New FROST Technique Enables Browser-Based SSD Tracking of Website Visitors
By
Dan Goodin, Ars Technica
Hot, fresh, and worth queueing round the block for.
Summary
A new browser-based tracking technique called FROST (Fingerprinting Remotely Using OPFS-based SSD Timing) allows websites to spy on visitors by measuring subtle interactions with their solid-state drives. Using simple JavaScript, sites can detect what other sites a visitor is viewing and what apps are open on their device by monitoring telltale SSD activity patterns. This adds to the long history of covert tracking methods used by websites, including browsing history monitoring, device fingerprinting, and real-time keystroke/mouse tracking.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe technique, named FROST (fingerprinting remotely using OPFS-based SSD timing), allows sites to monitor other sites a visitor is viewing and what apps are open on their devices.
Over the decades, there has been no shortage of sites using clever techniques to covertly track visitors' browsing histories, device fingerprints, and keystrokes and mouse movements in real time.
Even Meta and Yandex were recently caught joining in the privacy-invasive free-for-all.
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