The HTML5 feature used to detect the battery life on a visitor's device can actually interpret several other details about the battery that leaves a digital print of the device. This actually exposes the device to the threat of being hacked by external users. Analysts from France and Belgium made this discovery and have also published a paper with regards to the same topic.

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According to Wired, researchers from France and Belgium have made a shocking discovery about a loophole in HTML5 security that could be giving hackers access to the systems of the users. As per their research, it has been proved that the HTML 5 feature used to detect battery life on the user's device is actually capable of interpreting more data from readings that are provided by Firefox on Linux. This data includes capacity of the battery, life remaining, percentage used and other vital information that actually gives access to a fingerprint of the machine that can be used to hack the device.

The current setting is programmed to save the user's battery settings in the system. Originally, the feature was introduced in order to help save the battery life of the user's device. This is because, each time the power went low, the site would comfortably shift to an energy saving mode; however, the API is capable of delivering accurate battery readings every thirty seconds. Using these readings as a base, hackers can actually trace users though at a short duration of time.

The HTML 5 feature that creates this loophole in the security and privacy of the users is known as the Battery Status API. The researchers who have discovered this theft and published their research were Lukasz Olejnik, Gunes Acar, Claude Castelluccia, and Claudia Diaz, Mashable reported.

This loophole is emerging as a cause of concern because such tracking is really difficult to escape. However, the researchers also point out that there is an extremely easy way to fix the issue. All it needs to be done is to round of the battery readings to an approximation, therefore never revealing the exact status of the device.

TagsHTML 5 loophole, HTML 5 privacy concern, HTML 5 security