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4d ago

Meta halts covert Android tracking; browsers roll out countermeasures

Researchers’ report led Meta to disable the localhost port linking feature, spurring browser vendors to implement fixes to block the technique.

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Overview

  • Meta and Yandex had exploited fixed localhost ports in Android apps to link mobile web browsing data with user identities without consent.
  • An international team from IMDEA Networks, Radboud University and KU Leuven publicly exposed the practice on June 3, 2025.
  • Meta Pixel and Yandex Metrica were embedded on an estimated 5.8 million and 3 million sites respectively, bypassing Incognito Mode and VPN protections.
  • Meta paused its Android localhost bridging system after media scrutiny, while Chrome 137 shipped countermeasures on May 26 and Firefox is preparing its own patch.
  • The technique sidestepped cookie clearing and Android permission controls, prompting calls for stricter platform restrictions on local port access.