How do websites identify you? (besides ip)

natty

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
163
There's a handful of websites I've visited that are able to identify you regardless of your IP address. In the past I have cleared my browsing data, changed IP address, spoofed MAC address, and then came back and it still recognized me. Anyone know how they accomplish this?
 
How are they identifying you? They know by name or? If so, that should all be cookies. Or you might want to scan your system...
 
what do you mean by scan my system?
I think what xeon711 was getting at is that you might have some type of spyware/malware installed on your system, unbeknownst to you.
 
I think what xeon711 was getting at is that you might have some type of spyware/malware installed on your system, unbeknownst to you.

doubtful, one of these sites is a Coke rewards page, the other is a diablo 2 forum

both of them seem to recognize me regardless of my ip address or clearing cookies
 
Pandora is like this as well, I was wondering the same thing.
I know they don't base on IP, it's got to be something on the local computer.
 
it could be flash cookies because they are not deleted when you clear your cookies.
 
No need to spoof your mac, the site will never see it. How are you changing your IP, just to be sure you're accessing the site from a different public IP address instead of simply changing your internal private address, some people don't understand the difference.
 
bank of america does the same type of thing.

if you click to 'remember this computer' - it remembers it until a format.
 
Did you change your internal or public IP? It eithers you have static public IP or your MAC spoof failed. They are most likely pulling the MAC from you cable modem...
 
They can ID you based on cookies, IP, browser details, and possibly malware or advanced browser software if they're rather unscrupulous.

Just clearing the browser cache probably doesn't get rid of all cookies or all the info, I'd run a program specifically designed to do what you're looking for and they probably won't be able to remember you.
 
MAC addresses are used on your network only, so the mac of your PC is only recognized on your home network, the mac of your cable modem is only recognized between it and it's next hop/router, which is your ISP.

It's not the MAC address.
 
Did you change your internal or public IP? It eithers you have static public IP or your MAC spoof failed. They are most likely pulling the MAC from you cable modem...

It's not the Mac or the IP address.

On the network at work, probably at any time maybe 10 folks listening to Pandora- and it remembers each of their logons. I use NAT- so the website sees the same router for all 10... So it's a local computer setting.

Flash Cookies might be exactly it, I didn't know they existed.
 
Flash cookies are probably exactly how they do it. I'd bet money on that. Southern Bank has something similar, where if you select that this is a private computer, it will remember that until format, no matter how many times my public IP changes (it's changed a few times, unfortunately) or I clear the history/cache/cookies.

Try using NoScript for firefox and block flash. That should tell you whether it's using flash cookies or not. If you want more information, check out this article:

http://www.ghacks.net/2007/05/04/flash-cookies-explained/
 
I know the difference between the public IP and the internal one. The one I have been changing is the public IP.

bank of america does the same type of thing.

if you click to 'remember this computer' - it remembers it until a format.

It's not the Mac or the IP address.

On the network at work, probably at any time maybe 10 folks listening to Pandora- and it remembers each of their logons. I use NAT- so the website sees the same router for all 10... So it's a local computer setting.

Flash Cookies might be exactly it, I didn't know they existed.

Looks like we may be on to something here.

Flash cookies are probably exactly how they do it. I'd bet money on that. Southern Bank has something similar, where if you select that this is a private computer, it will remember that until format, no matter how many times my public IP changes (it's changed a few times, unfortunately) or I clear the history/cache/cookies.

Try using NoScript for firefox and block flash. That should tell you whether it's using flash cookies or not. If you want more information, check out this article:

http://www.ghacks.net/2007/05/04/flash-cookies-explained/

I'm gonna investigate that right now. If anyone else has ideas please chime in.
 
Back
Top