What is browser fingerprinting? Here’s how to prevent it
What is browser fingerprinting? It’s creepy, that’s what! It tracks your online behavior, allowing others to know who you are as you browse the internet — all without any need for account logins or cookies.
Just like a human fingerprint, your browser has a set of unique traits that can be traced back to you — and everything you do on the internet.
When you browse through the internet, many web portals capture some of this information, such as screen size and browser type, to give you the best experience.
However, browser fingerprints can also be used for tracking and identification. Websites can record all kinds of information about you through this fingerprint, and then connect it to other similar fingerprints to get a precise picture of your browsing behaviors and website activities.
According to PanoptiClick, there is a chance that one in 286, 777 browsers has the same browser fingerprint for another user. So the chances of overlapping browser are pretty slim. That’s why a browser fingerprint is an invaluable piece of information for marketers that want to sell you stuff!
Curious to see how unique your browser fingerprint is? Use one of the top browser fingerprinting checkers to see just how unique your fingerprint is! Then, you may want to try some of the tactics below to reduce your fingerprint.
How to prevent browser fingerprinting
If you are concerned about your personal information and don’t want to share it over the internet through browser fingerprints, you might want to stop it.
Unfortunately, there is only one method if you want to stop browser fingerprinting completely, which is not using the internet at all. Yes, it’s nearly impossible to keep your browsers from collecting your data because browsers use HTTP headers to collect your fingerprint.
But…
There are certain security practices you can use to mitigate your browser fingerprint or make it unoriginal. The following practices will make your identity harder to track and prevent advertisers from learning extremely personal information about your web browsing history.
1. Disable Flash
If you are a Chrome user, then you should not worry about flash because Chrome will stop using it by the end of 2020. Moreover, many reputable sites have stopped using flash as well, so it’s a no-brainer because it’s becoming a relic of the past.
Most of the experts believe that flash serves no considerable purpose other than collecting fingerprint data. You can just disable it or uninstall it right away because you do not need it if you are not explicitly using it for a specific purpose.
Otherwise, it will keep tracking your data for a short time because the newer versions of all the major browsers already have decided to stop supporting it.
2. Revisit extensions and plugins
Browser extensions and plugins can be great assets for browsing. They can provide deeper integrations to the services you use every day. But these can also make it much easier for others to track you.
But think about it: the more extensions and plugins your browser has, the more unique your browser fingerprint. That configuration is much harder to replicate by someone else!
That’s why you should uninstall the plugins that you don’t use right away and try to use standalone desktop apps as alternatives to the ones you use.
Bear in mind that disabling the plugins doesn’t do any good. After all, it can still be used as your fingerprint because it stays in your browser. The most secure route is to use JavaScript disabling extensions. It disables JavaScript usage, unless you explicitly allow it. This will protect you from unwanted tracking!
3. Keep all of your software updated
In order to protect yourself from cybercriminals and hacking attacks, try to keep all of your software updated. It means you need to restart your browser and sometimes computer as well. It can be a little cumbersome, but it’s worth it if you want to reduce your browser fingerprinting.
The most important software that needs to be updated all the time is your anti-malware and anti-virus. Otherwise, such software won’t be able to detect the latest cyberattacks, exploits, and malware.
4. Use Incognito or private mode
Using an incognito mode of your browser is a wise idea to reduce fingerprinting. While it’s not perfect, it does reduce the amount of information shared with others. To see how it’s working, you can still visit any browser fingerprinting checker to see the results while you are in private or incognito mode that will most probably be unique.
For that matter, we recommend you use Tor for the most private browsing experience. If you have heard about Tor, you must’ve also heard that it’s for dark web browsing. Tor is most commonly used for that purpose, but it is also an excellent way to avoid all types of possible tracking.
5. Use Tor
The Tor browser is an extremely secure and private browser that includes anti-fingerprinting features, such as cloaking your operating system and blocking revealing information like your time zone and language preferences. Without these details it’s much harder for your browser to be fingerprinted.
A reminder though: the most anonymous way to use any Internet browser is to avoid installing extensions and plug-ins. Those are simply the easiest way to know who you are, since so few people have the same combination of installations. Stick with the default version to better anonymize your browser.
6. Use a VPN
A virtual private network boosts your online safety, security as well as privacy. It masks your address and physical location by routing your internet traffic through a third-party server. That way you appear like you’re browsing from someplace else.
VPNs can provide you protection against hackers, surveillance, ISPs (Internet Service Providers), and malicious, your data transmission is often encrypted so that no one can intercept it.
Image:
Keep in mind that VPNs don’t prevent websites from using JavaScript and HTTP headers to collect browser fingerprints. It removes your IP address from the headers and equation, but your fingerprint still might be unique. But you can always use the mixture of all the tips mentioned earlier along with the VPN to keep websites from collecting your fingerprinting data.
6. Ditch the smartphone
You’re really gonna hate this one…but giving up your smart phone is the quickest way to preserve your anonymity. Phones are basically mini-surveillance tools that also use device fingerprinting that make it easy to attach your identity to your online behaviors.
Next steps to protect your privacy online
Web trackers use many sneaky and technical ways to collect your browsing fingerprint. But we hope that these ways will help you reduce it as much as possible and allow your fingerprint not to appear unique on the internet. Feel free to let us know about your thoughts and expressions regarding browser fingerprints.
A few other steps to protect your privacy while browsing online:
Use a password management appDelete yourself from data brokersRethink free apps on your phoneMonitor the latest data breachesFind out what is device fingerprintingDelete social mediaRemove yourself from the internet
What is fingerprinting and why you should block it – Mozilla
What is fingerprinting?
Fingerprinting is a type of online tracking that’s more invasive than ordinary cookie-based tracking. A digital fingerprint is created when a company makes a unique profile of you based on your computer hardware, software, add-ons, and even preferences. Your settings like the screen you use, the fonts installed on your computer, and even your choice of a web browser can all be used to create a fingerprint.
If you have a commonly used laptop, PC or smartphone, it may be harder to uniquely identify your device through fingerprinting. However, the more unique add-ons, fonts, and settings you have, the easier you’ll be likely to find. Companies can use this unique combination of information to create your fingerprint. That’s why Firefox blocks known fingerprinting, so you can still use your favorite extensions, themes and customization without being followed by ads.
Fingerprinting is bad for the web
The practice of fingerprinting allows you to be tracked for months, even when you clear your browser storage or use private browsing mode — disregarding clear indications from you that you don’t want to be tracked. Despite a near complete agreement between standards bodies and browser vendors that fingerprinting is harmful, its use on the web has steadily increased over the past decade.
Firefox blocks fingerprinting
The latest Firefox browser protects you against fingerprinting by blocking third-party requests to companies that are known to participate in fingerprinting. We’ve worked hard to enable this privacy protection while not breaking the websites you enjoy visiting. (Read more here, if you want the technical details. )
And it’s not a deep setting you need to dig around to find. In the latest Firefox browser, fingerprint blocking is the standard, default setting. Visit your privacy protections dashboard to see how you’re being tracked behind the scenes and how Firefox prevents it.
You probably wouldn’t appreciate someone tracking your moves in real life. There’s no reason to accept it online. If you don’t already have Firefox, download and protect yourself from digital fingerprinting.
What is browser fingerprinting? Here’s how to prevent it
What is browser fingerprinting? It’s creepy, that’s what! It tracks your online behavior, allowing others to know who you are as you browse the internet — all without any need for account logins or cookies.
Just like a human fingerprint, your browser has a set of unique traits that can be traced back to you — and everything you do on the internet.
When you browse through the internet, many web portals capture some of this information, such as screen size and browser type, to give you the best experience.
However, browser fingerprints can also be used for tracking and identification. Websites can record all kinds of information about you through this fingerprint, and then connect it to other similar fingerprints to get a precise picture of your browsing behaviors and website activities.
According to PanoptiClick, there is a chance that one in 286, 777 browsers has the same browser fingerprint for another user. So the chances of overlapping browser are pretty slim. That’s why a browser fingerprint is an invaluable piece of information for marketers that want to sell you stuff!
Curious to see how unique your browser fingerprint is? Use one of the top browser fingerprinting checkers to see just how unique your fingerprint is! Then, you may want to try some of the tactics below to reduce your fingerprint.
How to prevent browser fingerprinting
If you are concerned about your personal information and don’t want to share it over the internet through browser fingerprints, you might want to stop it.
Unfortunately, there is only one method if you want to stop browser fingerprinting completely, which is not using the internet at all. Yes, it’s nearly impossible to keep your browsers from collecting your data because browsers use HTTP headers to collect your fingerprint.
But…
There are certain security practices you can use to mitigate your browser fingerprint or make it unoriginal. The following practices will make your identity harder to track and prevent advertisers from learning extremely personal information about your web browsing history.
1. Disable Flash
If you are a Chrome user, then you should not worry about flash because Chrome will stop using it by the end of 2020. Moreover, many reputable sites have stopped using flash as well, so it’s a no-brainer because it’s becoming a relic of the past.
Most of the experts believe that flash serves no considerable purpose other than collecting fingerprint data. You can just disable it or uninstall it right away because you do not need it if you are not explicitly using it for a specific purpose.
Otherwise, it will keep tracking your data for a short time because the newer versions of all the major browsers already have decided to stop supporting it.
2. Revisit extensions and plugins
Browser extensions and plugins can be great assets for browsing. They can provide deeper integrations to the services you use every day. But these can also make it much easier for others to track you.
But think about it: the more extensions and plugins your browser has, the more unique your browser fingerprint. That configuration is much harder to replicate by someone else!
That’s why you should uninstall the plugins that you don’t use right away and try to use standalone desktop apps as alternatives to the ones you use.
Bear in mind that disabling the plugins doesn’t do any good. After all, it can still be used as your fingerprint because it stays in your browser. The most secure route is to use JavaScript disabling extensions. It disables JavaScript usage, unless you explicitly allow it. This will protect you from unwanted tracking!
3. Keep all of your software updated
In order to protect yourself from cybercriminals and hacking attacks, try to keep all of your software updated. It means you need to restart your browser and sometimes computer as well. It can be a little cumbersome, but it’s worth it if you want to reduce your browser fingerprinting.
The most important software that needs to be updated all the time is your anti-malware and anti-virus. Otherwise, such software won’t be able to detect the latest cyberattacks, exploits, and malware.
4. Use Incognito or private mode
Using an incognito mode of your browser is a wise idea to reduce fingerprinting. While it’s not perfect, it does reduce the amount of information shared with others. To see how it’s working, you can still visit any browser fingerprinting checker to see the results while you are in private or incognito mode that will most probably be unique.
For that matter, we recommend you use Tor for the most private browsing experience. If you have heard about Tor, you must’ve also heard that it’s for dark web browsing. Tor is most commonly used for that purpose, but it is also an excellent way to avoid all types of possible tracking.
5. Use Tor
The Tor browser is an extremely secure and private browser that includes anti-fingerprinting features, such as cloaking your operating system and blocking revealing information like your time zone and language preferences. Without these details it’s much harder for your browser to be fingerprinted.
A reminder though: the most anonymous way to use any Internet browser is to avoid installing extensions and plug-ins. Those are simply the easiest way to know who you are, since so few people have the same combination of installations. Stick with the default version to better anonymize your browser.
6. Use a VPN
A virtual private network boosts your online safety, security as well as privacy. It masks your address and physical location by routing your internet traffic through a third-party server. That way you appear like you’re browsing from someplace else.
VPNs can provide you protection against hackers, surveillance, ISPs (Internet Service Providers), and malicious, your data transmission is often encrypted so that no one can intercept it.
Image:
Keep in mind that VPNs don’t prevent websites from using JavaScript and HTTP headers to collect browser fingerprints. It removes your IP address from the headers and equation, but your fingerprint still might be unique. But you can always use the mixture of all the tips mentioned earlier along with the VPN to keep websites from collecting your fingerprinting data.
6. Ditch the smartphone
You’re really gonna hate this one…but giving up your smart phone is the quickest way to preserve your anonymity. Phones are basically mini-surveillance tools that also use device fingerprinting that make it easy to attach your identity to your online behaviors.
Next steps to protect your privacy online
Web trackers use many sneaky and technical ways to collect your browsing fingerprint. But we hope that these ways will help you reduce it as much as possible and allow your fingerprint not to appear unique on the internet. Feel free to let us know about your thoughts and expressions regarding browser fingerprints.
A few other steps to protect your privacy while browsing online:
Use a password management appDelete yourself from data brokersRethink free apps on your phoneMonitor the latest data breachesFind out what is device fingerprintingDelete social mediaRemove yourself from the internet
Frequently Asked Questions about stop fingerprinting
How do you stop fingerprinting?
How to prevent browser fingerprintingDisable Flash. If you are a Chrome user, then you should not worry about flash because Chrome will stop using it by the end of 2020. … Revisit extensions and plugins. … Keep all of your software updated. … Use Incognito or private mode. … Use Tor. … Use a VPN. … Ditch the smartphone.Oct 14, 2020
How do I prevent my phone from fingerprinting?
How to prevent device fingerprintingUse a popular browser. This kind of flies in the face of the recommendation to use a privacy-focused browser. … Disable Flash and JavaScript. … Browsing in Private Mode. … Use a VPN. … Update your settings. … Change your device ID.Oct 12, 2020
How do I stop Firefox browser fingerprinting?
To do this, follow these steps:Open Firefox.Click on the menu button and then click Preferences.In the resulting window, click Privacy & Security.Click to expand the Standard option under Enhanced Tracking Protection.You should see that Fingerprinters is listed.Dec 19, 2019