Home // International Journal On Advances in Security, volume 18, numbers 1 and 2, 2025 // View article

Invisible Identifiers - How Browser Fingerprinting Challenges Internet Privacy and User Anonymity

Authors:
Alexander Lawall

Keywords: browser fingerprinting; device fingerprinting; tracking; privacy; active fingerprinting; passive fingerprinting

Abstract:
Browser fingerprinting has emerged as a sophisticated and increasingly prevalent technique for identifying and tracking users online without relying on traditional methods like cookies. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of browser fingerprinting techniques, ranging from passive and active methods like Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header analysis to advanced machine learning-assisted side-channel attacks. By evaluating the uniqueness, stability, and entropy of different methods, the study highlights how the synergistic combination of multiple techniques enhances the accuracy and persistence of user identification. The analysis demonstrates that browser fingerprinting poses a significant challenge to digital privacy by operating invisibly, often without user knowledge or consent. Despite regulatory frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation, the widespread use of fingerprinting scripts remains largely unchecked, exploiting legal loopholes and technological asymmetries. The paper also explores the potential of privacy-preserving fingerprinting systems for secure user authentication while emphasizing the urgent need for adaptive countermeasures, regulatory reforms, and increased user awareness to protect individual privacy in the evolving digital landscape.

Pages: 36 to 47

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2025. Used with permission.

Publication date: June 30, 2025

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2636