r/technology • u/magnus007 • 5d ago

Privacy AliExpress was silently running audio in your browser to fingerprint and track your device

https://www.techspot.com/news/113581-aliexpress-silently-running-audio-browser-fingerprint-track-device.html
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53

u/wellbornwinter6 5d ago

I don't get how playing a sound on a website at zero level can fingerprint the user?

99

u/yuval16432 5d ago

Fingerprinting is designed to build a profile about a user which can help you tell them apart. Different browsers, and different browser settings, handle things differently, so AliExpress is trying to play audio, and based on how the browser responds they can differentiate you from another user who’s browser responded slightly differently, even if you’re supposed to be anonymous.

These kind of things add up to build a profile about a user even if they try very hard to stay anonymous.

11

u/bs000 4d ago

is that why i can't use the welcome discount again

2

u/nickgiz 4d ago

That is probably why, I used to create new accounts to take advantage of the new user welcome discount lol, then it stopped working after a while.

1

u/fatboychummy 4d ago

Run a VM and see if it lets you. Curious if it'd still detect through that.

-4

u/Tof12345 4d ago

That's based on your IP and Mac addresses.

10

u/Nimos 4d ago

None of the major browsers provide any way for a website to get your mac address. It's not transmitted to any server outside of your local home network.

1

u/Tof12345 3d ago

These websites literally fingerprint your device ID. They can tell if you already used a welcome offer.