AliExpress accused of fingerprinting shoppers with silent audio trick that also muted a dev's headphones
Summary
AliExpress is reportedly using ultrasonic audio signals embedded in its website and app to fingerprint shoppers. These signals, undetectable by humans, can be picked up by devices and used for tracking, even potentially interfering with Bluetooth devices. Both Firefox and Brave browsers have announced measures to block these ultrasonic tracking techniques.
IFF Assessment
The use of silent ultrasonic audio for tracking shoppers represents a new, stealthy method of data collection and potential manipulation, which is detrimental to user privacy and security.
Defender Context
This incident highlights the increasing sophistication of online tracking techniques that operate outside of traditional user awareness. Defenders should be aware of emerging methods for cross-device tracking and consider browser-level protections or network monitoring to detect unusual audio signals.