Session-based matching of mutable browser identifiers
Systems and methods for session-based matching of mutable browser identifiers are provided. Information may be stored regarding a plurality of mutable browser identifiers each unique to an associated website and one or more maps each associating a immutable browser identifier to one or more mutable browser identifiers. Such a immutable browser identifier may be unique to an associated browser. Further, information may be received from a computing device that has used a browser to download a website. Such downloaded website may include a reference to a mutable browser identifier specific to the downloaded website. The referenced mutable browser identifier may be identified as corresponding to one of the stored mutable browser identifiers. The session information of the referenced mutable browser identifier in the received information may be compared to the session information of the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier. Stored information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier may be updated based on the comparison.
1. A method for session-based matching of mutable browser identifiers, the method comprising:
storing information in memory regarding:
a plurality of mutable browser identifiers, each mutable browser identifier having been generated to be unique to a different associated website, wherein a corresponding mutable browser identifier has been provided to a local cache, and wherein a new mutable browser identifier unique to the associated website is generated upon request and provided to the local cache, and
one or more maps, wherein each map associates a different immutable browser identifier with one or more of the mutable browser identifiers, the immutable browser identifier unique to a different browser in use at an associated computing device;
receiving information from a computing device that has used a browser during a session to download a website, wherein the downloaded website includes a reference to a mutable browser identifier specific to the downloaded website;
identifying that the referenced mutable browser identifier corresponds to one of the stored mutable browser identifiers based on a comparison of session information for the session in the received information to session information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier; and
mapping the referenced mutable browser identifier to the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier based on a match between the session information for the session and the session information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the session information includes at least one of a secure socket layer (SSL) session identifier, a transport layer security (TLS) session identifier, a TLS session ticket, or another identifier that allows for resumption and reuse of a previously-negotiated SSL/TLS session.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier is associated with a corresponding immutable browser identifier in accordance with the one of the stored maps.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the associated immutable browser identifier is associated with a stored session identifier different from a received session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier, and further comprising determining whether there is another stored session identifier that matches the received session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein there is another stored session identifier that matches the received session identifier, and wherein updating the map associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier comprises remapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier based on the matching session identifier.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein remapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier comprises associating the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier with another immutable browser identifier associated with the matching session identifier.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier is not associated with any stored immutable browser identifier in accordance with any of the stored maps, and further comprising determining whether there is stored session identifier that matches a session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein there is a stored session identifier that matches the session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier, the stored session identifier associated with a stored immutable browser identifier, and wherein mapping the mutable browser identifier to the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier further comprises mapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier to the stored immutable browser identifier associated with the matching stored session identifier.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein there is no stored session identifier that matches the session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier, and further comprising:
creating an immutable browser identifier; and
mapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier to the created immutable browser identifier.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier comprises further mapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier to a device identifier, and wherein the device identifier is unique to the computing device.
11. A server system for session-based matching of mutable browser identifiers, the system comprising:
memory that stores information regarding:
a plurality of mutable browser identifiers, each mutable browser identifier having been generated to be unique to a different associated website, wherein a corresponding mutable browser identifier has been provided to a local cache, and wherein a new mutable browser identifier unique to the associated website is generated upon request and provided to the local cache, and
one or more maps, wherein each map associates a different immutable browser identifier with one or more of the mutable browser identifiers, the immutable browser identifier unique to a different browser in use at an associated computing device;
a communication interface that receives information from a computing device that has used a browser during a session to download a website, wherein the downloaded website includes a reference to a mutable browser identifier specific to the downloaded website; and
a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor:
identifies that the referenced mutable browser identifier corresponds to one of the stored mutable browser identifiers based on a comparison of session information for the session in the received information to session information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier, and
maps the referenced mutable browser identifier to the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier based on a match between the session information for the session and the session information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the session information includes at least one of a secure socket layer (SSL) session identifier, a transport layer security (TLS) session identifier, a TLS session ticket, or another identifier that allows for resumption and reuse of a previously-negotiated SSL/TLS session.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier is associated with an immutable browser identifier in accordance with one of the stored maps.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the associated immutable browser identifier is associated with a stored session identifier different from a received session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier, and wherein the processor executes further instructions to determine whether there is another stored session identifier that matches the received session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein there is another stored session identifier that matches the received session identifier, and wherein the processor updates the map associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier by remapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier based on the matching session identifier.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor remaps the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier comprises associating the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier with another immutable browser identifier associated with the matching session identifier.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier is not associated with any stored immutable browser identifier in accordance with any of the stored maps, and wherein the processor executes further instructions to determine whether there is stored session identifier that matches a session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein there is a stored session identifier that matches the session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier, the stored session identifier associated with a stored immutable browser identifier, and wherein the processor maps the referenced mutable browser identifier to the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier by mapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier to the stored immutable browser identifier associated with the matching stored session identifier.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein there is no stored session identifier that matches the session identifier associated with the referenced mutable browser identifier, and wherein the processor executes further instructions to:
create a immutable browser identifier; and
map the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier to the created immutable browser identifier.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor updates information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier by further mapping the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier to a device identifier, and wherein the device identifier is unique to the computing device.
21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for session-based matching of mutable browser identifiers, the method comprising:
storing information regarding:
a plurality of mutable browser identifiers, each mutable browser identifier having been generated to be unique to a different associated website, wherein a corresponding mutable browser identifier has been provided to a local cache, and wherein a new mutable browser identifier unique to the associated website is generated upon request and provided to the local cache, and
one or more maps, wherein each map associates a different immutable browser identifier with one or more of the mutable browser identifiers, the immutable browser identifier unique to a different browser in use at an associated computing device;
receiving information from a computing device that has used a browser during a session to download a website, wherein the downloaded website includes a reference to a mutable browser identifier specific to the downloaded website;
identifying that the referenced mutable browser identifier corresponds to one of the stored mutable browser identifiers based on a comparison of session information for the session in the received information to session information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier; and
maps the referenced mutable browser identifier to the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier based on a match between the session information for the session and the session information associated with the corresponding stored mutable browser identifier.