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Topic: Fingerprinting (Read 2083 times)

Fingerprinting

Hi - First of all, I'd like to thank Emdek for bringing back what was good in Opera 12. I hope to ditch Firefox completely someday and only use Otter :hat:

Now, here's my request, or I should say, my problem with ALL of today's web browsers, including those developed with privacy in mind...

Past are the days when our only worries were identification & tracking via web cookies and font enumeration. With HTML5 a plethora of new invasive tracking methods appeared, from webrtc leaking private IPs, to unique "fingerprints" based on your computer's specific data from audio and video cards, battery, webcam, and so on. No extension, no tweaking of hidden config settings can prevent it as long as HTML5 is enabled. If you want to check it yourself try this online test: http://browserprint.info

So, since HTML5 is the main culprit, I'd love to see a web browser that actually cares for our privacy and allows disabling it altogether, if the user deems it appropriate. An "anti-fingerprinting mode" that automatically disables HTML5 API along with font and plugin enumeration would be ideal.

Well, just my two cents. Keep up the good work :coffee:

For more information:
https://network23.org/inputisevil/2015/09/06/how-html5-apis-can-fingerprint-users/
https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2016/08/03/massive-new-study-lifts-the-lid-on-top-websites-tracking-secrets/

Edit: I assumed Otter was vulnerable but after a quick test it seems it only supports html5 canvas, not webgl or audio. Good :) So all that's needed is a way to randomize canvas, block enumeraton & supercookies.

Re: Fingerprinting

Reply #1 –
Maybe I shouldn't promote the competition,[1] but Fifth browser might interest you.

I just don't want to overload Emdek. :D
1 Oh wait, there's nothing commercial going on here. :P Basically I mean that while I might happen to prefer Otter, I fully acknowledge it might not be for everyone. Whereas a marketing department would probably never admit that. ;)↵

Re: Fingerprinting

Reply #2 –
Thanks, Frenzie. Fifth is an interesting project, I'll give it a try... if it ever finishes compiling webkitfltk - it's taking hours, and hundreds of mb on my disk :eyes:

Edit: hmm, it doesn't seem to work too well with common website. Well, having Opera 12 back is enough for now, so I'll stick with Otter.

Re: Fingerprinting

Reply #3 –
Quote from: madmartigan on
Thanks, Frenzie. Fifth is an interesting project, I'll give it a try... if it ever finishes compiling webkitfltk - it's taking hours, and hundreds of mb on my disk  :eyes:
:lol: Well, I guess ccache should help there if there's an update. To me Fifth occupies a sort of needless space in between Netsurf and Otter, but one person's redundancy is another person's niche so you never know. ;)

Quote from: madmartigan on
Edit: hmm, it doesn't seem to work too well with common website. Well, having Opera 12 back is enough for now, so I'll stick with Otter.
Between Firefox' slowness and Otter's 2013-era QtWebKit (its biggest weakness :( ) I somewhat regularly have to fall back on Opera/Blink or Vivaldi. In any case, Otter is basically what I was expecting Opera/Blink to be based on Opera's initial marketing talk.

Re: Fingerprinting

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Frenzie on
and Otter's 2013-era QtWebKit (its biggest weakness :( )
I still don't understand why browserprint reports Otter's html5 Canvas fingerprint but no Audio (disabled)... I thought QtWebkit supported both. Either way, it's fine: less html5 is a plus in my book :)

Re: Fingerprinting

Reply #5 –
The audio fingerprint depends on newer additions like AudioContext. But I get:
Code: [Select]
Fingerprint using DynamicsCompressor (sum of buffer values):
Error
Fingerprint using DynamicsCompressor (hash of full buffer):
NoJS
AudioContext properties:
Not supported
Fingerprint using OscillatorNode:
Error or not supported
Fingerprint using hybrid of OscillatorNode/DynamicsCompressor method:
Error or not supported