Our Commitment: Protection Associates does not use cookies for advertising or sell your browsing data to third parties. We keep tracking minimal, purposeful, and transparent.
01 What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) by websites you visit. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently, improve user experience, and provide website operators withanalytical information about how the site is used.
In addition to cookies, we may also use similar tracking technologies such as:
- Web beacons / pixel tags — tiny transparent images embedded in web pages or emails that allow us to know when a page is viewed or an email is opened
- Local storage — browser-based storage used to retain UI preferences (e.g., consent banner dismissal) between sessions
- Session storage — temporary storage cleared when you close your browser tab, used for in-session functionality
These technologies are subject to the same controls described in this policy.
02 How We Use Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies to:
- Keep the website secure and functioning correctly
- Remember your preferences (e.g., cookie consent choices)
- Understand how visitors navigate and use the site (aggregated, anonymized analytics)
- Measure the effectiveness of our content and contact forms
- Enable secure access to client portals and authenticated areas
- Support our 24/7 security operations (anti-bot, fraud detection)
We do not use cookies to:
- Serve targeted or behavioral advertising
- Build advertising profiles or sell data to ad networks
- Track you across third-party websites
03 Types of Cookies We Use
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are set in response to your actions (e.g., logging in, filling out forms, setting privacy preferences). Without these, core services cannot be provided. No consent is required for strictly necessary cookies under applicable law.
Functional / Preference Cookies
These cookies allow the site to remember choices you make and provide enhanced, personalized features — such as remembering your consent preferences, form pre-fill data, or language settings. They do not track your browsing across third-party websites.
Analytics Cookies
We use privacy-friendly, anonymized analytics to understand how visitors interact with the site — such as which pages are most visited, how long sessions last, and where users exit. IP addresses are anonymized before storage. Aggregate data only — no individual user profiles are created.
Security Cookies
Used to detect and prevent fraudulent activity, unauthorized access attempts, and bot traffic. These cookies are part of our operational security posture and are strictly necessary for a cybersecurity company's site integrity.
04 Third-Party Cookies
We limit third-party cookie use to essential operational tools only. Any third-party service we use is bound by its own privacy and data protection policies. Current third-party integrations that may set cookies include:
- Analytics provider (privacy-first, no cross-site tracking, EU data residency where applicable)
- Live chat / support widget (optional, only loads if you initiate a chat session)
- Secure form processing (used to validate and route contact form submissions securely)
No advertising networks. Protection Associates does not integrate Google Ads, Meta Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, or any other advertising retargeting technology on this website.
05 Cookie Reference List
The following table describes the specific cookies we set or allow. This list is updated when we add or remove technologies.
| Cookie Name | Category | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| pa_session | Security / Auth | Maintains authenticated client portal session. Invalidated on logout. | Session |
| pa_csrf | Security | CSRF protection token for form submissions. Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks. | Session |
| pa_consent | Preference | Stores your cookie consent choices so the banner does not reappear. | 12 months |
| pa_theme | Preference | Stores UI theme preference (currently dark mode only — reserved for future use). | 12 months |
| _pa_analytics | Analytics | Anonymous usage analytics. Tracks page views, session duration, and navigation paths. IP anonymized. | 24 months |
| _pa_ref | Analytics | Records the referring source of a visit (e.g., organic search, direct) for aggregate marketing effectiveness analysis. | 30 days |
| pa_bot_detect | Security | Anti-bot fingerprint token. Detects automated traffic and protects form endpoints. | Session |
| cf_clearance | Security | Set by our DDoS protection layer to confirm the visitor has passed a security challenge. | 30 minutes |
06 Your Choices & Controls
Browser Settings
Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings. You can typically:
- View and delete cookies stored by specific websites
- Block all cookies or cookies from specific sites
- Set your browser to notify you when a cookie is being set
Instructions for the most common browsers:
- Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
Please note: Blocking or deleting strictly necessary cookies may impair site functionality, including form submissions and client portal access. Analytics and preference cookies can be disabled without affecting core site operation.
Opt-Out Tools
For analytics specifically, you can opt out of aggregated tracking using our consent manager (see Section 7) or by contacting us at privacy@protection-assocs.com.
07 Consent Management
On your first visit to the Site, you will see our cookie consent banner. You have the following choices:
Cookie Preference Center (Illustration)
This is an illustration of the consent UI. Your actual preferences are stored in the pa_consent cookie.
You can revisit your preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer of any page. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
08 Do Not Track
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal. Currently, there is no industry-wide standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. Protection Associates currently does not alter its data practices based on DNT signals, but we honor explicit opt-out choices made through our Consent Management system (Section 7) and respond to legally required opt-out requests under CCPA and similar regulations.
09 Cookie Retention
Cookie lifetimes vary by type:
- Session cookies — deleted automatically when you close your browser
- Persistent cookies — stored for the duration listed in Section 5; you can delete them at any time via browser settings
- Analytics data — anonymized aggregate data may be retained for up to 26 months for trend analysis; individual session data is purged after 14 months
We conduct periodic reviews of our cookie inventory (at least annually) and remove cookies that are no longer necessary.
10 Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our practices, applicable law, or the technologies we use. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes that affect your rights, we will also display a notice on the cookie consent banner on your next visit to the Site.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Site after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11 Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact our Privacy team:
Protection Associates LLC — Privacy Office
121 S Tejon Street, Suite 900
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Email: privacy@protection-assocs.com
- Phone: 1-800-555-1234
- Privacy Policy: View our full Privacy Policy