The internet is now one of the technologies used on a daily basis by people all over the world. As a result, incidents of cyber-attacks and privacy breaches are also on the rise. There are attack methods that target this fingerprint to collect personal information and behavioural data. It is therefore essential to understand how to protect your digital identity.
The principle behind this type of attack is to use a script JavaScript to generate digital fingerprints and then send them to a remote server for identification. By identifying differences in the fingerprints across different browsers, attackers can obtain personal information such as operating systems, screen resolution, users’ browsing history and behavioural data.
But what are the main forms of tracking that we might encounter online which could lead to these attacks?
Cookies
The cookies These are text files that websites and web applications can create and store in your browser.
They are used in browsers on all kinds of devices: desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets – practically anything with a browser. Cookies allow you to store information about how you use their website.
For example, an online shop might create a cookie containing the items you’ve added to your shopping basket. Any type of website could store a record of the pages you’ve visited: your username if you have an account on their web app, your site settings (such as whether you prefer «Dark Mode» or «Light Mode»), or the town or city you’re in.
At this point, it is important to clarify that cookies as such are not harmful, but they can be.
For example, if an online shopping website where you use your credit card It stores the number in a cookie, which is very dangerous. Cookies aren’t encrypted, so anyone with that cookie can access your information. Criminals can make unauthorised charges to your card and steal your identity, all because of the digital fingerprint.
When to click on the cookies
You should only do this if you trust the website or organisation, and you should not click «Accept» whenever it might affect the site’s functionality – that is, how it works for you.
This is a bit like asking whether or not you should open email attachments. Email attachments can be useful. Or they might be malware, like a computer virus.
But it all comes down to trust and your own judgement.
Preventative measures
There are several ways to protect yourself from this type of attack and safeguard your digital footprint and personal data:
- Using anti-detection browsers: Anti-detection browsers can help users hide their true fingerprints of the browser to protect personal privacy. For example, Clonbrowser is an anti-detection browser that can simulate a variety of different browser fingerprints, thereby fooling the remote server’s recognition system and protecting users’ privacy.
- Use a browser plugin: lBrowser extensions can help users block canvas fingerprinting attacks. For example, the CanvasBlocker add-on can prevent the browser from generating canvas fingerprints and stop it from sending canvas fingerprint data to a remote server, thereby protecting the user’s privacy.
- Use a privacy-focused browser: Browsing in private mode can help users protect their personal privacy whilst browsing the web. For example, the Tor browser is an open-source, anonymous browser that helps users hide their real IP addresses and browser fingerprints.
- Clear your browser cache and cookies regularly: Clearing your browser cache and cookies can effectively prevent the theft of personal information. Users can regularly clear their browser cache and cookies via their browser settings or third-party tools.
Why manage cookies and digital footprints?
On the one hand, cookies can be used legitimately by websites to personalise the user experience, remember preferences and improve the site’s functionality. However, there is also a risk that the data stored in cookies may be compromised by cyber attackers or malicious third parties, which could lead to serious consequences, such as the theft of personal or financial information.
This highlights the importance of users understanding how cookies work and how to manage your digital footprint safely. Trust in websites and organisations is very important, and users should be aware of the potential risks involved in clicking «Accept» without carefully considering the possible implications for their privacy and security.
It is essential to balance the convenience of cookies with the need to to protect online privacy and security. Users should take proactive measures, such as using online security tools, configuring their browser privacy settings correctly and keeping up to date with best practice in cybersecurity.
