Browser fingerprinting and “Cover Your Tracks” Project
What is Browser fingerprinting?
Browser fingerprinting is a technique used to identify the unique characteristics of a user, such as time zone, language settings, operating system, location, and so on.
Although browser fingerprinting may prove useful in detecting and preventing online identity theft and credit card fraud, it poses a serious threat to privacy. In particular, the acquired information, if it fell into the wrong hands, would make a hacker’s job much easier. In fact, an individual may launch a cyber attack far more easily on a computer when they are familiar with many of its technical details.
Are browser fingerprinting and cookies similar?
It may seems that cookies and browser fingerprinting are quite similar but it’s not true. One of the biggest difference is that you have to accept the cookies when you enter into a new website and you can select which one keep. For browser fingerprinting this is not possible because are identical to all of the other scripts needed to make a website work. In addition cookies can be deleted but browser fingerprinting cannot.
How does browser fingerprinting work ?
The operation of browser fingerprinting is based on a request to access a Web site. The browser must provide the hosting server with a certain amount of essential information to ensure that the site works properly for the user’s computer.
I’ve recently discovered “Cover your Track” that is an amazing project launched by Electronic Frontier Foundation in 2010 as “Panopticlick”. The aim of it is to investigate how unique each browser is. The idea of using the metaphor of animal footprints is very effective because the more specific and clear the footprints are, the easier it is to identify whose footprints they are, creating a serious online security problem.
“ Even if your privacy add-ons are working well, you may still be vulnerable if your browser fingerprint is unique. So we also analyze the uniqueness of your browser and let you know how it stacks up to other visitors we’ve observed recently. We generate a report about your tracker protections and browser fingerprint for your own use, and we’ll use anonymous results from your test when generating uniqueness results for others when they take the test.”
The website allows you to test how unique your pc’s features are by pointing out all the information about it that it is able to get if your pc is not protected.
The project also provides valuable advice on how to protect yourself and guidance on the methodology used.I recommend you visit it and learn how to better protect yourself when surfing online.
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