/
report.lyx
15594 lines (10748 loc) · 297 KB
/
report.lyx
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
#LyX 2.1 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
\lyxformat 474
\begin_document
\begin_header
\textclass report
\begin_preamble
\include{preamble}
\end_preamble
\use_default_options true
\begin_modules
logicalmkup
customHeadersFooters
\end_modules
\maintain_unincluded_children false
\language english
\language_package default
\inputencoding auto
\fontencoding global
\font_roman default
\font_sans default
\font_typewriter default
\font_math auto
\font_default_family default
\use_non_tex_fonts false
\font_sc false
\font_osf false
\font_sf_scale 100
\font_tt_scale 100
\graphics default
\default_output_format pdf2
\output_sync 1
\bibtex_command default
\index_command default
\paperfontsize default
\spacing single
\use_hyperref true
\pdf_title "Master’s thesis"
\pdf_author "Joel Purra"
\pdf_bookmarks true
\pdf_bookmarksnumbered true
\pdf_bookmarksopen true
\pdf_bookmarksopenlevel 1
\pdf_breaklinks true
\pdf_pdfborder true
\pdf_colorlinks false
\pdf_backref false
\pdf_pdfusetitle false
\papersize a4paper
\use_geometry false
\use_package amsmath 1
\use_package amssymb 1
\use_package cancel 1
\use_package esint 1
\use_package mathdots 1
\use_package mathtools 1
\use_package mhchem 1
\use_package stackrel 1
\use_package stmaryrd 1
\use_package undertilde 1
\cite_engine basic
\cite_engine_type default
\biblio_style plain
\use_bibtopic false
\use_indices false
\paperorientation portrait
\suppress_date false
\justification true
\use_refstyle 1
\notefontcolor #808080
\index Index
\shortcut idx
\color #008000
\end_index
\secnumdepth 2
\tocdepth 1
\paragraph_separation indent
\paragraph_indentation default
\quotes_language english
\papercolumns 1
\papersides 2
\paperpagestyle fancy
\tracking_changes false
\output_changes false
\html_math_output 0
\html_css_as_file 0
\html_be_strict false
\end_header
\begin_body
\begin_layout Title
Master’s thesis
\begin_inset Newline newline
\end_inset
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
(Preliminary title)
\end_layout
\end_inset
\begin_inset Newline newline
\end_inset
Swedes Online: You Are More Tracked Than You Think
\end_layout
\begin_layout Author
Joel Purra
\begin_inset Newline newline
\end_inset
\begin_inset CommandInset href
LatexCommand href
target "mig@joelpurra.se"
type "mailto:"
\end_inset
, joepu444
\begin_inset Newline newline
\end_inset
\begin_inset CommandInset href
LatexCommand href
target "http://joelpurra.com/"
\end_inset
\begin_inset Newline newline
\end_inset
+46 70 352 1212
\end_layout
\begin_layout Date
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
versionandtoday
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Right Header
Joel Purra's Master's Thesis
\begin_inset Argument 1
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Swedes Online: You Are More Tracked Than You Think
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Left Header
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
slshape
\backslash
nouppercase{
\backslash
leftmark}
\end_layout
\end_inset
\begin_inset Argument 1
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
slshape
\backslash
nouppercase{
\backslash
leftmark}
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Abstract
While browsing web sites third-party resources track your online habits,
which can be considered an invasion of privacy.
It was previously unknown how many third-party resources, known trackers
and tracker companies are represented on an average web site.
While downloading over
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{150000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
globally popular as well as random .com/.net/.se/.dk web sites, in-browser
HTTP/HTTPS traffic was recorded.
Data shows that known third-party resources including known trackers are
present on over 70%
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
70-93%
\end_layout
\end_inset
of sites, that tracking is as prevalent on secure as insecure sites and
that third-party hosted
\emph on
content
\emph default
such as video, scripts and fonts make up a large portion of known trackers.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Chapter*
Introduction
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
markboth{Introduction}{}
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
How many companies are tracking you online, and how much information does
the average Swede leak while using popular .se websites? Many, and a lot
-- more than you may think.
Large organizations
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
such as A, B and C
\end_layout
\end_inset
are able to connect the dots you leave behind during everyday usage, and
construct a persona that reflects you from their perspective.
Have you told your family, friends or colleagues about your gambling addiction,
your sex toy purchases or your alcoholism?
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Replace with different scary personal information?
\end_layout
\end_inset
Even if you did not tell anyone your deepest secrets, these companies might
conclude that they can put labels on you by looking at everything you do
online.
And now they are selling it as hard facts behind the scenes.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
While browsing the web users are both actively and passively being tracked
by multiple companies, for the purpose of building a persona for targeted
advertising.
Sometimes the data collection is visible, as in social network sites and
questionnaires, but it is most common in the form of different kinds of
external resources which may or may not serve a purpose other than keeping
track of your every click.
Secure connections between server and client help against passive data
collection along the network path, but not against site owners allowing
in-page trackers.
Tracking code is installed on web pages that have adverts as well as those
that do not -- the spread and reach of tracking across web pages and domains
of different kinds increases the quality of the user data collected and
inferred, making it more valuable for advertising purposes.
With the extent of the use of trackers and other external resources largely
unknown and ever evolving, what is already known raises privacy concerns
-- data considered personal leak without the user's knowledge or explicit
permission and end up in privately owned databases for further distribution.
Data collection is the new wild west, and you are the new cattle.
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Or Klondike and gold?
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Mention related work?
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
This thesis uses large-scale measurements to characterize how different
kinds of domains in Sweden and internationally use web site resources.
Front pages of approximately
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{150000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
random .se, .dk, .com, .net domains and Swedish, Danish and Alexa's top domains
were visited and their resources, including those dynamically loaded, recorded.
Each domain was accessed both with insecure HTTP and secure HTTPS connections
to provide a comparison.
Resources were grouped by mime type, URL protocol, domain, if it matches
the domain the request originated from and compared to lists of known trackers
and organizations.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Itemize
First, adaption of HTTPS for different domains is characterized from a Swedish
perspective.
The adaption between classes of domains within Sweden, as well as against
popular international domains are compared.
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Highlight some key findings and their implications.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Write about users' (in-)ability to protect their own privacy using HTTPS.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Insert reference to results chapter.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Itemize
Second, the use of third-party trackers and other third-party services for
different classes of domains, is analyzed.
Using public lists of potential tracker domains, we analyze and compare
the wide spread adaption of these services across domains within Sweden,
as well as internationally.
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Highlight some key findings and their implications.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Insert reference to results chapter.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Itemize
Software for automated, repeatable retrieval and analysis of large amounts
of web sites was developed, and released as open source (see appendix
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand vref
reference "chap:Software"
\end_inset
).
Datasets based on publicly available domain lists have been released for
scientific scrutinization.
\begin_inset Foot
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\begin_inset CommandInset href
LatexCommand href
target "http://joelpurra.com/projects/masters-thesis/"
\end_inset
\end_layout
\end_inset
The data allows analysis of web sites' HTTP requests including the use
of resources internal versus external to the entry domain, which the most
common confirmed tracker organizations are, what spread they have and how
much the average internet user can expect to be tracked by visiting some
of the most important and popular sites in Sweden, Denmark and worldwide.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset CommandInset toc
LatexCommand tableofcontents
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset FloatList table
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset FloatList figure
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Chapter
Background
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
In everyday web browsing, browsers routinely access a lot of material from
other domains or services than the one visited
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Feldmann:2004:MEI:1028788.1028833"
\end_inset
.
These external resources vary from content that the user explicitly want
to obtain, to implicitly loaded third-party services, ads, and non-visible
resources with the sole purpose of collecting user data and statistical
material
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Krishnamurthy:2006:CMC:1135777.1135829"
\end_inset
.
All are downloaded on behalf of the user with no or few limitations, and
oftentimes without the user's need, understanding and explicit consent.
These external resources can all be seen as browsing habit trackers, whose
knowledge and power increase with any additional visits to other domains
or services loading the same resources
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Malandrino:2013:PAI:2517840.2517868"
\end_inset
.
While privacy is both hard to define as well as relative to perspective
and context, there is a correlation between trackers and online privacy;
more trackers means it becomes harder to control the flow of personal informati
on and get an overview of where data ends up
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Smith:2011aa,Bylund:2013:978-91-87379-12-3:integritet"
\end_inset
.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Section
Trackers are a commercial choice
\begin_inset CommandInset label
LatexCommand label
name "sec:Trackers-are-a-commercial-choice"
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
While online privacy has been in the spotlight due to recently uncovered
mass surveillance operations, the focus has been on national government
intelligence agencies collecting information around the globe.
Public worry regarding surveillance in Sweden is low.
Only 9% of Swedes say they worry to some degree about government surveillance,
but at 18% twice as many worry about companies' surveillance
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Ahlgren:2014aa"
\end_inset
.
Governments are able to intercept traffic data and metadata by, among several
techniques,
\emph on
covertly
\emph default
hooking into the internet infrastructure and passively listening.
Basic connection metadata can always be collected, but without secure connectio
ns between client and server, any detail in the contents of each request
can be extracted.
In contrast, external resources are approved by and actively installed
by site and service owners, and presented openly to users with basic technical
skills and tools.
Reasons can be technical, for example because distributing resources among
systems improves performance
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Krishnamurthy:2006:CMC:1135777.1135829,Krishnamurthy:2000:AFI:347319.346248"
\end_inset
.
Other times it is because there are positive network effects in using a
third-party social network to promote content and products.
Ads are installed as a source of income.
More and more commonly, allowing a non-visible tracker to be installed
can also become a source of income -- data aggregation companies pay for
access to users' data on the right site with the right quantity and quality
of visitors.
Because these external resources are used on behalf of the service, they
are also loaded when end-to-end encryption with HTTPS is enabled for enhanced
privacy and security.
This encryption bypass gives these private trackers more information than
possible with large-scale passive traffic interception, even when there
is a security nullifying mixture of encrypted and unencrypted connections.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Section
What is known by trackers?
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
Depending on what activities a user performs online, different things can
be inferred by trackers on sites where they are installed.
For example, a tracker on a news site can draw conclusions about interests
from content a user reads (or choses
\emph on
not
\emph default
to) by tagging articles with refined keywords and creating an interest
graph
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Kumar:2013:GBT:2522548.2523129"
\end_inset
.
The range of taggable interests of course depend on the content of the
news site.
Private and sensitive information leaked to third-party sites during typical
interaction with some of the most popular sites in the world include personal
identification (full name, date of birth, email, ip address, geolocation)
and sensitive information (sexual orientation, religious beliefs, health
issues)
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Malandrino:2013:PAI:2517840.2517868"
\end_inset
.
Social buttons, allowing users to share links with a simple click, are
tracking users whether they are registered, logged in or not
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Roosendaal:2010:likethis"
\end_inset
.
They are especially powerful when the user is registered and logged in,
combining the full self-provided details of the user with their browsing
habits -- all within the bounds of the services' privacy policies agreed
to by the user.
Once a user has provided their personal information, it is no longer just
the individual browser or device being tracked, but the actual person using
it -- even after logging out
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Kontaxis:2012:PSP:2362793.2362823,Krishnamurthy:2008:CPO:1397735.1397744"
\end_inset
.
This direct association, as opposed to inferred, to the person also allows
for tracking across devices where there is an overlap of services used.
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Find a reference for cross device tracking.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Section
What is the information used for?
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
Publishers reserve areas of their web pages for displaying different kinds
and sizes of advertisements alongside content.
Ads chosen for the site may be aligned with the content but it is more
valuable the more is known about the visitors.
Combining and aggregating information from past visitors means that more
information can be assumed about future visitors, on a statistical basis,
which will define the general audience of the site.
To generate even more revenue per displayed ad, individual users are
\emph on
targeted
\emph default
with personalized ads depending on their specific personal data and browsing
history
\begin_inset CommandInset citation
LatexCommand cite
key "Gill:2013:BPF:2504730.2504768"
\end_inset
.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Write about data aggregators selling information for other purposes than
advertising.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
What kind of data can be collected by trackers, and how can they be aggregated
both per person and per group of people?
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
How much does the average user know about external resources being trackers?
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Chapter
Methodology
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
\begin_inset Note Greyedout
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
Previous expected results, methodology and software chapters trimmed down
into a more compact format; refer to appendix for software/script details.
\end_layout
\end_inset
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
Emphasis for the thesis is on a technical analysis, producing aggregate
numbers regarding domains and external resources.
Social aspects and privacy concerns are considered out of scope.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
For methodology details, see appendix
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand vref
reference "chap:Methodology-details"
\end_inset
.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Section
High level overview
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
Based on a list of domains, the front page of each domain is downloaded
and parsed the way a user's browser would.
The URL of each requested resource is extracted, and associated with the
domain it was loaded from.
This data is then classified in a number of ways, before being boiled down
to statistics about the entire dataset.
Lastly, these aggregates are compared between datasets -- see appendix
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand vref
reference "chap:Detailed-Results"
\end_inset
.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
The thesis is primarily written from a Swedish perspective.
This is in part because .SE
\begin_inset Foot
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
This thesis was written in the office of The Internet Infrastructure Foundation
(.SE), the .se TLD registry.
\end_layout
\end_inset
has access to the full list of Swedish .se domains, and in part because
of their previous work with the
\emph on
.SE Health Status
\emph default
reports
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand ref
reference "sub:.SE-Health-Status"
\end_inset
.
The reports focus on analyzing government, media, financial institutions
and other nation-wide publicly relevant organization groups' domains, as
they have been deemed important to Sweden and Swedes.
This thesis incorporates those lists, but focus on only the associated
web sites.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Section
Domain categories
\end_layout
\begin_layout Standard
There are three major types of domain lists used in this thesis.
The total number of domains is over
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{150000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
; see table
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand ref
reference "tab:Domain-lists-in-use"
\end_inset
.
See also details in
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand vref
reference "sec:Domains"
\end_inset
.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Description
Curated
\begin_inset space ~
\end_inset
lists The
\emph on
.SE Health Status
\emph default
reports use lists of approximately
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{1000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
domains in the categories counties, domain registrars, financial services,
government-owned corporations (GOCS), higher education, ISPs, media, municipali
ties, and public authorities
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand eqref
reference "sub:.SE-Health-Status-domains"
\end_inset
.
The domains are deemed important to Swedes and internet operations/usage
in Sweden.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Description
Top
\begin_inset space ~
\end_inset
lists Alexa's Top
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{1000000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
sites
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand eqref
reference "sub:Alexa-Top-1000000-sites"
\end_inset
and Reach50
\begin_inset CommandInset ref
LatexCommand eqref
reference "sub:Reach50-domains"
\end_inset
are compiled from internet usage, internationally and in Sweden respectively.
The Alexa top list is freely available and used in other research; four
selections of the
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{1000000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
domains were used -- top
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{10000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
, random
\begin_inset ERT
status open
\begin_layout Plain Layout
\backslash
numprint{10000}
\end_layout
\end_inset
, all .se and all .dk domains.
\end_layout
\begin_layout Description
Random
\begin_inset space ~
\end_inset