In this 10 Minute Tip, Micah Hoffman from the OSINT Curious Project explains what a User Agent string is and why it matters for cybersecurity, privacy, and digital investigations. A User Agent string is client-side data sent to every website or server your browser or app connects to, revealing system details such as your operating system, browser type, and version. The video demonstrates how to view your User Agent via HTTP headers or websites like whatu.info, and how to modify it using tools like Python Requests, Curl, or browser extensions such as User Agent Switcher. Changing your User Agent can simulate other devices (like an iPhone or Googlebot), test web layouts, or help protect operational security (OPSEC). Micah highlights how some websites alter interfaces and analytics depending on the User Agent you send, making it a key concept for OSINT, penetration testing, and privacy management.
