Velnode/ Docs / Fingerprint Protectionv2.3.3-beta.15
Velnode Browser · a product of Dignity New Zealand Limited
User | Version 1.1 | Last updated 2026-07-03
Document type: User Owner: Dignity New Zealand Limited Applies to: Velnode Browser v2.3.0 and later Last updated: 2026-07-03 Document version: 1.1 Status: Approved
This guide explains what Fingerprint Protection is, what it covers, and how to configure it in Velnode Browser.
Browser fingerprinting is a tracking technique that does not use cookies. Instead, it collects a set of signals your browser produces — the way it draws graphics on a canvas element, the GPU model installed, which fonts are available on your device, how your browser identifies itself in HTTP headers — and combines them into a value that is unique enough to identify your browser across visits to different websites.
Unlike a cookie, a fingerprint:
Sites that use fingerprinting can link your visits across time and across different domains without your knowledge or consent.
Velnode's Fingerprint Protection targets the highest-entropy signals — the ones that contribute most to making your browser unique.
| Protected signal | What Velnode does |
|---|---|
| Canvas rendering | Injects per-origin noise into pixel read-backs (getImageData, toDataURL). The page renders identically to your eyes, but the underlying pixel values differ every session, so a fingerprinting script cannot match this session to a prior one. |
| WebGL rendered image | Applies the same per-origin noise to WebGL readPixels output. The rendered-image fingerprint changes each session. |
| GPU identity strings | Replaces the real GPU vendor and model strings (UNMASKED_VENDOR_WEBGL, UNMASKED_RENDERER_WEBGL) with a common cohort value. Sites cannot identify your specific GPU model. |
| Audio context | Injects per-origin noise into audio processing graph output, blocking audio-based fingerprinting. |
| Font enumeration APIs | queryLocalFonts() and document.fonts.check() return a cohorted set of fonts rather than your actual installed font list. |
| User-Agent and client hints | Guest pages see a standard, common Chrome identity (User-Agent header, Sec-CH-UA, navigator.userAgentData) rather than the Velnode/Electron string. Your Velnode account and sync calls are not affected. |
Velnode is honest about the limits of this feature.
| Residual signal | Why it is not covered |
|---|---|
| WebGL capability parameters — extension list, maximum texture size, precision values | These parameters are hardware-specific and vary per GPU. Cohort-mapping them without breaking WebGL-intensive pages would require a per-GPU compatibility audit not yet completed. The rendered-image vector (highest-entropy) is covered; capability parameters are lower-entropy residuals. |
Metric-based font measurement — layout engine metrics accessed via measureText() or offsetWidth |
Spoofing text-measurement values would alter page layout visibly and break content. API-based font enumeration is covered by the font-API cohort. |
A determined tracker with access to multiple signals can still narrow down your browser using these residuals. Fingerprint Protection reduces the practical fingerprinting surface and unlinks the highest-entropy vectors across sessions. It does not make your browser anonymous.
This is consistent with the protections shipping in other privacy-focused browsers today.
| Context | Status |
|---|---|
| Incognito (Enhanced) windows | Always on — no setting needed |
| Tor windows | Always on — no setting needed |
| Normal windows with Network Privacy active | Automatically on |
| Normal windows, all other cases | Off by default; you turn it on in Settings |
The toggle is off by default in normal windows because Velnode is lightweight by default — Fingerprint Protection adds a small amount of processing to every canvas and WebGL read-back. Most users will not notice this overhead, but you choose when to add it.
Ctrl+,).The change takes effect immediately in new page loads. A page that is already open will apply the protection after a reload.
If a site breaks when Fingerprint Protection is on — typically this affects sites that use canvas or WebGL heavily for legitimate rendering purposes, such as 3D configurators or design tools — you can allow that site to receive your real signals.
example.com) and click Add.The site is now in your allowlist. Fingerprint Protection stays active for all other sites.
To remove an exception, open Manage exceptions, find the domain, and click Remove.
A site's canvas or image output looks slightly different than I expect. This is expected behaviour when Fingerprint Protection is on — the per-origin noise alters pixel values by a small, imperceptible amount. If this is causing a problem (for example, an image-editing tool that compares pixel values), add the site to your exceptions list.
A WebGL-based application or game is not working correctly. Add the site to the exceptions list. Fingerprint Protection noise can affect certain WebGL applications that rely on precise pixel read-back values for logic (not just display).
The User-Agent shown on a test site is a Chrome UA, not Velnode. That is correct behaviour when Fingerprint Protection is on. The common Chrome identity is presented to guest pages. If a site specifically requires the Velnode UA (for example, a site designed for Velnode users), add it to the exceptions list.
I want to check whether Fingerprint Protection is working.
Online fingerprint test tools such as those at coveryourtracks.eff.org will report a less unique fingerprint when Fingerprint Protection is active. Note that the metric-based font vectors and WebGL capability vectors described in §3 may still show as partially identifiable — that is expected for this release.
Document maintained by Dignity New Zealand Limited. Questions: [email protected].