[Liverpool] Websites writing registry keys

[Sebastian Arcus]

While looking for some other bit of information, I stumbled about the 
fact that some websites write information under some registry keys in 
Windows, namely:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\UserAssist\

They seem to be counters of various sorts, which are encrypted with a 
really weak encryption (ROT-13) and used by various local software and 
websites to keep track of things.

What absolutely stumps me is that I always thought that, without the use 
of Java or ActiveX, "normal" websites don't have access to the registry, 
or any other part of the file system except the Cookies and Internet 
Temp folders.

Does anybody know any more about this? Specially the ones in the group 
involved more closely with webdesign? How exactly do those websites gain 
access to the registry? How often is the practice used?

This is all news to me. I know we are a Linux list, but I also know many 
of you are concerned with privacy and security issues - so I'm posting 
by the off chance there are others interested in this.

Sebastian