How Proxy Servers Help Bypass Browser Fingerprinting
Browser fingerprinting technology can make you far more vulnerable online than ordinary cookie-based tracking. With this technology, companies can create a digital fingerprint of you based on information about your device, software, preferences, and other factors. You can be tracked for months regardless of the actions you take such as clearing your browser storage or using private browsing mode. Also, whereas cookies are mostly regulated and require your permission, fingerprinting happens silently without your knowledge. But proxy servers can help you bypass browser fingerprinting and secure your identity, and you need to know how.
Hide your IP address
A key piece of information collected during fingerprinting is your IP address. Every device on the Internet has a unique IP address. So, if this information falls into the wrong hands, your identity, as well as your data security, will be compromised. With a proxy server, you can easily prevent this situation. As an intermediary between you and the Internet, a proxy server can mask your IP address, forward web requests on your behalf, and then forward you the requested web page data. This way, you protect your IP address and use the Internet securely.
Change the User Agent
Browser fingerprinting can also collect another vital piece of information: the User Agent. This string of text provides information about your browser and operating system. For an example of your user agent and to see other information that a website can learn, checkout WhatIsMyBrowser.com. There are various extensions you can find for web browsers to change your user agent, which can help protect against creating a profile.
Mask your location
Location is yet another important factor in creating a digital fingerprint of someone. So masking that information from prying eyes would be a prudent step. The best proxy services not only protect your IP address, but can also provide you with access to multiple servers across the world, each with different proxied IP addresses. So then, besides shielding your IP address, proxy servers can keep web servers from knowing your true location.
Additional measures
Safeguarding your device and your information effectively will probably require you to complement your proxy use with other measures. These could include:
- Switching to a different time zone on your device.
- Changing the language for your device’s operating system.
- Changing the language on your browser.
- Modifying the device’s screen resolution.
- Installing or removing browser plug-ins.
- Disabling Flash, Javascript, and WebGL.
From the list above, you might think it’s a lot of work just to surf the Internet. But browser fingerprinting is a very real and very intrusive technology. To block companies from tracking you and creating a profile, you need to implement preventive measures.
Wrap up
Your identity as well as your data need the highest level of security you can get. As we have witnessed in recent years, cybercriminals can do immeasurable damage if they gain access to sensitive data. Signing up for good-quality proxy servers should be high on your priority list. No one should access the Internet without adequate cybersecurity.
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