How to Implement Device Fingerprinting for Security
Device fingerprinting collects a variety of subtle clues about a device, from screen resolution to time zone, to create a unique device identity. This identifier can then be used to recognize a device across sessions, making it an excellent solution for security and fraud prevention.
How to implement device fingerprinting for security device fingerprinting, a website or app uses a small piece of coding that enables it to track the unique characteristics of each browser, device, operating system, and other factors. Combined, these characteristics form a digital fingerprint that acts as a stable recognition signal, unlike cookies and IP addresses, which can be easily tampered with or discarded.
Understanding Proxy Risks and Detection: Protect Your Online Security
When a device fingerprint is collected, it is run through algorithms that compress the data into a compact hashed representation. This enables the fingerprint to be stored and utilized for future interactions, while protecting the privacy of each user. Commercial fingerprinting solutions also typically provide dedicated support and ongoing updates to ensure continued adherence to regulatory guidelines and industry initiatives that limit the collection of sensitive information.
As bad actors continually seek ways to commit digital fraud, ranging from stolen credentials to VPNs and bots, device fingerprinting can help prevent account takeovers (ATO) and other types of attacks by identifying suspicious patterns, such as high-value transactions attempted from unrecognized devices. It also can enrich fraud analytics by allowing teams to identify attacker behaviors, providing insights into their attack methodologies and enabling them to adjust their security posture accordingly.