Security check
Check which cookies load before consent
Analytics and advertising cookies need the visitor’s consent before they are set. SecurityScan opens your site in a fresh browser and records which tracking cookies are already there before any consent choice.
What the check looks at
Tracking cookies before consent
Cookies from known analytics and advertising trackers, for example _ga from Google Analytics or _fbp from the Meta Pixel, present before any consent choice.
A consent banner
Whether a banner is shown at all, recognised from known consent platforms and from common banner wording in English, Latvian, German and French.
A reject option
Whether the banner has a reject button, not only “Accept”.
Privacy policy and forms
Whether a privacy policy link is present and the page it points to loads, and whether forms that collect personal data have a consent checkbox.
What a finding means
A “cookies before consent” finding lists the cookie names, so you can trace each one to the tag, plugin or app that sets it. The usual fix is to load that tag through your consent tool instead of directly.
These checks make up the GDPR part of the score, which carries 60% of the overall result.
Why check again later
A new plugin, app or marketing tag can start setting cookies before consent again without anyone noticing. With a plan, the site is re-scanned automatically and the report is emailed to you.
Questions
- Which cookies count as tracking?
- Cookies from known analytics and advertising services. Necessary cookies, such as a session or cart cookie, are not reported as tracking before consent.
- Does the check work with any consent tool?
- Yes. It looks at the result in the browser, whichever banner or consent platform the site uses.
- Does a clean result mean my site is GDPR compliant?
- No. It is a technical check of cookies and consent, not a legal assessment, and it does not replace a consultation with a lawyer.
Technical checks, not legal advice. SecurityScan does not replace a consultation with a lawyer.