Kaspersky detects over 38 billion web trackers in 2024

Kaspersky has detected over 38 billion instances of web trackers collecting user behaviour data in 2024, with an average of one million detections per day.

Web tracking involves the collection, storage, and analysis of data related to users' online behaviour. This can include various forms of data such as demographics, website visits, the amount of time spent on pages, and interactions like clicks, scrolls, and mouse movements, which are often used to create heatmaps and other insights. Businesses utilise this information to tailor experiences, enhance user engagement, effectively target advertisements, and assess the performance of their online services.

Kaspersky's products include a Do Not Track (DNT) component that blocks tracking elements intended to monitor user activity on websites. This feature allows Kaspersky to evaluate the current state of data harvesting by web trackers. In their recent analysis of the 25 most common tracking services, which include platforms from Google, New Relic, and Microsoft, Kaspersky experts documented 38,725,551,855 data collection incidents occurring over a year from July 2023 to June 2024. Users were observed sharing their data approximately 1,060,974 times daily.

The comprehensive report features a region-by-region assessment of the prevalence of different tracking services. Noteworthy findings include the dominance of Google Display & Video 360 in Asia, where it triggered 25.47% of DNT component alerts in South Asia and 24.45% in East Asia. Its smallest share was found in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at 8.38%, where local tracking services are more widespread.

Regarding Google Analytics, which is used to track user behaviour and optimise website traffic, it had the largest share in Latin America at 14.89%, followed by 14.12% in the Middle East. Google AdSense trackers were most prevalent in the Middle East and South Asia, holding shares of 6.91% and 6.85%, respectively, while the smallest shares were noted in Oceania (3.76%) and the CIS (2.30%).

The report noted an increase in the presence of these tracking systems across almost all regions. While some systems saw decreases in specific areas, others expanded, particularly those from Google, underscoring Google's extensive user tracking which surpasses any other company.

YouTube Analytics was found to have the highest share in South Asia (12.71%) and the Middle East (12.30%) and the lowest in Europe (5.65%) and North America (4.56%).

Moreover, Microsoft trackers were most common in Latin America, where they accounted for 3.38% of trackings, and least common in the CIS with a presence of 0.68%. Bing trackers showed significant activity in Africa at 8.46%, while their smallest presence was in the CIS at 0.77%.

In countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Russia, where local internet services are highly advanced, regional tracking systems have not only made it to the top 25 but in some cases have outperformed global competitors.

"While the top 25 tracking services show that data collection isn't confined to just a few companies, the more organisations storing and processing our information, the greater the risk of breaches. However, with most tracking handled by tech giants, there's strong motivation for them to protect user data and safeguard their reputations. Ultimately, though, users must take responsibility for their own data security, being mindful of the platforms they engage with and taking steps to protect their privacy," comments Anna Larkina, Security and Privacy Expert at Kaspersky.