[pm-h] Client Computer Name

[B. Estrade]

Yes. There is a method that attempts to fingerprint a browser based on plugins installed and other available info. It's useful for wanting to make sure, e.g., that someone only rates something once. It's not 100% , but good enough for govt work.

Brett

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 15, 2014, at 1:08 PM, Zakariyya Mughal via Houston <houston at pm.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 2014-11-15 at 13:01:24 -0600, G. Wade Johnson via Houston wrote:
>> On Sat, 15 Nov 2014 12:18:22 -0600
>> Fraser Baker via Houston <houston at pm.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Y'all:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Is there a way to get the Client's computer name or any other
>>> identifying term? I can get the server's name, but that doesn't help
>>> me. I have searched for this, without avail.
>> 
>> I assume you are talking about a web request?
>> 
>> Advertisers (and some three letter agencies) would love this. You only
>> have access to what's in the request (including headers) and any
>> information needed for the TCP/IP communication itself. Without doing
>> something interesting client side, you have:
>> 
>>  * IP address (possibly machine or NAT router)
>>  * Referrer header
>>  * User Agent string
>>  * Cookies that you have sent
>>  * Request parameters
>>  * The URL itself
>>  * Some other protocol details that are probably not useful
>> 
>> People with more JavaScript experience might be able to suggest some
>> cool JavaScript tricks to grab some kind of identifying information.
>> 
>> I'm not really sure what use the Client's computer name would be, in
>> the general case. Out on the wide internet, you cannot guarantee the
>> computer name is unique or adheres to any particular scheme.
>> 
>> Inside a given company or subset, the IP address might be good enough
>> to identify a user. But, it's hard to know without a better
>> understanding of your goal.
>> 
>> This is why most login systems use Cookies to track the user.
> 
> Interestingly enough, it is very possible to identify a unique browser
> without cookies. That's what the Panopticlick experiment
> <https://panopticlick.eff.org/> tried to test. *dons tinfoil hat*
> 
> Regards,
> - Zaki Mughal
> 
>> 
>> (I realize that you probably know at least some of this. But, some
>> background might help to eliminate the obvious stuff you've already
>> tried.)
>> 
>> Anyone else have an idea for Fraser?
>> 
>> G. Wade
>> -- 
>> There will always be things we wish to say in our programs that in all
>> known languages can only be said poorly.             -- Alan Perlis
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