How to get rid of device fingerprints

[vtqhtr413]

Content source

https://www.techradar.com/pro/vpn/how-to-get-rid-of-device-fingerprints

Device fingerprinting, sometimes known as machine fingerprinting, is the process of collecting information about the software and hardware on a device in order to identify it from others. This isn't always done for sinister reasons. For instance, a software licence may only allow you to install software on one computer and unfortunately that computer required a system reset. In this case, the developer can use a special fingerprinting algorithm based on your machine's specifications to make sure it's the same one you used last time, allowing you to install the software again.

Unfortunately, fingerprinting can be exploited to identify your device in scenarios that you don't want to be identified. In recent years browser fingerprinting has become very sophisticated and the implications are very scary. You can be using a reliable VPN, an ad-blocker, have antivirus installed, and even be using your browser in incognito mode but you can still be identified.

So you can find out how easily your device can be singled out from others, the Electronic Frontier Foundation have created the Cover your Tracks online test. If you are concerned that you can still easily be tracked online and you want to make yourself more anonymous, you can try some of these techniques to help you cover your tracks.

 

[Jonny Quest]

Way to go, Bitdefender I'm not saying the Cover your Tracks link is a threat, but BD seems to want to keep me clear of it, unless I disable some Online Threat Prevention settings.

 

[HarborFront]

There are some ways to minimize fingerprints. Use

1) DJ NOScript
2) Trace - Disable those same features as in DJ NOScript. Useful to protect against hardware fingerprints
3) CanvasBlocker (for Firefox only)

These extensions will help to block/randomize/fake fingerprints.

A VPN can only protect your IP address from being traced.

Choose browsers with built-in fingerprint protections like FF, Brave etc

In addition, running a VM using a different OS helps in protecting the host OS from being fingerprinted.

 

[vtqhtr413]

Way to go, Bitdefender I'm not saying the Cover your Tracks link is a threat, but BD seems to want to keep me clear of it, unless I disable some Online Threat Prevention settings.

Taking that test seemed pretty heavy duty but it went on without a hitch on my machine.

 

[plat]

it's been said before but if you have one of those anti-fingerprinting ext. you are identifiable. Trace does a decent job of obscuring your presence but it's partial, not totally. Trace hasn't been updated since June 2021--right now it's disabled on here.

Although I"d love to be invisible, it ain't happening, so as long as I don't actually see the results of my being fingerprinted ( like targeted ads calling me by name ) I just let it go. Not worth the aggravation.

Even here on MT, you and I can be ID'd by our hardware configurations.

 

[HarborFront]

it's been said before but if you have one of those anti-fingerprinting ext. you are identifiable. Trace does a decent job of obscuring your presence but it's partial, not totally. Trace hasn't been updated since June 2021--right now it's disabled on here.

Although I"d love to be invisible, it ain't happening, so as long as I don't actually see the results of my being fingerprinted ( like targeted ads calling me by name ) I just let it go. Not worth the aggravation.

Even here on MT, you and I can be ID'd by our hardware configurations.

Some info on Trace here

GitHub - underrobyn/AbsoluteDoubleTrace: A web extension to block browser fingerprinting (Manifest V2)

A web extension to block browser fingerprinting (Manifest V2) - underrobyn/AbsoluteDoubleTrace

github.com

Like I mentioned you can run a VM with a different OS to protect your host OS from being fingerprinted

 

[Jonny Quest]

Taking that test seemed pretty heavy duty but it went on without a hitch on my machine.

My next step was to test it on one of my F-Secure PC's, or just do a little BD settings tweaking

 

[cartaphilus]

My next step was to test it on one of my F-Secure PC's, or just do a little BD settings tweaking

Would running inside sandboxie help?

Also isn't the fact of running blocking add-ons identity you further and distinguishes you from the crowd? Unless of course you can block the addon query.

 

[simmerskool]

Taking that test seemed pretty heavy duty but it went on without a hitch on my machine.

I'm running firefox in linux today, took the test without any problems, came back "you have strong protection against Web tracking." 2 add-on extensions: DDG & ublock.
EDIT: more info, the test also said that firefox (linux) had 17.37 bits of indentfying info...
So I tested win10_host with Edge and gee it reported exactly the same info including bits, and Edge is running a few more extensions, so although I generally like EFF, I'm wondering about the accuracy of this test, different OS, different browsers, different extension, same score?

EDIT2 so I tested in Librewolf (linux) and AGAIN got identical scores as above and librewolf has different extensions... So I tested with Chromium (linux) and got SAME scores... maybe 17.37 bits is as low as it goes??

 

[vtqhtr413]

This is what it says for me running Win 11 with Edge

 

[Ink]

Brave​

Our tests indicate that you have strong protection against Web tracking.

Blocking tracking ads?	Yes
Blocking invisible trackers?	Yes
Protecting you from fingerprinting?	◕ your browser has a randomized fingerprint

Safari - OOTBE​

Our tests indicate that you have some protection against Web tracking, but it has some gaps.

Blocking tracking ads?	Partial protection
Blocking invisible trackers?	Partial protection
Protecting you from fingerprinting?	Your browser has a nearly-unique fingerprint

DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser - OOTBE​

Our tests indicate that you have strong protection against Web tracking.

Blocking tracking ads?	Yes
Blocking invisible trackers?	Yes
Protecting you from fingerprinting?	Your browser has a nearly-unique fingerprint

 

[cartaphilus]

Brave​

Our tests indicate that you have strong protection against Web tracking.

Blocking tracking ads?	Yes
Blocking invisible trackers?	Yes
Protecting you from fingerprinting?	◕ your browser has a randomized fingerprint

Safari - OOTBE​

Our tests indicate that you have some protection against Web tracking, but it has some gaps.

Blocking tracking ads?	Partial protection
Blocking invisible trackers?	Partial protection
Protecting you from fingerprinting?	Your browser has a nearly-unique fingerprint

DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser - OOTBE​

Our tests indicate that you have strong protection against Web tracking.

Blocking tracking ads?	Yes
Blocking invisible trackers?	Yes
Protecting you from fingerprinting?	Your browser has a nearly-unique fingerprint

I don't trust Brave and I never will. They seem too goody two shoes to be without any evil undertones. They kind of remind me of that benevolent rich guy who in reality is a super villain.

 

[simmerskool]

I'm running firefox in linux today, took the test without any problems, came back "you have strong protection against Web tracking." 2 add-on extensions: DDG & ublock.
EDIT: more info, the test also said that firefox (linux) had 17.37 bits of indentfying info...
So I tested win10_host with Edge and gee it reported exactly the same info including bits, and Edge is running a few more extensions, so although I generally like EFF, I'm wondering about the accuracy of this test, different OS, different browsers, different extension, same score?

EDIT2 so I tested in Librewolf (linux) and AGAIN got identical scores as above and librewolf has different extensions... So I tested with Chromium (linux) and got SAME scores... maybe 17.37 bits is as low as it goes??

I tested with Edge on win10 hardware host, and finally got a a different score: 17.36 bits.

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

Although I"d love to be invisible, it ain't happening, so as long as I don't actually see the results of my being fingerprinted ( like targeted ads calling me by name ) I just let it go. Not worth the aggravation.

Ditto...

 

[vtqhtr413]

I tested with Edge on win10 hardware host, and finally got a a different score: 17.36 bits.

My Results​

Your browser fingerprint appears to be unique among the 169,583 tested in the past 45 days.
Currently, we estimate that your browser has a fingerprint that conveys at least 17.37 bits of identifying information.

 

[piquiteco]

Way to go, Bitdefender I'm not saying the Cover your Tracks link is a threat, but BD seems to want to keep me clear of it, unless I disable some Online Threat Prevention settings.

For me too, the page was blocked by BD and TrafficLight and Webroot on my Father's computer flagged it as a suspicious page. In VT is detected by 6 products as Malware, Malicious,Suspicious. I have visited this page before, a few months ago, but it never detected anything, this time now some AVs is flagging it as Malware. Could this page be infected? maybe, it's possible.

Spoiler: Report VT

Spoiler: TrafficLight Block Page

 

[Jan Willy]

A little more about (anti)fingerprinting:

New Update - JShelter - JavaScript Restrictor

JavaScript Restrictor JS Restrictor is an anti-malware Web browser extension to mitigate potential threats from JavaScript, including fingerprinting, tracking, and data collection. JShelter is a browser extension to give back control over what your browser is doing. A JavaScript-enabled web...

malwaretips.com

 

[Alexai]

Ok, my brave has a randomized fingerprint, but what about the others chromium browsers? (chrome, edge, vivaldi)
How can tweak them?