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Browser Fingerprinting: Use Cases and How It Works
Time： 2024-09-10 14:29 Click：
An introduction to browser fingerprinting
Browser fingerprinting, also known as device fingerprinting or browser profiling, has emerged as an increasingly popular means of tracking users and their behavior over the past few years. It is a potent method whereby websites gather information about your browser type and version, along with your operating system, active plugins, time zone, language, screen resolution, and various other active settings.
This implies that when you connect to the internet on your laptop or smartphone, your device will transmit a set of specific data to the receiving server regarding the websites you visit. These data points may seem generic initially and don't necessarily appear tailored to identify a specific individual. Nevertheless, there is a significantly slim chance for another user to have 100% matching browser information. Websites utilize the information provided by browsers to identify unique users and track their online behavior.
This implies that when you connect to the internet on your laptop or smartphone, your device will transmit a set of specific data to the receiving server regarding the websites you visit. These data points may seem generic initially and don't necessarily appear tailored to identify a specific individual. Nevertheless, there is a significantly slim chance for another user to have 100% matching browser information. Websites utilize the information provided by browsers to identify unique users and track their online behavior.
How does browser fingerprinting work?
A browser fingerprint contains various pieces of information. This includes details such as your operating system, screen resolution, and fonts installed on your computer. Based on this information, a website can create a fingerprint unique to your browser. This fingerprint can then be used to track you across the web, even if you clear your cookies or use a different browser. For instance, advertisers might utilize fingerprinting to track you from site to site so they can display more relevant ads.
It's important to note that this type of fingerprint is not always an accurate representation since some browsers may have been recently updated or certain plugins might be disabled. However, it does give a fairly good indication of who you are.
It's important to note that this type of fingerprint is not always an accurate representation since some browsers may have been recently updated or certain plugins might be disabled. However, it does give a fairly good indication of who you are.
Top 3 use cases of browser fingerprinting
Browser fingerprinting is a very powerful technology that offers various of use cases for which it can be exploited. Some of the cases are discussed below.
User tracking and customized content recommendation: This is the most common use case of browser fingerprinting. By using this technology, e-commerce platform developers and operators can easily track users' preferences and choices for products. This usually includes analyzing which products users browse, how long they stay on product pages, and whether they add products to the shopping cart. By collecting and analyzing data from user behaviors, developers can obtain valuable information and adjust product recommendations and page layouts to make them more attractive and targeted. Enterprises can use such data to optimize their product strategies and marketing strategies.
Online Fraud Detection: Browser fingerprinting technology enables websites to detect fraudulent user behavior. Once a website detects such activity, it adds additional authentication steps to the login process to prevent unauthorized access and theft of legitimate users' accounts.
Pseudo-Authentication: In low-risk applications, fingerprinting can take the place of traditional authentication, doing away with the need for users to go through a tedious login process. For instance, when a user visits an online application, their unique fingerprint can act as their profile details for authentication. On subsequent uses, if the fingerprint matches a recognized profile detail, the user can access the saved profile. This makes the login process seamless while maintaining a reasonable level of security. However, this approach is not suitable for high-security applications. In such cases, a combination of traditional authentication flow and fingerprinting is a far more reasonable approach.
User tracking and customized content recommendation: This is the most common use case of browser fingerprinting. By using this technology, e-commerce platform developers and operators can easily track users' preferences and choices for products. This usually includes analyzing which products users browse, how long they stay on product pages, and whether they add products to the shopping cart. By collecting and analyzing data from user behaviors, developers can obtain valuable information and adjust product recommendations and page layouts to make them more attractive and targeted. Enterprises can use such data to optimize their product strategies and marketing strategies.
Online Fraud Detection: Browser fingerprinting technology enables websites to detect fraudulent user behavior. Once a website detects such activity, it adds additional authentication steps to the login process to prevent unauthorized access and theft of legitimate users' accounts.
Pseudo-Authentication: In low-risk applications, fingerprinting can take the place of traditional authentication, doing away with the need for users to go through a tedious login process. For instance, when a user visits an online application, their unique fingerprint can act as their profile details for authentication. On subsequent uses, if the fingerprint matches a recognized profile detail, the user can access the saved profile. This makes the login process seamless while maintaining a reasonable level of security. However, this approach is not suitable for high-security applications. In such cases, a combination of traditional authentication flow and fingerprinting is a far more reasonable approach.
What can BitBrowser do to defend you against browser fingerprinting?
BitBrowser can truly control the fingerprint data to avoid the leakage of user’s real IP. Different from the method of modifying with JavaScript, BitBrowser processes from the bottom layer of the browser. It is compiled based on the Chrome and Firefox kernels and modifies the API so that the information obtained at the JavaScript layer is not unique. Therefore it cannot leak your real IP.
With the help of BitBrowser, users can set unique fingerprint for each account on third-party platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,eBay, Amazon and so on. In this way, even if all accounts are logged in from the same computer, there will be no correlation between them, thus greatly reducing the possibility of being recognized and banned by those platforms.
In addition, BitBrowser also has a unique function that supports both Google and Firefox dual-core browsers. This means that it can automatically select the most appropriate kernel version according to the User Agent to ensure the security of each profile.
With the help of BitBrowser, users can set unique fingerprint for each account on third-party platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,eBay, Amazon and so on. In this way, even if all accounts are logged in from the same computer, there will be no correlation between them, thus greatly reducing the possibility of being recognized and banned by those platforms.
In addition, BitBrowser also has a unique function that supports both Google and Firefox dual-core browsers. This means that it can automatically select the most appropriate kernel version according to the User Agent to ensure the security of each profile.
Summary
Browser fingerprinting is a contemporary technique for tracking users' online activities. Website owners, marketers, and businesses employ this technique to compile an extensive list of the sites you frequently visit and gather other crucial information. It assists them in serving better ads, content, and recommendations and enhancing their company's growth.
Given that online risks are prevalent, browser fingerprinting can be dangerous. However, users can minimize these risks through various means, such as using incognito mode, implementing security plugins, installing anti-malware tools, using BitBrowser, using a VPN, disabling Flash and JavaScript, and more.
Given that online risks are prevalent, browser fingerprinting can be dangerous. However, users can minimize these risks through various means, such as using incognito mode, implementing security plugins, installing anti-malware tools, using BitBrowser, using a VPN, disabling Flash and JavaScript, and more.