Incognito window failing, or what?

[jobin]

I have used Google Chrome's Incognito window for years and loved every minute of use. I look at news mostly from the NYT, and yes with no subscription. I suppose cheating a bit, my bad.

Never had a problem signing out, then in again to continue reading if 10 reports read in one sitting. I use same method for other sites. My belief has been that the NYT 'knows' me only by the cookies stored in my computer and since incognito window does not store cookies, then the NYT cannot recognize me the next time i click on.

Now, just today, somehow the NYT is demanding i sign-up as i have read my limit for this month. Even if i just now opened the window and started fresh. How is this happening? Can such anonymous viewers, as per Incognito Window, now be observed and counted? Has Google changed, the NYT changed, my Apple changed?

Am i alone in this problem?

Any relevant info very welcome, including new avenues.

[jobin]

One more possibility i thought of just now.

The Thai military government, in cooperation with Chinese technical experts, has installed new countrywide software to detect and defeat Chrome Incognito.

[KhunBENQ]

One more possibility i thought of just now.

The Thai military government, in cooperation with Chinese technical experts, has installed new countrywide software to detect and defeat Chrome Incognito.

Sure not. Or you explain how that should be technically feasible.

An incognito window can not be tracked from the data on the line.

Don't mix it up with a VPN or the like. Those are detectable.

About the OP: there is new "kind of cookies", called "canvas fingerprinting" (device fingerprinting) which do not store anything on your device, but store unique characteristics of your device on their server to identify the device on next visit.

I am not up-to-date about existing countermeasures.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canvas_fingerprinting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_fingerprinting

Although possible it's hard to believe that a serious source like NYT would such technique?

Edited February 7, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[Chicog]

Perhaps they are monitoring by IP address?

Have you tried incognito in another Browser, e.g. Edge's InPrivate?

[KhunBENQ]

IP address changes regularly on private connections (no static IP).

So would be short-lived.

This site from Electronic Frontier Foundation seems to serve some information on how safe your browser is from tracking:

https://panopticlick.eff.org/

My Chrome is zero protected.

Firefox 43 is somewhat protected.

[KhunBENQ]

Just did some tests of the NYT site with Firefox 44 Private Browsing.

I repeatedly open articles until I get to the hint.

-> close the browser, restart.

And all fine, can start again.

So I can NOT see some smart new method (at least with Firefox).

Also I can not reproduce the problem with Chrome either.

Closing and restarting incognito window and you can continue.

Edited February 7, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[Chicog]

IP address changes regularly on private connections (no static IP).

So would be short-lived.

This site from Electronic Frontier Foundation seems to serve some information on how safe your browser is from tracking:

https://panopticlick.eff.org/

My Chrome is zero protected.

Firefox 43 is somewhat protected.

Not really unless you turn your router off a lot, and for longer than the lease

[KhunBENQ]

True. I do

My router sleeps for some hours.

[MrTee]

Browser fingerprint technology.

That's all....