Master's Thesis

Browser and User Fingerprinting for Practical Deployment

Final Thesis 3.7 MB

Author of thesis: Ing. Tomáš Vondráček

Acad. year: 2020/2021

Supervisor: Ing. Libor Polčák, Ph.D.

Reviewer: doc. Mgr. Kamil Malinka, Ph.D.

Abstract:

The aim of the diploma thesis is to map the information provided by web browsers, which can be used in practice to identify users on websites. The work focuses on obtaining and subsequent analysis of information about devices, browsers and side effects caused by web extensions that mask the identity of users. The acquisition of information is realized by a designed and implemented library in the TypeScript language, which was deployed on 4 commercial websites. The analysis of the obtained information is carried out after a month of operation of the library and focuses on the degree of information obtained, the speed of obtaining information and the stability of information. The dataset shows that up to 94 % of potentially different users have a unique combination of information. The main contribution of this work lies in the created library, design of new methods of obtaining information, optimization of existing methods and the determination of quality and poor quality information based on their level of information, speed of acquisition and stability over time.

Keywords:

digital fingerprint, browser fingerprint, user fingerprint, device fingerprint, user identification, user tracking, web browser, entropy, stability, inconsistency, anomaly, web extensions, JavaScript, TypeScript, Cypress, Firebase, REST API

Date of defence

23.06.2021

Result of the defence

Defended (thesis was successfully defended)

znamkaAznamka

Grading

A

Process of defence

Student nejprve prezentoval výsledky, kterých dosáhl v rámci své práce. Komise se poté seznámila s hodnocením vedoucího a posudkem oponenta práce. Student následně odpověděl na otázky oponenta a na další otázky přítomných. Komise se na základě posudku oponenta, hodnocení vedoucího, přednesené prezentace a odpovědí studenta na položené otázky rozhodla práci hodnotit stupněm A.

Otázky u obhajoby:

  1. Pokračoval jste v dalším měření a sbírání dat? Pokud ano, došel jste k nějakým dalším zajímavým zjištěním? 

Language of thesis

Czech

Faculty

Department

Study programme

Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence (MITAI)

Specialization

Application Development (NADE)

Composition of Committee

prof. Dr. Ing. Pavel Zemčík, dr. h. c. (předseda)
doc. RNDr. Jitka Kreslíková, CSc. (místopředseda)
Ing. Vladimír Bartík, Ph.D. (člen)
doc. Mgr. Lukáš Holík, Ph.D. (člen)
Ing. Filip Orság, Ph.D. (člen)
Ing. Libor Polčák, Ph.D. (člen)

Supervisor’s report
Ing. Libor Polčák, Ph.D.

Grade proposed by supervisor: A

File inserted by supervisor Size
Hodnocení vedoucího [.pdf] 86,20 kB

Reviewer’s report
doc. Mgr. Kamil Malinka, Ph.D.

Grade proposed by reviewer: A

File inserted by the reviewer Size
Posudek oponenta [.pdf] 87,76 kB

Responsibility: Mgr. et Mgr. Hana Odstrčilová