When it comes to detecting fraudulent clicks, relying solely on IP addresses can leave gaps in your protection. That’s why Click Guardian offers Device Fingerprinting—a powerful technology that allows us to identify visitors even if they attempt to hide or change their IP address.
What Is Device Fingerprinting?
Device fingerprinting is a technique that creates a unique profile for each visitor based on a combination of device-specific attributes. Unlike an IP address, which can easily be changed or masked, a fingerprint uses hundreds of data points collected from the user's device, such as:
Screen size and resolution
Colour depth
Device make and model
Operating system and browser versions
Language and timezone settings
Installed fonts and plugins
These factors are collated and analysed in real-time to create a unique identifier for that device—known as a fingerprint.
Why Device Fingerprinting Matters
Fraudulent users often try to stay anonymous by:
Changing their IP addresses
Using VPNs or proxy servers
Connecting from different networks
While this can make traditional IP tracking less effective, device fingerprints are much harder to disguise. Even if a visitor switches their IP, their underlying device fingerprint often remains consistent, allowing Click Guardian to recognise and block them accurately.
This means:
More reliable identification of repeat offenders
Stronger protection against click fraud
Less reliance on static IP data
How Click Guardian Uses Fingerprinting
When Device Fingerprinting is enabled:
Each visitor's fingerprint is generated automatically during their session
If fraudulent behaviour is detected, Click Guardian can block the device even if the IP address changes
This provides an additional layer of security alongside your existing IP-based rules
No additional setup is needed—just make sure the Device Fingerprinting setting is enabled within your account.
Key Benefits
Identify suspicious users across dynamic or changing IP addresses
Strengthen your ad campaign protection against sophisticated fraud tactics
Improve the accuracy of exclusions and blocking rules