Device fingerprinting is a technique that is used to identify and track unique devices, like smartphones, computers, or tablets, based on a combination of their hardware and software attributes. This device fingerprint includes aspects like mobile carrier, browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and more. Fingerprinting is a powerful tool for detecting fraud by flagging when the same device is linked to multiple suspicious activities, even those that involve different user accounts or activity sessions, allowing e-commerce platforms and financial institutions to block known suspicious devices.
Use case/ examples for device fingerprinting
Fraud detection: Detecting repeated fraud attempts from the same device by recognizing its unique configuration, which might include both hardware and software attributes like browser settings, operating system version, and any other accessible device information.
Device blocking: Blocking known suspicious devices from banking or ecommerce platforms by flagging devices previously used for fraudulent behavior so that future transactions or attempts to create accounts are blocked, irrespective of the credentials or payment card information used.