Tracking Without State
Browser fingerprinting is a stateless tracking technique. Instead of leaving a cookie on your machine, a script analyzes your specific combination of hardware and software to generate a unique identifier (hash).
Key Fingerprinting Vectors
- User-Agent: Your browser version and OS.
- Screen Resolution & Color Depth: The exact dimensions of your monitor setup.
- Installed Fonts: By measuring the width of a hidden
<span>rendered in various fallback fonts, scripts can determine exactly which fonts are installed on your OS. - Canvas Rendering: How your GPU anti-aliases text and renders 3D shapes.
| Vector | Entropy (Bits) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas | ~8.5 | Highly unique across different GPUs and OS drivers. |
| Fonts | ~10.0 | Custom installed fonts drastically increase uniqueness. |
Common Mistakes
- Using obscure extensions: Installing anti-fingerprinting extensions often makes you *more* unique because it alters your browser behavior in ways that stand out. The best defense is blending in (e.g., using Tor Browser, which forces identical fingerprints for all users).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing cookies help?
No. Fingerprinting specifically bypasses the need for cookies. Your hardware remains the same after clearing cookies.