A session ID is a code used by a computer system to track a user’s actions during a session. It is generated at the start of a session and can be used to provide specific information for each user. It is typically only valid for a single session and can be generated in various ways to ensure uniqueness. Hackers can use session prediction to try to determine someone else’s identifier and perform session hijacking. Some systems have a timeout feature that terminates a session after a certain amount of inactivity.
A session ID is one way that a computer system, typically a server, can identify and track an individual user’s actions during a particular session. These are widely used on the Internet by a variety of websites and various methods can be used, such as cookies or URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) specifically intended for their tracking. Using these identifiers, a system can more easily track users currently logged into the system and provide relevant information for each user. A session ID is typically generated at the start of a session and is unique to a given user during that session.
Also called a session identifier, a session ID is a numeric or alphanumeric code assigned to a user logged into a computer system, such as a website server. This code is then used during a session to identify that user and allow him to have specific information for his use. For example, a shopping website might allow a user to add items they are interested in purchasing to a virtual “shopping cart.” This shopping cart would rely on the user’s session ID to keep track of the items he adds and keep each user’s carts separate.
By default, a session ID is typically generated when a user first visits a website, and this can be done in a number of ways. This is often done via a random number generator to more effectively avoid hackers who might try to falsely use someone else’s identifier. Hackers or other users attempting to launch some form of attack on a system can use a method called “session prediction” to try to determine someone else’s identifier, then perform “session hijacking” to use the identifier and appear as another user for that system. However, more specific information can be used to generate a session ID, such as the date or time a user starts a session, ensuring that the identifier remains unique for different users.
A session ID is typically only valid for a single usage session, although this can be defined in different ways on different systems. In general, a session begins when someone accesses a web page and ends when the user leaves the page. Some systems are designed with a timeout feature that will terminate a session after a certain amount of inactivity has elapsed, often around 10 minutes. Other systems will also recognize a session ID after the user leaves the web page and then returns, provided the user has not closed their Internet browser.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
