What are some other ways of identifying a PC on the internet other than an IP address

Sefyir · 07-01-2015, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 273

I think than link may have been posted already.

My mistake. I read a few posts and completely missed yours!

273 · 07-01-2015, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sefyir

My mistake. I read a few posts and completely missed yours!

You missed John VV's too...

273 · 07-08-2015, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by punchy71

Yes, I primarily use a web-browser on my PC. Interesting website link you provided. It seems to check for unique or rare browser configurations. I guess that's one way to lose your anonymity is to use a highly customized web-browser configuration or rare web browser itself.
Hmm, if I wanted to blend in with John Q. Public I guess I should dump Linux altogether and go back to use Internet Explorer in a bone stock configuration on MS Winblows, ... (?!)..

Coincidentally there is an article in this month's 2600 regarding this and I feel like an idoit for forgetting:
https://www.eff.org/privacybadger
If you don't already read 2600 then I would recomend taking a look at the online content at least.
http://www.2600.org/

Sefyir · 07-08-2015, 08:32 PM

You don't need to use a highly customized one.
I use this:
https://github.com/dillbyrne/random-agent-spoofer

You can spoof any user-agent and it doesn't really get in the way (I will get random warnings every now and then about using a old version of IE and get confused before I remember I'm using it lol)

273 · 07-09-2015, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sefyir

You don't need to use a highly customized one.
I use this:
https://github.com/dillbyrne/random-agent-spoofer

You can spoof any user-agent and it doesn't really get in the way (I will get random warnings every now and then about using a old version of IE and get confused before I remember I'm using it lol)

That only spoofs the user agent string though, which is only part of the battle. For that matter even the plugin I linked to doesn't prevent "browser fingerprinting" or IP address tracking.

sundialsvcs · 07-10-2015, 08:06 AM

The only "real" way to identify a computer is to use an encrypted connection with unique digital certificates at both ends. Anyone who succeeds in establishing a connection must be in possession of a certificate that can be traced uniquely to him. The crypto transport further assures that the messages will be received as-tendered.

VPN, of course, is a de facto method of doing this, which also has the advantage of being transparent to both parties. If properly secured (i.e. "don't use PSKs == passwords"), the tunnel is reliable but invisible. It can be implemented in hardware.