Which of the following best describes a cookie?

A cookie is best described as a short line of text stored on a computer by a website. When you visit a website, it may send one or more cookies to your web browser, which then stores them on your device. Cookies serve various purposes, including remembering user preferences, login information, and tracking user behavior on the site. This stored data allows the website to tailor experiences for returning users and maintain session information as they navigate across different pages.

The other options describe different components of internet functionality. For example, a program that runs when a web browser opens does not specifically relate to cookies but rather to browser extensions or startup processes. A temporary file created for internet speed may refer to caching mechanisms that improve loading times but does not identify cookies specifically. A security measure to protect online banking might involve encryption and secure connections but does not accurately represent the role of cookies, which are primarily about data storage and user tracking rather than security directly.