Iframe

An Iframe (Inline Frame) is an HTML document embedded within another HTML document. The IFrame fingerprinting technique exploits the properties and behaviors of IFrames to extract additional data points about a user’s browser or device.

IFrame Fingerprinting#

Here’s how it generally works:

• Cross-Origin Restrictions: By default, a webpage cannot directly access the content of an embedded IFrame if they’re from different origins. However, while the content is restricted, the behavior is not. This behavioral difference can be exploited for fingerprinting.

• Detecting Features: Some browsers or extensions block features like popups or certain JavaScript functions within IFrames. By testing whether these features work within an IFrame, you can gather more data about a user’s setup.

• Pixel Detection: Some fingerprinting techniques use an IFrame to render graphics or text in specific ways. Observing the rendered result provides clues about the user’s device, graphics card, or browser settings.

Implementing IFrame Fingerprinting in JavaScript#

Implementing IFrame fingerprinting requires careful planning and coding. Below is a basic outline to get started:

1. Embed an IFrame: Begin by embedding an IFrame in your main document.

   let iframe = document.createElement('iframe');
   iframe.src = 'path/to/fingerprinting_page.html';
   document.body.appendChild(iframe);

2. Test Features: Within the IFrame content, run various JavaScript tests to detect features or behaviors. Examples might include trying to open a popup or measuring execution times of specific functions.

3. Communicate Results: Use the postMessage method to communicate the results back to the main page.