Definition
Browser fingerprinting identifies or re-identifies users by combining stable signals from HTTP requests and in-page JavaScript measurements (WebGL, canvas rendering, audio context, Intl locale/time zone, hardware concurrency, fonts, and similar traits), often without cookies or explicit consent.
Key Points
- 2026-10-11: Technical essay argues fingerprinting supplants third-party cookies as tracking surface amid stalled privacy-sandbox rollout; demos WebGL, canvas,
OfflineAudioContext, andIntlentropy (2026-10-11-browser-fingerprinting-new-cookies) - Mitigations: Engine-level farbling (Brave) or uniform fingerprints (Tor, Mullvad Browser); extension-only interception often increases uniqueness
- Risk model: Fingerprints need not be globally unique—sufficient entropy within a site’s audience pool enables cross-session tracking and data brokerage