Identify & delete evercookie in Firefox

May 3, 2012

I found NO posts on Neowin about evercookies.

I've read dozens of articles about evercookies. Not one described how to identify one - what do they look like? I visited Bruce Schneier's site - articles about evercookies. He says one (non tracking) is placed on visitors' computers (unless they have browser configured / addons / java script disabled), that prevent evercookies.

Unless he's joking, I can't find anything, but not sure exactly what to look for. From what I've read, they can take many forms & be "stored in several locations."

Schneier's article mentions "locations" they can be stored: https://www.schneier...vercookies.html

Standard HTTP Cookies

Local Shared Objects (Flash Cookies)

Storing cookies in RGB values of auto-generated, force-cached PNGs using HTML5 Canvas tag to read pixels (cookies) back out

Storing cookies in Web History (seriously. see FAQ)

HTML5 Session Storage

HTML5 Local Storage

HTML5 Global Storage

HTML5 Database Storage via SQLite

For recent FF versions, I was under impression HTML5 data (DOM storage) was stored in webappstore.sqlite in the profile. If the (4) HTML5 storages are in diff locations than webappstore, where are they?

I have ALL cookies disabled globally, but do have JS enabled. Disabling cookies isn't supposed to prevent evercookies. Have no addons claiming to block evercookies. How do I identify an evercookie - for testing purposes?

BTW, I use a non-default profile location on a separate partition.

Cleaning evercookies (if I ever identify them):

I've read every solution imaginable - like anecdotal cures for a cold. BleachBit says will clean them, BUT DOES NOT detect FF profiles in non-default locations.

CCleaner detects profiles in non-default locations, but AFAIK, doesn't clean evercookies.

Some suggest using No Script, turn off java script & just allowing / whitelisting sites as needed. I've used it & is included in Tor Browser, but it's not a simple addon, even for me. Creates probs occasionally.

So, any advice how I can find / identify evercookies & how to clean them, if using non-default profile location? Thanks.

May 3, 2012

I've never heard the term "evercookie" before. Rather than crippling your web browser in a futile attempt to avoid these types of cookies, you'd be much better off with an add-on like Ghostery. There are only so many companies with a large enough presence on the web that they can actually track where you go, and Ghostery will block most of them.

May 3, 2012

Never heard of evercookies either. There's flash based cookies though. The only way to remove them is using a addon. You can handle them with addons like BetterPrivacy.

May 3, 2012

I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it, though if one searches, there's plenty of info. These are just a few articles about evercookies. !st link has info about research on how many web sites were using this technology.

http://ashkansoltani.org/docs/respawn_redux.html see: 3) PREVALENCE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evercookie

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/09/evercookies.html

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2011/08/new_undeletable.html

http://www.ghacks.net/2010/11/05/evercookie-extremely-persistent-cookies/

https://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/evercookie-creator-ftc-cookie-inquiry-would-be-too-narrow-100511

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/security/the-next-front-in-the-cookie-wars-fighting-the-evercookie/4672