No questions are dumb questions If the computer is turned off no one can enter.

As long as Norton is kept up to date and scheduled scans are run you are most likely very safe. If you feel you may have visited any doubtful web sites then do a scan and soon as you are finished to give yourself peace of mind.

Tracking cookies are harmless data packets, here at Gardenweb your cookie allows you to be kept signed in, clear out the cookies and the next visit here requires you to sign in again.

For myself it can go months without cleaning up the hard drive which includes removing cookies, I use Ccleaner to do that job and I also instruct Ccleaner to leave selected cookies in place. These include anywhere that I need to log in or places I go on regular basis.

Mostly my computer, modem and router all stay on 24/7 but that is a personal choice for each of use with no real right or wrong.

That is not a dumb question, thanks for asking it. I have often wondered about it. I turn it off at night, it's a habit I started years ago when resources were a problem. It's not necessary now, but maybe it saves a little electricity. I have never turned the modem off.

cookies came from something on your computer that went online and got them when you first started it up... like a messenger or the messenger advertising.. or something. Woulntt hurt to do maybe a malwarebytes full scan to make sure that something isnt a big deal.

I never turn off my modem, router, or computers unless the weather is bad or I am going out of town.

Unless the power goes off for a long time I leave mine on.
I have a battery backup for short power outages.
I can't remember the last time I turned my computer off.
To save power I turn my monitor off when I'm not using it.

I never clean cookies, temporary files, or any of that stuff.
Unless of course there is a problem involving cookies.
But that has rarely happened to me.

Pooh Bear

Here is a link that might be useful: What Your Computer Does At Night

Pooh Bear Thanks for the smile.

Thanks for your responses.

I prefer to turn off the cable and computer at night, but DH would rather the modem be left on.

In the past I had a problem with "China" and "Russia" attacking/trying to get into my computer on a daily basis as well as some other places. I was able to search the IP addresses and found where they were located. Now that I have Norton and have two IP addresses to get through I do not seem to have a problem.

I was afraid if the modem and/or computer was left on that someone could hijack and use my computer.

Someone did hijack and use my Yahoo Email address. They sent emails to many people as well as to my husband and my regular email addresses. I do not use my real email address or name when signing up on sites. I never used my husband's or my regular email addresses on the Yahoo Email. Changing the password corrected that.

The Yahoo incident made me think someone had invaded my computer rather than just hijacking my Yahoo Email only.

Due to how a modem and computer work, they must get their software (malware) into your machine to access it via your modem. Two common way of doing that are via a website you visit (therefore malcious tracking cookie or some other software is downloaded). Or via e-mail that contains an attachment with malicous software.

These malwares are sometimes only detected when your anti-malware software is executed in its 'full mode'. Often, that software takes hours to locate and remove all such malware.

Pooh Bear
Thank you Thank you Thank you
I had this link years ago and lost it