This tool may make it easier for thieves to empty bank accounts

Banks and payment services are in a constant fight to detect account fraud, employing sophisticated ways to detect abnormal activities. One of those ways is “fingerprinting” a Web browser, or analyzing its relatively unique software stamp.

Web browsers relay a variety of data to websites, including a computer’s OS, its time zone, language preference and version numbers for software plugins. When those parameters change, along with others such as an IP address, it may mean an account is being fraudulently accessed.

To prevent being locked out of an account, fraudsters can use a variety of methods to appear legitimate when browsing by using virtual machines and special browser plugins. But an enterprising developer has developed a software package that makes spoofing a browser fingerprint much easier.

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