Browser fingerprinting: past, present and possible future

Abstract. Browser fingerprinting has grown a lot since its debut in 2010. By collecting specific information in the browser, one can learn a lot about a device and its configuration. It has been shown in previous studies that it can even be used to track users online, bypassing current tracking methods like cookies. In this presentation, we will look at how this technique works and present an overview of the research performed in the domain. We will then see how this technique is currently used online before looking at its possible future. Biography. Pierre Laperdrix is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Secure Web Applications Group at the CISPA-Helmholtz Center for Information Security working with Ben Stock. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the PragSec lab at Stony Brook University working with Nick Nikiforakis. His current topics of research are Security and privacy on the Web. He obtained his PhD at Inria in Rennes working on the topic of browser fingerprinting. As part of his thesis, he developed the AmIUnique.org website to understand fingerprinting and worked with the Tor organization to improve the Tor browser fingerprinting defenses.