[pm-h] Client Computer Name

[G. Wade Johnson]

On Sat, 15 Nov 2014 14:07:00 -0600
"B. Estrade via Houston" <houston at pm.org> wrote:

> 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.

<grin type="big, evil"/>

> 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
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