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From the article: "... the installation of a special font called Palida Narrow, and the purpose of this action is still unknown." Would this perhaps be a track
by sounds 14y ago
From the article: "... the installation of a special font called Palida Narrow, and the purpose of this action is still unknown."
Would this perhaps be a tracking ability, as described at https://panopticlick.eff.org https://panopticlick.eff.org (specifically, the list of "System Fonts")
It would require the users to visit a site that is collecting this tracking information, but it isn't impossible to imagine a popular site among the target audience being strong-armed by a nation-state into installing something to do this.
The tracking is practically invisible to end users.
- malenm 14y agoJust read the same thing [1] - that does seem to be a logical use for a 'custom' font [1] http://blog.crysys.hu/2012/08/on-the-palida-narrow-mystery-of-gauss-malware-and-possible-remote-detection/ http://blog.crysys.hu/2012/08/on-the-palida-narrow-mystery-o...
- lallysingh 14y agoMy first guess was that system font renderers are probably less hardened against exploits, and that the font is exactly that. The name sounds generic enough to look like it fits in with the rest.
- TazeTSchnitzel 14y agoAlso, you could make it the default font for documents, meaning you could trace their origins, perhaps.
- delinka 14y agoYour EFF link says Chrome on iOS is 1 in ~93,000 while a Chrome incognito tab is 1 in ~89,000. Incognito is less unique and more identifiable that a regular tab. Interesting results.
- icegreentea 14y agoWhat? If you are less unique, then you are also less identifiable.
- delinka 14y agoI certainly got my adjectives mixed up. I usually proofread better than that. Oops. s/less/more/
- bdittmer 14y agoThat is incredibly clever.