BACKGROUND

Websites often collect information about devices used to access that website in order to provide targeted advertising and/or track users. While some of this information may seem innocuous, it may actually raise serious privacy concerns. For example, a device fingerprint is made up of information that is collected by the website about seemingly innocuous features (e.g., software and hardware installed on) for a particular device. A combination of seemingly innocuous features may be so unique that a particular device can be identified based solely on its device fingerprint. This allows websites to track particular devices even when a user is actively attempting to avoid tracking (e.g., using privacy mode, etc.), which can be problematic.

SUMMARY

Techniques are provided herein for enabling the prevention of tracking of a user via metadata included in his or her communications. In some embodiments, this involves intercepting communications originating from the user and scrambling (i.e., replacing or otherwise obfuscating) data values included within metadata for the communications. To do this, data values within data fields of the metadata may be decrypted and parsed. The appropriate replacement data values are then selected to be overwritten into the data fields. The data values in the data fields may be re-encrypted and the communication is forwarded to its intended recipient. In some embodiments, the data fields overwritten and/or the selected data values are selected based on the identity of the recipient or the user.

In one embodiment, a method is disclosed as being performed by a telecommunication network, the method comprising receiving a communication originating from a user device and directed to a recipient device, determining one or more data fields to be replaced within a metadata for the communication, selecting replacement data values for the one or more data fields to be replaced within the metadata for the communication, overwriting data values within the one or more data fields to be replaced with the selected replacement data values, and forwarding the communication with the overwritten data values to the recipient device.

An embodiment is directed to a computing device comprising: a processor; and a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the computing device to, at least: receive a communication originating from a user device and directed to a recipient device, determine one or more data fields to be replaced within a metadata for the communication, select replacement data values for the one or more data fields to be replaced within the metadata for the communication, overwrite data values within the one or more data fields to be replaced with the selected replacement data values, and forward the communication with the overwritten data values to the recipient device.

An embodiment is directed to a non-transitory computer-readable media collectively storing computer-executable instructions that upon execution cause one or more computing nodes to collectively perform acts comprising receiving a communication originating from a user device and directed to a recipient device, determining one or more data fields to be replaced within a metadata for the communication, selecting replacement data values for the one or more data fields to be replaced within the metadata for the communication, overwriting data values within the one or more data fields to be replaced with the selected replacement data values, and forwarding the communication with the overwritten data values to the recipient device.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide several advantages over conventional systems. For example, the system provides for the ability to disallow tracking of a personal user device using a device fingerprint. It should be noted that conventional means of protecting the privacy of a user are typically unable to prevent tracking of a user's activities via a device fingerprint. For example, the user may open a web browser application in “privacy mode,” however, doing so would only prevent the use of internet cookies via the user device. While a website operator may be hampered without receiving identifying information from a cookie located on the user device, the website operator would not be prevented from creating a device fingerprint from seemingly innocuous information and tracking the user device using that device fingerprint. The current system prevents tracking of users based on device fingerprint in an unconventional manner.

The foregoing, together with other features and embodiments will become more apparent upon referring to the following specification, claims, and accompanying drawings.

