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Pixels/Trackers Can Collect & Transfer Data Without Consent

Analysis on 3,000 websites and over 100,000 associated webpages (using the client-side security scanning feature of Feroot Inspector) revealed that pixels/trackers are collecting and/or transferring data prior to the explicit consent (e.g., cookie acceptance) of a website user. (While some do not require actual consent for one reason or another, the consent is not explicitly made.) Table 1 shows the degree to which some pixels/trackers were present on the analyzed websites.

Percentage of ownership of pixels/trackers by platform owner
Crawl results shown by Feroot Inspector's client-side security scanning feature

Figure 1: Crawl results shown by Feroot Inspector’s client-side security scanning feature

Figure 1 above shows a sample website where 21 pixels/trackers load and collect user information – where no consent is requested and no consent is given. Yet, as shown in Figure 2 below, pixels/trackers and scripts are transferring user data to 71 servers in the US. 

Pixels/Trackers load and collect user information - with no consent requested nor given

Figure 2: Pixels/Trackers load and collect user information – with no consent requested nor given

Figure 3 below illustrates how the amount of pixels/trackers and scripts in supply chain code can vary significantly across different webpages of a website. This is shown through the number of pixels, trackers, and scripts reported in the Trackers and Scripts columns. As a result, each webpage that deals with sensitive user information may have its own specific privacy and security risks that need to be considered.

Figure 3: The amount of pixels/trackers and scripts in supply chain code can vary significantly across different webpages of a website

Interested to learn more about how pixels/trackers are common and abundant on webpages?
Download our latest report today.

The post Pixels/Trackers Can Collect & Transfer Data Without Consent appeared first on Feroot.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Feroot authored by Ivan Feroot Admin. Read the original post at: https://www.feroot.com/blog/pixels-trackers-collect-transfer-data/