On Sat, 15 Nov 2014 14:07:00 -0600 "B. Estrade via Houston" <[email protected]> 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 > > <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 _______________________________________________ > >> Houston mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/houston > >> Website: http://houston.pm.org/ > > _______________________________________________ > > Houston mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/houston > > Website: http://houston.pm.org/ > _______________________________________________ > Houston mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/houston > Website: http://houston.pm.org/ -- Never express yourself more clearly than you think. -- Niels Bohr _______________________________________________ Houston mailing list [email protected] http://mail.pm.org/mailman/listinfo/houston Website: http://houston.pm.org/
