Managed Attribution
In today’s digital landscape, the ability to attribute online activity to a specific individual is a powerful tool utilized by online platforms and attackers alike. Simply using separate devices for personal and business activities is no longer enough to protect your identity, as platforms have evolved to categorize users by “households,” linking devices and accounts together even when used for different purposes.
A digital fingerprint goes far beyond IPs & Incognito mode
Understanding Attribution Risks
When managing multiple sockpuppets, the risk of them being associated with one another—or worse, with the analyst themselves—becomes a significant concern. Online platforms employ a variety of factors to identify and link activities back to a single individual or group. In additional to exposure risk, this poisons search results, suggestion algorithms, and similar activities by creating a bias for those online personas.
Platforms use the following attribution factors and more to create a virtual identity of you across browsers, devices, and households:
IP Location
The geographical location of your internet connection can reveal more than you think, especially when multiple people share the same IP address.
Operating System and Browser IDs
Unique identifiers from your operating system and browser can be used to track and link your online activities.
Screen Resolution
Even seemingly innocuous details like screen resolution and operating system language settings can be used to identify and track you.
OS Language & Installed Language Packs
Variations in installed language packs can create identifiable patterns that link different personas together.
Writing Styles and Click Patterns
Advanced algorithms can analyze your writing style and click patterns to create a digital fingerprint that is difficult to disguise.
