Brave adds defenses against GPU fingerprinting in v1.93
Starting with version 1.93 for desktop and Android, Brave is rolling out new protections against GPU and graphics-driver fingerprinting. The browser will scrub the vendor and renderer strings exposed through WebGL and WebGPU APIs and add noise to the list of supported WebGL extensions, so trackers can't assemble a stable device ID while websites keep working normally.
- Brave says a small web crawl found most top sites using these APIs almost exclusively for fingerprinting.
- The protections are enabled by default, with no toggle or extension required.
- Brave plans to also randomize WebGPU's supported extensions as fingerprinting research evolves.
- The change is a phased rollout over the next several days.
Sources
- This will be a phased rollout over the next several days. If you don’t see the new functionality right away, please check again later. Replying to their earlier post: Brave has long led the industry in fighting fingerprinting, providing best-in-class protections enabled by default. Users deserve strong privacy on their favorite websites without having to enable a…x.com ↗
- Brave has long led the industry in fighting fingerprinting, providing best-in-class protections enabled by default. Users deserve strong privacy on their favorite websites without having to enable a special toggle or download an extension. Replying to their earlier post: Graphics APIs remain an active area of fingerprinting research, and we'll keep expanding coverage to any new signal these interfaces expose. We have plans to also randomize WebGPU's supported extensi…x.com ↗
- Graphics APIs remain an active area of fingerprinting research, and we'll keep expanding coverage to any new signal these interfaces expose. We have plans to also randomize WebGPU's supported extensions. Replying to their earlier post: When our new protections are rolled out, Brave will scrub the vendor and renderer strings these APIs report, and add noise to the list of supported WebGL extensions to combat this fingerprinting. Thi…x.com ↗
- When our new protections are rolled out, Brave will scrub the vendor and renderer strings these APIs report, and add noise to the list of supported WebGL extensions to combat this fingerprinting. This prevents trackers from IDing you while leaving websites functioning normally. Replying to their earlier post: We ran a small Web crawl to see how top websites use these graphics APIs. We found that most websites were using these APIs exclusively for browser fingerprinting. These fingerprinting signals are st…x.com ↗
- We ran a small Web crawl to see how top websites use these graphics APIs. We found that most websites were using these APIs exclusively for browser fingerprinting. These fingerprinting signals are stable across time because most people keep the same GPU hardware for years. Replying to their earlier post: WebGL and WebGPU APIs, which can be utilized by websites to draw graphics, also expose details about users' hardware that can be used for tracking. This information is combined with other details abo…x.com ↗
- WebGL and WebGPU APIs, which can be utilized by websites to draw graphics, also expose details about users' hardware that can be used for tracking. This information is combined with other details about your device into a unique ID that follows you across the Web. Replying to their earlier post: Websites can collect information on your graphics card and drivers and use it to track you. Starting with update v1.93 for desktop and Android, Brave is rolling out new protections against this type…x.com ↗
- Websites can collect information on your graphics card and drivers and use it to track you. Starting with update v1.93 for desktop and Android, Brave is rolling out new protections against this type of fingerprinting. https://t.co/LS6q5nQHQ1x.com ↗
- Brave improves protections against GPU fingerprintingbrave.com ↗
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