SIGforum
You’ve been fingerprinted (computer security)
October 13, 2019, 11:08 AM
JimineerYou’ve been fingerprinted (computer security)
There have been a number of threads here about using VPNs as a means of protecting your identity.
There is a bigger threat for anyone wanting to maintain their privacy: canvas fingerprinting.l, for one.
Basically, your browser uses HTML5 canvas functions to draw a small image in your browser that you don’t even see that provideS data (a fingerprint) that is unique to your hardware. It’s a complex topic and if you are interested search for canvas fingerprinting on DuckDuckGo.
Defeating fingerprinting is difficult. In fact, trying to do so increases the uniqueness of your device identity. No matter what you do, your computer, phone, or whatever device can be either uniquely identified or to a small group of devices. Further, once you use your email address or other information that identifies you personally, the device fingerprint can be tied to you specifically.
As others here have said, anything and everything you’ve ever done on the Internet has already been linked to you personally and is saved forever. This isn’t absolutely true, but if you use Facebook or have a google account you have been fingerprinted.
Many people try to use VMs and multiple browsers for specific purposes. For example, using Brave for gun related websites, and Chrome for banking, and Safari for general use. But with hardware level fingerprinting likely makes this technique useless in many cases.
I’m betting that other agencies use other unique IDs to uniquely ID you.
Our privacy is gone. We’ve all been ID’d and profiled. If you think amazon and Facebook and others aren’t listening to you via your devices microphone you have been misled.
It’s a sad reality of what has become of our constitutional rights to privacy.
And if you haven’t been ID’d yet, you soon will be. If that doesn’t bother you, just cross the fourth amendment off your list of rights you think you have. Everything is for sale.
October 13, 2019, 11:35 AM
Pipe SmokerI can unlock my MacBook Air by touching its fingerprint sensor.

Serious about crackers. October 13, 2019, 11:57 AM
Balzé HalzéI cut off the pads of my fingertips so I can't be fingerprinted, just like Kevin Spacey in
Se7en. So there.
~Alan
Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
October 13, 2019, 12:00 PM
OKCGeneSure.
Your fingerprint id to turn on your cell phone.
Now it’s face id to turn on your cell phone or tablet.
Go to Walmart or Home Depot. Use the self checkout. Look straight ahead at your face on the monitor. See yourself? Sure, so does the company.
Swipe your debit or credit card to pay. Now they have your face attached to your name, which is on the card.
Remember your fingerprint? Now it’s all tied together.
You are bought and sold, figuratively speaking, and don’t even realize it.
There is no expectation of privacy anymore. Doesn’t exist. Period.
Everything you buy, return, look at on the internet, it’s all attached to you. Bought and sold.
October 13, 2019, 12:34 PM
Mike the TexanFirefox (at least, and perhaps others) has had protection against this since version 58. Is there more to watch for?
October 13, 2019, 12:45 PM
Balzé Halzéquote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
Sure.
Your fingerprint id to turn on your cell phone.
Now it’s face id to turn on your cell phone or tablet.
Go to Walmart or Home Depot. Use the self checkout. Look straight ahead at your face on the monitor. See yourself? Sure, so does the company.
Swipe your debit or credit card to pay. Now they have your face attached to your name, which is on the card.
Remember your fingerprint? Now it’s all tied together.
You are bought and sold, figuratively speaking, and don’t even realize it.
There is no expectation of privacy anymore. Doesn’t exist. Period.
Everything you buy, return, look at on the internet, it’s all attached to you. Bought and sold.
Which is why I pray to God cash money never goes away.
~Alan
Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
October 13, 2019, 12:49 PM
RogueJSKquote:
Originally posted by Jimineer:
It’s a sad reality of what has become of our constitutional rights to privacy.
And if you haven’t been ID’d yet, you soon will be. If that doesn’t bother you, just cross the fourth amendment off your list of rights you think you have. Everything is for sale.
The Constitution places limits on the government, not private companies.
Our Fourth Amendment constitutional right to privacy has no bearing here.
October 13, 2019, 01:14 PM
Blume9mmEvery time some computer 'genius' comes up with another way to protect us... it just gives some other computer 'genius' a challenge to over come it.
My Native American Name:
"Runs with Scissors"
October 13, 2019, 02:15 PM
VanwallGovernments had my fingerprints since 1969 when I had a background check for my clearance.
October 13, 2019, 04:28 PM
Jimineerquote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
quote:
Originally posted by Jimineer:
It’s a sad reality of what has become of our constitutional rights to privacy.
And if you haven’t been ID’d yet, you soon will be. If that doesn’t bother you, just cross the fourth amendment off your list of rights you think you have. Everything is for sale.
The Constitution places limits on the government, not private companies.
Our Fourth Amendment constitutional right to privacy has no bearing here.
Until the government uses privately collected data against us.
Just like they use the UK to spy on private US citizens.
It’s just metadata you know, right! No big deal.
October 13, 2019, 04:38 PM
GeorgeairLiquor sale on Sunday are also awesome!
You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02
October 13, 2019, 05:40 PM
rtquigEvery year the DoD does my fingerprints to get on base. No way to hide now.
Living the Dream
October 13, 2019, 08:21 PM
sigcrazy7You guys know he's not talking about your literal fingerprints, but a way that your computer is uniquely identified, right? Why are some of you talking about your actual fingerprints? He's talking about how everybody knows about your porn surfing habits because your browser and machine are uniquely identified, even in private browsing mode.
Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus October 13, 2019, 08:44 PM
Balzé Halzéquote:
Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
You guys know he's not talking about your literal fingerprints, but a way that your computer is uniquely identified, right? Why are some of you talking about your actual fingerprints? .
Well, I was making a stupid joke. I can't speak for anyone else though.
~Alan
Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
October 13, 2019, 09:24 PM
JimineerWorse yet your “social score” will become more important than your credit score. It ain’t about porn. It will become more important than focused marketing. They’ve only just begun.
Need a loan for that new house? Lifetime NRA member? Nope for you.
Want a job in the government? Don’t believe in green energy? Nope. Nope. Nope.
Follow Rush Limbaugh on YouTube? IRS audit for you.
Need life insurance? Your one step away from a mass killer with all those guns. Nope again.
Have you had a government background investigation lately? What did they ask about in your interview?
You get the point. We damn well better hope Trump and true conservatives win big in 2020. Otherwise bow down to AOC and Zuckerberg.
October 14, 2019, 01:41 AM
sns3guppyquote:
Originally posted by Jimineer:
If you think amazon and Facebook and others aren’t listening to you via your devices microphone you have been misled.
The paranoia is strong with this one.
There's a certain amount of vanity to think that you're worth listening to, and an incredible element of conspiracy theory development to imagine that amazon or google has a hundred million employees who sit about listening to a hundred million microphones.
Most certainly the technology and the capability is there, and is has been, for a long time.
Anybody that uses facebook or google is a goddanm idiot. There's no expectation of privacy, but the vain need to vomit up volumes of personal information an d shout it from the rooftops is something that those who can't get over themselves just can't help.
quote:
Originally posted by Jimineer:
Worse yet your “social score” will become more important than your credit score. It ain’t about porn. It will become more important than focused marketing. They’ve only just begun.
Need a loan for that new house? Lifetime NRA member? Nope for you.
Want a job in the government? Don’t believe in green energy? Nope. Nope. Nope.
Follow Rush Limbaugh on YouTube? IRS audit for you.
Need life insurance? Your one step away from a mass killer with all those guns. Nope again.
Have you had a government background investigation lately? What did they ask about in your interview?
You get the point. We damn well better hope Trump and true conservatives win big in 2020. Otherwise bow down to AOC and Zuckerberg.
An utter load of conspiracy bullshit. Seriously. Total horseshit.
Why do you want to get people spun up over this imaginary trash?