Cookie Policy
Last Updated: 4 November 2026
1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains how SAR Portal (operated by Sekhon IT Consultants Ltd.) uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website at sarportal.com or use our application.
Company Details:
- Legal Name: Sekhon IT Consultants Ltd. (trading as SAR Portal)
- Company Registration: Ireland, CRO No. 579894
- Registered Address: 1 Beaufield Crescent, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Republic of Ireland
- Email: info@sarportal.com
2. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, understand how you use the site, and improve your experience.
2.1 Types of Cookies
- Session Cookies: Temporary cookies deleted when you close your browser
- Persistent Cookies: Remain on your device for a set period or until manually deleted
- First-Party Cookies: Set by the website you’re visiting
- Third-Party Cookies: Set by external services embedded in the website
3. Cookies We Use
3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the website to function. They cannot be disabled.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
.AspNetCore.Cookies | Keeps you signed in to the application | Until you close your browser; sign-in expires after 24 hours without activity by default (checked at sign-in and on new connections, not on an already-open session) | SAR Portal |
.AspNetCore.Antiforgery.* | CSRF protection | Session | SAR Portal |
.AspNetCore.OpenIdConnect.Nonce.*, .AspNetCore.Correlation.* | Protect the sign-in redirect | A few minutes, during sign-in only | SAR Portal |
ARRAffinity, ARRAffinitySameSite | Keep your application session on the same server (load balancing) | Session | Microsoft Azure App Service |
__stripe_mid, __stripe_sid | Fraud prevention for payments (application at app.sarportal.com only) | 1 year / 30 minutes | Stripe |
_GRECAPTCHA (and browser local storage) | Bot protection on forms you submit (website contact and registration forms, application request forms) | Up to 6 months | |
cookie_consent (browser local storage, not a cookie) | Remembers your cookie choices | 6 months, after which we ask you again | SAR Portal |
Legal Basis: Exempt from consent as strictly necessary to provide the service you request (S.I. No. 336 of 2011, Regulation 5(5)).
3.2 Functional Storage
This remembers your light/dark theme on this website. It is kept in your browser’s local storage, not in a cookie.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
theme (browser local storage, not a cookie) | Remembers your light/dark theme choice | Until you clear it | SAR Portal |
Legal Basis: Exempt from consent as strictly necessary to provide the theme setting you choose (S.I. No. 336 of 2011, Regulation 5(5)).
3.3 Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website. They are only set if you consent.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Distinguish unique users | 2 years | Google Analytics |
_ga_* | Store session state | 2 years | Google Analytics |
Legal Basis: Consent
Data Collected by Google Analytics:
- Pages visited and time spent
- Device and browser information
- Geographic region (country/city level)
- Referral sources
- IP address (used to work out your approximate location; Google Analytics 4 does not store it)
We use Google Analytics 4, which does not log or store IP addresses. Google may process this data in the United States under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. Data is processed in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policy.
3.4 Advertising & Conversion Cookies
These cookies measure the effectiveness of our Google Ads campaigns, for example recording when a visit that came from an ad results in a demo request or free-trial sign-up. They are only set if you switch on “Advertising Cookies” in the cookie banner, or click “Accept All”. Switching on analytics alone does not load the Google Ads tag.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
_gcl_au | Conversion Linker — attribute a conversion to an ad click | 90 days | Google Ads |
IDE | Ad conversion measurement (we do not use remarketing or personalised ads) | up to 13 months | Google DoubleClick (doubleclick.net) |
test_cookie | Check whether your browser supports cookies | 15 minutes | Google DoubleClick |
Legal Basis: Consent
How it works: When you accept advertising cookies, the Google Ads conversion tag and Conversion Linker record whether an ad click led to an action such as a demo request or sign-up, so we can understand which campaigns are effective. Data is processed in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policy. If you decline advertising cookies, these tags do not run.
3.5 Embedded Video (YouTube)
Our homepage has a product video. The YouTube player is only loaded if you have accepted advertising cookies (or clicked “Accept All”) and then click the video. It is loaded from YouTube’s privacy-enhanced domain (youtube-nocookie.com), but once it plays, YouTube may still set its own cookies or local storage (for example YSC, VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE). If you have not accepted advertising cookies, clicking the video opens it on youtube.com in a new tab instead, and nothing from YouTube is loaded on our website.
Legal Basis: Consent
4. Your Cookie Choices
4.1 Cookie Consent Banner
When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner offering these options:
- Accept All: Turn on analytics and advertising cookies
- Essential Only: Only strictly necessary cookies (no analytics, no advertising)
- Manage Preferences: Turn “Analytics Cookies” and “Advertising Cookies” on or off separately. Advertising is off unless you turn it on.
4.2 Changing Your Preferences
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by:
- Clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in the website footer
- Clearing your browser’s cookies and local storage for this site and revisiting it
4.3 Browser Settings
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings:
Note: Blocking essential cookies may prevent the website from functioning correctly.
4.4 Google Analytics Opt-Out
To opt out of Google Analytics across all websites, install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
5. Similar Technologies
5.1 Local Storage
We use browser local storage to store:
- Your cookie choices (
cookie_consent) - Your light/dark theme choice (
theme)
Your cookie choices count for 6 months, after which we ask you again. Your theme choice stays on your device until you clear it.
5.2 Session Storage
Session storage is used for temporary data that is cleared when you close your browser tab.
6. Third-Party Services
Our website may include content from third-party services that set their own cookies:
| Service | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Website analytics | Google Privacy |
| Google Ads / DoubleClick | Ad conversion measurement | Google Privacy |
| Google reCAPTCHA | Bot protection | Google Privacy |
| YouTube (Google) | Plays our homepage product video, only after you accept advertising cookies and click it | Google Privacy |
| Stripe | Payment processing and fraud prevention in the SAR Portal application at app.sarportal.com (not loaded on this website) | Stripe Privacy |
7. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. We will notify you of significant changes by updating the “Last Updated” date.
8. Contact Us
For questions about our use of cookies:
- Email: privacy@sarportal.com
- Data Protection Officer: dpo@sarportal.com