How to Reduce Your Digital Footprint During Online Investigations
Understanding Your Digital Footprint During Investigations
In an ideal world, with unlimited resources and budgets, internet investigations and research would always be conducted on a separate clean device, using a secure and dedicated internet connection solely for that purpose. In reality, very few people operate under those circumstances.
The vast majority of those undertaking online research tasks, whether working in law enforcement, the private sector, or as private investigators, are usually operating with only one or two computer systems. Those same systems often have to support both overt and covert work, and in many cases are also used for personal activities.
It is easy to say investigators should never use the same system for personal and investigative work. However, if you only have one system available, then you have to work within those limitations. In those situations, it is far better to understand how to reduce security risks and limit exposure.
Separating Personal and Research Activity
One of the simplest first steps is to use one browser for research work and another browser for personal activity. This helps reduce the chances of your personal details becoming associated with your investigative work.
For example:
- Use Mozilla Firefox for online research activities, where you only access sites using investigative or pseudonymous accounts.
- Use Google Chrome for personal browsing, banking, shopping, and accounts linked to your real identity.
The important point is to never mix the two.
Many people are warned about “computer footprints” or “browser fingerprints”, but far fewer understand how to check what traces their computer is actually leaving behind when visiting websites or conducting research online.
What Is a Computer Footprint?
Most online OSINT research can be conducted using standard and inexpensive computer equipment with a normal internet connection. However, before carrying out online investigations, you should understand:
- what security information your computer exposes,
- what type of footprint it leaves behind,
- and how you can modify or minimise that footprint to conduct enquiries more safely and securely.
Whenever you visit a webpage, your computer leaves information behind that may identify:
- your device,
- your location,
- your organisation,
- or the software you are using.
The biggest identifier is usually your IP address.
Simply put, an IP address is how your device connects to the internet, and it may reveal information about your organisation or location. Most residential IP addresses are temporary and generally only reveal an approximate location, often within around 10 miles of your actual address.
You can read more about IP addresses here:
Checking Your Online Footprint
There are a number of online tools that allow you to view the footprint your computer leaves behind. Many are listed on the following resource pages:
These resources are generally free and can reveal:
- your IP address,
- the organisation it is registered to,
- and your approximate geographic location.
If you are using a residential internet connection, the IP address will often resolve to providers such as BT or Sky, alongside a nearby town or city, normally with around 10miles of where you are.
If you are operating on a corporate or government network, however, the results may reveal your employer or even the address of the office you are working from.
When Footprints Matter
Learning how much information your connection exposes can be unsettling, but context matters.
In many situations, your footprint is unlikely to matter significantly. Most websites do not publicly expose visitor logs, meaning only the site owner or administrator can view visitor details.
For example, visiting websites operated by:
- Companies House,
- news organisations,
- or mainstream social media platforms,
is unlikely to create operational concerns for most investigators.
However, the situation changes when you visit a website operated by the person or organisation you are investigating. Website owners can often review visitor logs and connection details. In some cases, this may allow them to identify:
- your organisation,
- your approximate location,
- or the fact that they are being investigated at all.
That can potentially compromise an investigation or alert a subject prematurely.
Using VPNs and Anonymisation Tools
To reduce exposure, investigators may choose to alter their online footprint using anonymisation tools or VPNs (Virtual Private Networks).
Some browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, now include built-in VPN functionality:
Additional VPN and anonymisation resources can also be found here:
Popular VPN services include:
VPNs can:
- disguise your original IP address,
- make it appear as though you are browsing from another location or country,
- and encrypt your internet traffic.
This is especially useful when using public Wi-Fi networks, where unencrypted connections may expose browsing activity or account credentials.
Browser Extensions and User-Agent Switching
Browser extensions and add-ons can also help alter your digital footprint.
One commonly used tool is User-Agent Switcher, available for both Firefox and Google Chrome:
These tools allow you to change the “user-agent” your browser presents to websites.
Instead of appearing as:
- a Windows device running Microsoft Edge,
you could instead appear as:
- an Apple Mac,
- an Android phone,
- or an iPad.
While this does not make you anonymous, it can help reduce consistency in your browser fingerprint.
Training Exercise
Step 1: Check Your Existing Footprint
Visit the following sites and review the information your connection exposes:
Consider the following questions:
- Does your IP address reveal your approximate location?
- Does it identify your organisation or internet provider?
- Would this matter during an investigation?
Step 2: Test a VPN or Anonymisation Tool
If you do not already use a VPN, try:
- Firefox’s free VPN offering,
- or the AnonymoX browser extension:
Enable the VPN or extension, then revisit:
Compare the results and assess:
- how your footprint has changed,
- whether your location appears different,
- and whether your connection is now more secure.
Step 3: Experiment with User-Agent Switching
Install the User-Agent Switcher extension for your browser:
Experiment with changing the device and browser type your system presents to websites, and observe how your browser fingerprint changes.
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