What is "Device ID" ?

[Username333]

Hi All, Im new here,

I wonder if anyone knows what does term "Device ID" mean? It is with very specific value which is very lengthy also. Let me explain: sometimes websites (webmasters behind websites) track information about visitors. They can track network information (e.g. ip number, isp provider), they can track browser information (e.g. version of java installed), they can track hardware information (e.g. hard drive serial number, motherboard type) and they can obviously track also software information which is OS info (e.g. timezone in taskbar).

Of course all websites don't track everything, not even close to everything. Different websites track different info. Some might not track anything at all. Each parameter contains its own value.

So I am asking for parameter "Device ID" and example of such value is the following one (i believe usually automatically provided to the website tracking visitors system without the quotes):

"KHUR4H5ZOVVM5ZFMUVX3Y2CW9G49R5P3V3XHXZIP5TOPI3FO5KFMF5ERVGMW220K"

Could anyone please explain me what this parameter "Device ID" is? This for sure isn't hard drive serial number. I did some research on topic similar too "hard drive parameters" or "hard drive information" or "hard drive identification values" etc but I am not able to find anything with such similar value, neither to what this parameter belong to.

Would anyone please be so kind to tell me what is this? There are many devices that could be understood as hardware device and no idea to which exact piece of hard drive is parameter "Device ID" with such example of value related to.

Thanks in advance! Much appreciated.

 

[-Sikzo-]

The Device ID is the ID assigned to a piece of hardware by your OS. You can read about the many classes which can have such an ID, in here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa389273%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

A Device ID can be assigned to your Network Adapter, your Graphicscard, your Audio Card, your HDD and your CPU. This can (and most likely will) be used to track you. Some developers of videogames use these IDs to issue so called hardware bans or HWID bans (HardWare ID).

You can find an ID of a component by opening the device manager, right clicking a device and then clicking on properties. Now select "Details" and chose "Device Instance Path" from the dropdown menu. I don't know for sure if that's the actual Device ID, because they vary a lot, depending on the device ( would be easier to call and display it using C# imo).

I hope I could help you with that. If not, please don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Username333]

Sikzo thank you for your reply but which piece of hardware according to example value I provided? There are many different devices/pieces and I want to know to what is parameter ''Device ID'' (tracked by website to track visitors), containing example of value I showed, referred to?

According to this:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff552325%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

''hardware id'' term is not equal to term ''device id'' according to my showed example of value.

Neither ''network adapter'' or ''network adapter id'' is ''device id'' (always comparing to my showed example of value).

''Graphic card'' also not because this would be manufacturer brand and/or model. Same for Audio Card.

I think HDD is identified either with its model or with following value (example only) ''19D0-CCW4'' which stands for hard drive serial number. This for sure isn't ''device id''.

Any such parameter as ''cpu id'' would look like this: https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php So its not ''device id''.

I tried device manager but nowhere is any similar value to the value I showed in first post. I also tried software Everest which basically ''scans'' and provides everything what kind of hardware does computer have. No luck either.