The Exciting Evolution of Browser Fingerprinting - Decisimo

As someone who has spent a years in the thrilling world of eCommerce and online payment security, I've had a front-row seat to the rollercoaster ride that is the evolution of browser fingerprinting. It's a world where detectives and superheroes don't wear capes – they wield algorithms and hashes to combat the supervillains of the internet!

The Humble Beginnings: Cookies and ETags

Imagine a time when identifying someone online was as simple as giving them a name tag that said, “Hello, my name is...”. That's what cookies did. Websites would send these little digital name tags to your device, which they could read later to remember who you were.

But as with any superhero story, the villains got craftier. Along came “evercookies,” the shape-shifters that would find new places to hide in your device even when you thought you deleted them. But, the internet’s guardians fought back, with browsers and regulators working together to block these sneaky cookies.

And then there was the cunning ETags, where websites would use a single pixel image to identify you. It was like the villain leaving a tiny, almost invisible mark on you that only they could see. It slipped past the defenses set up to block cookies, and was especially popular among the marketers.

The Age of Sophistication: Browser Profiling and Hashing

As the game of cat and mouse progressed, browser fingerprinting turned into an art form. Instead of name tags, imagine now that you are a painter and your browser is your brush. Each stroke you make is slightly unique. That’s what happened with canvas fingerprinting. It used an HTML5 canvas element to draw images, and since each device’s brush strokes were slightly different, it created a unique fingerprint.

Not stopping there, the creative minds introduced WebGL fingerprinting, which is like canvas fingerprinting but in 3D! Then came Media Device Fingerprinting, which was like having a spy in your device listing all the gadgets you had connected. And let’s not forget audio fingerprinting, which listened to how your device played sound. Imagine it like each device playing a musical instrument, and the subtle differences in tune make each one unique.

The Stability Saga: Server-Side Fingerprinting

But there was an Achilles’ heel. The user could change their browser settings, or install new plugins, and just like that, the fingerprint could change. It’s like our villains wearing disguises.

Enter server-side fingerprinting. Now, instead of relying just on what's on the user's device, all the information was sent to a server which created a stable, consistent fingerprint. Imagine a high-tech lab, where data is analyzed and a digital profile is created. It's like having a file on each villain with all their known disguises.

The Future is Here: No-JS Fingerprinting

Now we enter the age of near science fiction – No-JS Fingerprinting. This technique doesn't need JavaScript and works by the server extracting data from HTTP requests. Imagine a scene where a detective can identify a villain just by the way they open the door. No-JS Fingerprinting links the data from multiple requests using a unique token, like a detective finding clues and piecing them together to solve the mystery.

A Defender's Toolkit

As a guardian of the internet, browser fingerprinting techniques aremy trusty arsenal in the battle against online tricksters and troublemakers.

One common enemy is the “Account Takeover Villain,” who tries to steal someone's account and identity. Fingerprinting helps by adding an extra layer of security for suspicious traffic, like having a secret handshake to get into a super-secret club.

And when websites are under siege by brute force or bot attacks, CAPTCHA serves as the mighty gatekeeper, challenging users to prove they’re human. Imagine a mythical creature asking you to solve a riddle before you can pass.

In cases where users might be lured into traps by phishing villains, email or two-factor authentication acts like a trusty sidekick warning them of danger. And when the same villain keeps returning, fingerprinting helps in adding them to the blocklist – it’s like banishing them to another realm!

The Never-Ending Quest

In summary, browser fingerprinting has journeyed from being a humble squire to a knight in shining armor. From cookies to the state-of-the-art no-JS fingerprinting, the world of browser fingerprinting has never ceased to amaze and evolve.

As someone who’s battled in this realm, I can vouch for how critical these tools are in safeguarding the treasures of the internet. With the landscape ever-changing, it is crucial for all internet guardians to stay vigilant and continuously adapt, ensuring a safer kingdom for all dwellers.

So, next time you log in, make a purchase, or simply browse, remember that in the shadows, browser fingerprinting is your silent protector. It’s the unsung hero in an ongoing epic, tirelessly fighting to keep the digital realm secure.

Published: 2023-06-26