Device fingerprinting SDK is an emerging tool in the fraud prevention arsenal. As cookie reliability wanes, it offers a way to generate a consistent unique identifier for each user across devices or browsers. Used in conjunction with behavioral profiling, feature aggregation, and risk scores, it can help detect fraudulent activity and account sharing – especially when fraudsters use emulators or other software to mimic real devices.
In e-commerce, fingerprinting data can be matched to an order history to identify if a purchase is being made by a known bot or fraudster. It can also be used to spot patterns of behavior, such as login attempts from a suspicious location or IP address. It can even help flag account takeover fraud, where a fraudster uses a fake or spoofed device to gain access to a customer’s account.
Choosing the Right Device Fingerprinting SDK for Your App
There are a number of commercial device fingerprinting providers that offer advanced capabilities such as machine learning and network effects. While they tend to be more expensive than open-source solutions, they are better maintained and supported with dedicated customer support teams. They can also be more reliable as privacy controls evolve and the landscape of device fingerprinting changes.