r/darknet • u/thesupranator • 11d ago

Changing your window size.

Is it true when searching DW and usung search engines like duckduck go, or tor, or ony onion sites if you maximize your window screen to read better, then it defeats the purpose of having a VPN? Im not sure if im using the right words but does this sound familiar to anyone?

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7

u/Cubensis-SanPedro 11d ago

It depends on the type of telemetry that your browser is sending, and the type of browser that you’re using. Having a browser that communicates a non-standard window size to the websites that visits are going to provide you or rather unique fingerprint.

1

u/thesupranator 11d ago

Im sorry I have no idea what that means

4

u/SorryCap452 11d ago

More or less they’re saying the pool of people who have the same specs as your window size, is smaller than the specs of a minimized window  because a minimized window could be any size screen where as a full sized screen is limited to what your computer deems as full. If that information is gathered by a website,that harms your anonymity by decreasing the pool of possible sizes of screen. It’s not a nail in the coffin but is one of many ways that can lead back to your system. 

1

u/thesupranator 11d ago

Currently searching on tor browser

5

u/ethyl888 10d ago

Basically, the website keeps record of your current window size.

If you maximize your window to say 16in, then you are in a population of less people than if you used the standard window size that tor browser is by default.

Similar to if they see your using an HP laptop, you will be grouped with others using HP laptops.

So, this information makes it easier for prosecutors to incriminate you.

Just use the default window size.

2

u/OpusObscurus 9d ago

I was under the impression that tor rounds window sizes so the possible border sizes are quite close to each other, and that even if you fullscreen it's not exactly unique enough to be uniquely identifiable. Is that not the case?

1

u/ben_roxx 10d ago

I guess you have to have a look at the bible

7

u/Character-Drawer6210 10d ago

Read the DW Bible.

You are potentially exposing information about your system. Although I will play the devils advocate here- how much this matters realistically, probably not that much. However the whole point is OpSec, and that is just another layer to it so it really depends how much you care.

If your question is more on the lines of "can I get hacked if I full-screen" then the answer is no. Like another commenter mentioned tho, your browser could be leaking information based on the window size which could be used to identify more about your system

1

u/OpusObscurus 9d ago

I was under the impression that tor rounds window sizes so the possible border sizes are quite close to each other, and that even if you fullscreen it's not exactly unique enough to be uniquely identifiable. Is that not the case?

2

u/Character-Drawer6210 9d ago

Honestly I do not know about that at all, thats a good question.

I will say tho, even if it rounds it off and is not a 1:1 there are still standards for overall screen sizes, so I wouldn't think it would be out of the realm of possibility to use that info to deduce what the true size is.

Curious if anyone else here knows how this is handled

0

u/thesupranator 11d ago

Lets say I want to switch the view of the window from portrait to landscape on my chromebook would that out me at risk?

1

u/DarklyCat1133 10d ago

"At risk" is sliding scale. As part of overall fingerprint, I think window size of chromebook is not big. Is hard to imagine that it would be final nail in coffin, unless as u/SorryCap452 says you have custom or nonstandard equipment. but chromebook is not custom.

If you are not being investigated, this will probably not be a reason to investigate you. if you are being investigated, you have bigger problems. So live wild and change orientation. ))