AliExpress Leverages User Audio Systems For Fingerprinting
A developer says AliExpress is using the browser's WebAudio API to help fingerprint users by playing inaudible audio and measuring tiny differences in how their devices process it. CyberNews reports: The developer, "laserphile," wrote on their blog that they recently ran into some weird issues with their Bluetooth headphones. They couldn't play music via their phone when, at the same time, the…
Developer laserphile discovered that AliExpress is silently fingerprinting users through their audio systems. The developer noted issues with playing music on Bluetooth headphones while the AliExpress website was open on their PC. They found that closing the AliExpress tab immediately solved the problem. Further investigation revealed that AliExpress was using the browser's WebAudio API to play inaudible audio and gather unique hardware differences to create a digital fingerprint of users, without their knowledge or consent.
This fingerprint included information on hardware memory, screen dimensions, and network data. The site also measured other factors like canvas, WebGL, hardware specifications, WebRTC, and user interaction events, sending the data to Alibaba's servers. To protect privacy, users are advised to use privacy-focused browsers like Firefox or Brave, which can limit or block such fingerprinting techniques. Brave takes an extra step by randomizing fingerprint data and blocking the tracking scripts.
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