Reduce VM Browser Fingerprint

TL;DR

Even a clean Windows 10 install in a Virtual Machine (VM) can be uniquely identified by its browser fingerprint. This guide shows how to minimise that fingerprint for better privacy and anonymity.

Steps to Reduce Your VM Browser Fingerprint

1. Choose the Right VM Software:

• VirtualBox: A good free option, but requires more manual configuration.
• VMware Workstation/Player: More features and potentially better hardware abstraction, but paid (though Player has a free version).
• QEMU/KVM: Powerful and flexible, often used with Linux, but complex to set up.

Hardware Configuration:

• RAM: Don’t allocate all your host machine’s RAM. Leave some for the host OS. 4GB is usually sufficient.
• CPU Cores: Assigning too many cores can make it easier to identify a VM. Start with 2 cores and increase if needed.
• Storage: Use dynamically allocated storage rather than fixed size. This makes the VM appear less predictable.

Network Configuration:

• Bridged Networking: Avoid this if possible, as it directly exposes your VM’s MAC address.
• NAT (Network Address Translation): The most common and generally safest option. It hides your VM’s IP address behind the host machine’s.
• Host-Only Adapter: Useful for isolated testing but doesn’t provide internet access without further configuration.

Operating System Hardening (Windows 10):

• Updates: Keep Windows updated, but be mindful of telemetry settings (see step 6).
• Disable Unnecessary Services: Reduce the attack surface and potential fingerprinting vectors. Use

  services.msc

  to manage services.

Browser Choice & Configuration:

• Firefox: Generally considered more privacy-focused than Chrome or Edge, with extensive customisation options.
• Tor Browser: The most private option, but significantly slower and may not be suitable for all tasks.
• Disable WebRTC: WebRTC can leak your real IP address even when using a VPN. In Firefox, set

  media.peerconnection.enabled

  to false in about:config.

• Resist Fingerprinting (Firefox): Enable this feature in about:config by setting

  privacy.resistFingerprinting

  to true. This significantly alters your browser fingerprint, making it harder to track but potentially breaking some websites.

• Browser Extensions: Use privacy-focused extensions like uBlock Origin (ad blocking), NoScript (script blocking – use with caution!), and Privacy Badger (tracking protection). Be careful about the number of extensions you install; each one adds to your fingerprint.

Telemetry & Data Collection:

• Windows 10 Privacy Settings: Disable as much telemetry as possible in Settings > Privacy.
• O&O ShutUp10++: A free tool to help disable Windows 10 telemetry and tracking features (use with caution, review settings before applying).

MAC Address Spoofing:

• Change your VM’s MAC address regularly. This prevents long-term identification based on hardware ID. The method varies depending on your VM software. In VirtualBox:
  1. Shut down the VM.
  2. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
  3. Run

  VBoxManage modifyvm "VM Name" --macaddress auto

  (replace “VM Name” with your VM’s name).

User Agent Spoofing:

• Use a browser extension to change your user agent string. This makes your browser appear as a different version or operating system. Be consistent; frequently changing it is suspicious.

Font List Reduction:

• Reduce the number of fonts installed in the VM. Each font adds to your fingerprint. Remove unnecessary fonts through Control Panel > Fonts.

Canvas Fingerprinting Protection:

• Firefox’s Resist Fingerprinting feature helps with this, but you can also use extensions specifically designed to mitigate canvas fingerprinting.

Important Note: No method is foolproof. Reducing your browser fingerprint is about making it harder to uniquely identify you, not impossible. Combining multiple techniques provides the best protection.