Browser Fingerprint

Browser and device fingerprinting allows websites to track you on the web as an alternative to using cookies for the same purpose. Many users know that they can refuse to accept cookies or delete them. Advertising companies therefore start using new methods for tracking: the browser fingerprint is one of them. Fingerprinting is done through analysing the information your browser sends to the server of the website you're browsing to. Among them are your language settings, installed fonts, your user agent (which browser), your display resolution and others. Their combination will show a rather unique pattern, just like a fingerprint. Some of this information is only  transferred when Javascript is active in your browser. Studies have shown than more than 90% of browsers and thus their users can be uniquely identified only by analysing the browser fingerprint.

Last Updated: 21 Sep 2015

Browser and device fingerprinting allows websites to track you on the web as an alternative to using cookies for the same purpose. Many users know that they can refuse to accept cookies or delete them. Advertising companies therefore start using new methods for tracking: the browser fingerprint is one of them.

Fingerprinting is done through analysing the information your browser sends to the server of the website you're browsing to. Among them are your language settings, installed fonts, your user agent (which browser), your display resolution and others. Their combination will show a rather unique pattern, just like a fingerprint. Some of this information is only  transferred when Javascript is active in your browser. Studies have shown than more than 90% of browsers and thus their users can be uniquely identified only by analysing the browser fingerprint.