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Deanonymization on the Internet: Why Complete Anonymity Is Impossible
How to find out information about a person
There are two main mechanisms for deanonymizing users, both based on the collection of digital traces. Each user leaves tens of thousands of digital traces by registering with online stores, browsing websites with special offers, and agreeing to share cookies.
Services, in turn, can share visitor data with third parties if they accept the terms of service. However, this is often an illusion of choice, as users agree to data collection in order to more quickly use the service or navigate to a specific section on the website. This is why, after visiting real estate websites, consultants may call with offers to buy anything from an apartment to furniture, even if you haven't left a phone number.
The first option for obtaining data is to use specialized aggregators that automatically collect people's data from thousands of sources, compiling a dossier. Sources can be open or closed. The data varies in the method of posting (whether voluntarily submitted or leaked) or the degree of social significance.
There's still debate about whether, for example, a full name is considered personal data, since our names are known from birth. Passport data, on the other hand, is much more personal, but if you have a smartphone or any other way to access the internet, aggregators can find it too.
The second option describes a more time-consuming method of gathering information online, and each of us resorts to it from time to time: matching. You can find stories online of jealous women or men discovering their partners' infidelity from a random photo, for example, of a friend's cactus or something similar.
Such cases are not uncommon: by monitoring social media, email, using a search engine, and scanning a photo, you can gather a wealth of information: where a person often hangs out, what they like to eat, what they read, what services they use.
For example, to find a phone number with only an email address, you can try entering the email address as a login on social media. Some social networks display the first three digits of the phone number for password recovery, while others display the last four. Finding the correct sequence of the central digits is not difficult, and a simple guess will allow you to obtain the full number.
Data breach methods are quite effective, and countering them, given the widespread adoption of AI (which also helps detect deepfake and other technologies), may be increasingly difficult. Furthermore, the demise of some Western social media platforms has necessitated the creation of domestic counterparts, meaning personal data will be duplicated and appear in even more places, threatening major breaches.
Why do people deanonymize and how to protect against it?
Deanonymization most often occurs in three scenarios:
● To commit illegal acts: theft of money, blackmail, stalking;
● For Robin Hoods: exposing those who threaten public safety online;
● For personal purposes: for example, finding long-lost relatives.
From a development perspective, regularly updating products is essential to ensuring the security of user data. Data theft from websites, online stores, or services typically occurs due to outdated systems or vulnerabilities in modules.
Anonymity can protect against certain types of online fraud and can prevent stalking, but it does not guarantee protection against all threats. Furthermore, the question of the extent to which this anonymity should be maintained remains open.
While online anonymity isn't completely impossible, users should take certain steps to maintain it. For example, use anonymous proxy servers, unique logins and passwords, browse websites incognito, and encrypt information.
To maximize the protection of your personal information, it's important to follow these online security practices:
● Click links carefully, even from people you know;
● Use apps and services with good ratings and from trusted developers;
● Maintain password security: don't save them in the "Favorites" folder in instant messaging apps or social media, and use two-step authentication. Also, avoid saving passwords in browsers;
● Provide as little personal information as possible when registering on websites or online.
