Mozilla has announced improved browser fingerprinting protections in Firefox 145 to make user tracking more difficult.
The new effort builds on an initiative launched over half a decade ago and tackles the pervasive and hidden tracking technique that sites have been employing to track users even if they block cookies or use private browsing.
To perform fingerprinting, websites collect specific details about the user’s machine, such as time zone, operating system settings, and graphics hardware information, creating an ID that can be tracked across web domains and browsing sessions.
“Having a unique fingerprint means fingerprinters can continuously identify you invisibly, allowing bad actors to track you without your knowledge or consent. Online fingerprinting is able to track you for months, even when you use any browser’s private browsing mode,” Mozilla explains.
Since 2020, Firefox has been blocking known trackers and other practices through Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) and Total Cookie Protection, and has constantly improved its anti-fingerprinting protections to minimize the information that can be collected about its users.
The newly announced improvements tackle fingerprinters that are not included in the list of known trackers, Mozilla says.
Recent browser releases have improved these protections by preventing websites from collecting specific hardware information, such as the number of processor cores, taskbar size, or the number of simultaneous fingers a touchscreen supports.
“Our research shows these improvements cut the percentage of users seen as unique by almost half,” Mozilla notes.
To ensure it does not break web usability, Mozilla has implemented a set of layered defenses in Firefox to target the most invasive fingerprinting vectors, while ensuring that websites retain the functionality they require to work normally.
“More aggressive fingerprinting blocking might sound better, but is guaranteed to break legitimate website features. For instance, calendar, scheduling, and conferencing tools legitimately need your real time zone,” Mozilla explains.
Firefox users who browse in private mode or use the ETP strict mode are benefiting from these smart privacy protections that work without the need for additional extensions or configurations.
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