Posted by Peter Jay Salzman on 11/08/04 11:31

Gordon Burditt <gordonb.4soxc@burditt.org> wrote:
>>> My guess is that your polling system resides on an intranet? I tried to
>>> find a solution to the same problem a week ago, as in my case IP
>>> addresses are dynamically assigned and therefore change daily per user.
>>> Sadly, I could not find a solution. I would just use cookies and if
>>> it is paramount that users do not vote more than once, make them login
>>> before casting their vote.
>>
>>If it's for an intranet, you could try calling nmap from php, get the
>>results (including a mac address) and use that information to identify
>>computers (but not users)
>
> The mac address is not transmitted through routers, so it's useless.
> Almost the entire Internet will appear to have the same MAC address.
>
> Using nmap against machines that aren't your own is likely to get
> your account shut off for virus-like activity (even, or ESPECIALLY,
> if you use some of nmap's 'stealth' options, as routers may watch
> for this sort of stuff).
>
> Why is ONE COMPUTER, ONE VOTE the appropriate rule for a poll?
> Many compuers have multiple users, and some users have control over
> lots and lots of computers.
>
> Gordon L. Burditt


All I have to say is... THANK HEAVENS our mac addresses don't get
transmitted! That's the last thing my dwindling privacy needs.

BTW, the point is moot, but mac addresses on many NICs can be easily spoofed.

Pete

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