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Screen Resolution Forensics

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zikmik
(@zikmik)
Posts: 28
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

Hi,
I made php IP Logger for locating forum members IP (I'am not admin of the forum), with capability to capture screen resolution.
Can screen resolution information (sample 1440x900) be used to determinate is felon using standard pc or laptop?!

 
Posted : 26/08/2011 3:25 pm
(@thall)
Posts: 53
Trusted Member
 

What if there was a user with a 17" Laptop with a high end graphics card running 1920x1080 and a user with a 15" monitor connected to an older machine running 800x600.

Vice versa.

You can't associate the type of machine on screen resolution realistically its too much of a gamble imo.

 
Posted : 26/08/2011 4:42 pm
Passmark
(@passmark)
Posts: 376
Reputable Member
 

Strange for a web site forum to record screen resolution of the members. This is not something that is normally passed from a browser to a web server. Are you sure you are not just looking at the size of the browser window.

It is technically possible via Javascript however to get the screen size. I just tried it on my machine here, but Javascript got the wrong answer. It failed to take in account dual monitors. So I wouldn't trust it values too much.

 
Posted : 29/08/2011 3:49 am
Beetle
(@beetle)
Posts: 318
Reputable Member
 

Right now I am using an iPad to view your post. What screen resolution does your software give you?

I am not sure of the utility of this. What if someone was using a VM? Also some laptops have screen resolutions similar to smaller monitors. I don't think such information as screen resolution can reliably tell you anything probative.

 
Posted : 29/08/2011 5:18 am
zikmik
(@zikmik)
Posts: 28
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

This project is taken very seriously, so on technical side speaking it's credible.
Capturing screen resolution is added beside User Agent String and some other features
for easier locating and pointing on felons participating on various forums.

Since our script if confidential, I can only answer to your question about screen
resolution by giving you this sample code

<script language="javascript">
alert('Your resolution is '+screen.width+'x'+screen.height);
</script>

To give you general idea what our script is capable to do visit

http//browserspy.dk

only as a guideline!

 
Posted : 29/08/2011 10:44 am
(@twjolson)
Posts: 417
Honorable Member
 

Can screen resolution information (sample 1440x900) be used to determinate is felon using standard pc or laptop?!

You can make guesses, about screen size, but that won't tell you if the screen is connected to a laptop or a desktop. If I have a laptop with a 15 inch LCD, would you really be able to know that it isn't a desktop with a 15 Inch LCD for a monitor?

You could, possibly, make a better guess as to the age of a computer. Is it 1900x1200, or 800x600? No, it wouldn't be iron clad, but in extreme cases, you might be able to hazard a guess.

I wouldn't even introduce it in court, it is so easily changed by even the most casual users. On top of that, I can't, for the life of me, think of a situation where a case would possibly matter. If you are going to introduce computer forensics into the courtroom, you should have far more information than their screen resolution.

 
Posted : 29/08/2011 11:14 am
(@jonathan)
Posts: 878
Prominent Member
 

Hi,
I made php IP Logger for locating forum members IP (I'am not admin of the forum), with capability to capture screen resolution.
Can screen resolution information (sample 1440x900) be used to determinate is felon using standard pc or laptop?!

It will give you an indication but on its own it wont stand up in court. You could capture much more data; the browser (including version), the operating system (including version, e.g., Android 2.2.1), version of Flash and Java the visitor is using and their screen resolution. All this information taken together may indicate the type of device the person accessed the web site from. Any single item taken on its own is not of good evidential value. My advice rewrite your logger to capture the other readily available information.

 
Posted : 29/08/2011 1:27 pm
(@twjolson)
Posts: 417
Honorable Member
 

It will give you an indication but on its own it wont stand up in court. You could capture much more data; the browser (including version), the operating system (including version, e.g., Android 2.2.1), version of Flash and Java the visitor is using and their screen resolution. All this information taken together may indicate the type of device the person accessed the web site from. Any single item taken on its own is not of good evidential value. My advice rewrite your logger to capture the other readily available information.

Yes, but, his question was regarding laptop or desktop. I agree with everything you say, nothing that you list would help prove, or even indicate, that the suspect was using a laptop or desktop.

 
Posted : 30/08/2011 1:43 pm
(@jonathan)
Posts: 878
Prominent Member
 

It will give you an indication but on its own it wont stand up in court. You could capture much more data; the browser (including version), the operating system (including version, e.g., Android 2.2.1), version of Flash and Java the visitor is using and their screen resolution. All this information taken together may indicate the type of device the person accessed the web site from. Any single item taken on its own is not of good evidential value. My advice rewrite your logger to capture the other readily available information.

Yes, but, his question was regarding laptop or desktop. I agree with everything you say, nothing that you list would help prove, or even indicate, that the suspect was using a laptop or desktop.

Not in most cases, no, but Chrome OS would be indicative of using a laptop, other OSs would be indicative of tablets, etc.

 
Posted : 30/08/2011 2:17 pm
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