4 ms·

This most likely makes you more identifiable, not less, until a critical mass of people are using a browser with the exact same randomness properties.

by rafram 1y ago

graemep 1y ago
I can see this as an argument for avoiding unusual properties, but how can they identify you using random properties? Even if it is just one user doing this how can they match the fingerprints? Also, its unusual enough that its unlikely they will bother trying.
- rafram 1y ago
  The fact that the properties are randomized (and which properties are randomized) identifies the extension that you’re using, and if that extension has like 10 users, that uniquely identifies you across sites. All of this is overkill anyway unless you actually think you’re up against a determined actor targeting you personally. If you are, they will bother trying.
  - bigbuppo 1y ago
    Go hang out with people that actually work in marketing and advertising and see if that changes your views.
  - graemep 1y ago
    > The fact that the properties are randomized (and which properties are randomized) identifies the extension that you’re using, and if that extension has like 10 users, that uniquely identifies you across sites. How do they know they are randomised rather than actual properties?
Beijinger 1y ago
Yes. It makes me unique. Every visit. If I visit the site 10 times, you have 10 unique IDs.
- rafram 1y ago
  And if the site loads 100 iframes, it can figure out the distribution of values that your browser returns, which doesn’t change, and is likely to be close to unique until many people are using the same setup as you. (Or it can just use properties of the extension like monkey-patched function toString() outputs to identify its users, which, again, narrows it down to a very small group.)
  - Beijinger 1y ago
    Yes! You are unique among the 4162412 fingerprints in our entire dataset. Yes! You are unique among the 4162649 fingerprints in our entire dataset. Two visits... https://amiunique.org/ https://amiunique.org/
    - rafram 1y ago
      Yeah, you get the exact same results in two separate incognito sessions in stock Chrome. They don't immediately add your fingerprint to their database. (And that site isn't using the state of the art in fingerprinting - check https://fingerprint.com/ https://fingerprint.com/ for a slightly better indicator.)
      - Beijinger 1y ago
        https://fingerprint.com/demo/ https://fingerprint.com/demo/ Yes, fingerprint.com realizes that I am the same visitor. But ONLY IF I access it from the same IP address. This is impressive, but in the end not so much. They claim VPN does not matter for them. It does. Probably one of the last things that makes my browser identifiable.
        rafram 1y ago
        > Yes, fingerprint.com realizes that I am the same visitor. QED...
        1y ago

This most likely makes you more identifiable, not less, until a critical mass of people are using a browser with the exact same randomness properties.

by rafram 1y ago

This most likely makes you more identifiable, not less, until a critical mass of people are using a browser with the exact same randomness properties.

graemep 1y ago

I can see this as an argument for avoiding unusual properties, but how can they identify you using random properties? Even if it is just one user doing this how can they match the fingerprints? Also, its unusual enough that its unlikely they will bother trying.

rafram 1y ago
The fact that the properties are randomized (and which properties are randomized) identifies the extension that you’re using, and if that extension has like 10 users, that uniquely identifies you across sites. All of this is overkill anyway unless you actually think you’re up against a determined actor targeting you personally. If you are, they will bother trying.
- bigbuppo 1y ago
  Go hang out with people that actually work in marketing and advertising and see if that changes your views.
- graemep 1y ago
  > The fact that the properties are randomized (and which properties are randomized) identifies the extension that you’re using, and if that extension has like 10 users, that uniquely identifies you across sites. How do they know they are randomised rather than actual properties?

Beijinger 1y ago

Yes. It makes me unique. Every visit. If I visit the site 10 times, you have 10 unique IDs.

rafram 1y ago
And if the site loads 100 iframes, it can figure out the distribution of values that your browser returns, which doesn’t change, and is likely to be close to unique until many people are using the same setup as you. (Or it can just use properties of the extension like monkey-patched function toString() outputs to identify its users, which, again, narrows it down to a very small group.)
- Beijinger 1y ago
  Yes! You are unique among the 4162412 fingerprints in our entire dataset. Yes! You are unique among the 4162649 fingerprints in our entire dataset. Two visits... https://amiunique.org/ https://amiunique.org/
  - rafram 1y ago
    Yeah, you get the exact same results in two separate incognito sessions in stock Chrome. They don't immediately add your fingerprint to their database. (And that site isn't using the state of the art in fingerprinting - check https://fingerprint.com/ https://fingerprint.com/ for a slightly better indicator.)
    - Beijinger 1y ago
      https://fingerprint.com/demo/ https://fingerprint.com/demo/ Yes, fingerprint.com realizes that I am the same visitor. But ONLY IF I access it from the same IP address. This is impressive, but in the end not so much. They claim VPN does not matter for them. It does. Probably one of the last things that makes my browser identifiable.
      - rafram 1y ago
        > Yes, fingerprint.com realizes that I am the same visitor. QED...
        1y ago