1. What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, understand how you use the site, and provide a better experience. Cookies may be set by the website you're visiting ("first-party cookies") or by third-party services that the website uses ("third-party cookies").
2. Our Approach to Cookies
We use cookies sparingly and only where genuinely necessary. As a privacy-first company, we reject the surveillance-advertising model that most websites rely on. We do not sell your data, and we do not place tracking cookies for advertising purposes.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the website and dashboard to function. They cannot be disabled.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
session_id | Maintains your authenticated session in the dashboard | Session (expires on logout) |
csrf_token | Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks | Session |
cookie_consent | Stores your cookie preferences | 1 year |
3.2 Functional Cookies
These cookies remember your preferences to improve your experience. They are optional.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
ui_theme | Remembers your light/dark mode preference | 1 year |
dashboard_layout | Saves your dashboard column and panel preferences | 6 months |
locale | Stores your language/region preference | 1 year |
3.3 Analytics Cookies
We use privacy-respecting analytics to understand how visitors use our marketing website (not the dashboard). All analytics are anonymized. No IP addresses are stored, and no cross-site tracking occurs. You can opt out at any time.
| Cookie Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_pk_id | Self-hosted Matomo | Visitor analytics (anonymized) | 13 months |
_pk_ses | Self-hosted Matomo | Session tracking (anonymized) | 30 minutes |
Note: We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other third-party behavioral tracking service.
3.4 What We Do Not Use
- Advertising or retargeting cookies
- Social media tracking pixels
- Third-party behavioral analytics
- Fingerprinting or supercookies
4. Cookie Consent
When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie notice. Strictly necessary cookies are active immediately as they are required for the site to function. Functional and analytics cookies are activated only after you give consent.
You can withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer, or by clearing your cookies in your browser settings.
5. Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through multiple mechanisms:
5.1 Browser Settings
All modern browsers allow you to view, delete, and block cookies:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions
Note that blocking all cookies may affect the functionality of our dashboard and some website features.
5.2 Our Cookie Settings Panel
Use our cookie preference panel (accessible from the footer) to manage your consent by category. You can enable or disable functional and analytics cookies independently.
5.3 Opt-Out of Analytics
To opt out of our analytics specifically, you can use the Matomo opt-out mechanism or enable "Do Not Track" in your browser, which our analytics respects.
6. Local Storage
In addition to cookies, we use browser local storage to persist UI preferences (such as sidebar state and dashboard settings). Local storage is not transmitted to our servers and is cleared when you clear your site data. It is not used for tracking or analytics.
7. Third-Party Embeds
Our marketing website does not embed third-party widgets (video players, social share buttons, comment systems) that would set third-party cookies. If this changes, this policy will be updated before any such content is deployed.
8. VPN Application
The Serica VPN desktop and mobile applications do not use cookies. Configuration and session data are stored locally in encrypted application storage, and your VPN activity is never logged or transmitted to third-party analytics.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes to the cookies we use or for operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date and display a notice on our website.
10. Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact us at legal@sericavpn.com.