Site, and does not correspond to any user identity we can read or use for advertising. Cloudflare may set other similar operational cookies to safeguard the Site and keep it responsive.
Because these cookies protect the availability and integrity of the Site, blocking them may cause parts of the Site to become slow, display security challenges, or fail to load. For more detail on the specific technologies used by our content delivery and security provider, see [link to the current Cloudflare cookie documentation].
6. No advertising or cross-site tracking cookies
We want to be clear about what we do not do. We do not use third-party advertising cookies, marketing pixels, or cross-site tracking technologies on the Site. We do not sell or share information collected through cookies with advertising networks, and we do not build advertising profiles about you. The technologies described in this policy exist only to keep the Site working, to run the support chat, and to protect the Site from abuse.
7. How to control or disable cookies
You are in control of the cookies stored on your device. Most web browsers let you view, manage, block, and delete cookies and clear localStorage through their settings. The exact steps vary by browser, but the options are usually found under a "Privacy" or "Security" section.
- Delete existing cookies and clear site data, including localStorage, for individual sites or all sites.
- Block all cookies, block third-party cookies only, or allow cookies from specific sites you trust.
- Set your browser to warn you before a cookie is stored, so you can decide case by case.
- Use private or incognito browsing, which typically clears cookies and localStorage when you close the window.
Please note that if you block or delete essential and security cookies, some parts of the Site may not function properly. In particular, clearing the chat storage will end any saved conversation, and blocking Cloudflare cookies may trigger additional security checks or degrade performance.
For step-by-step instructions for your specific browser, consult its help pages, such as those for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, and other browsers you may use.
8. Cookies and the Rust Shield application
This policy covers the Rust Shield website only. The desktop antivirus application, downloaded from rustshieldsecurity.com, is not a web browser and does not use website cookies. The in-app chat and any account or licensing features within the application handle data according to our separate product and privacy documentation rather than this Cookie Policy.
9. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use, in our practices, or in legal and regulatory requirements. When we make changes, we will revise the "Last updated" date shown at the top of this page. If the changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention, for example through a notice on the Site.
We encourage you to review this page periodically so that you stay informed about how we use cookies and similar technologies.
10. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or about how we use cookies and browser storage, please contact [Registered company name] at [email protected]. You can also reach us through the chat widget on the Site or the in-app chat. Our support team is generally available during Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm.
Correspondence by post may be sent to our registered address at [Registered business address]. Matters relating to this policy are governed by the laws of [Governing jurisdiction].