A technique for uniquely identifying devices without explicitly provided device or user identifying information in a networked 
client-
server environment, e.g., the 
Mobile Internet, in which content is downloaded from a 
server to a device browser executing at a 
client device, and using static 
XML markup tags embedded in the content in a manner transparent to a user situated at the device browser, derives a globally 
unique device identifier. Device identifying information is captured and maintained in a device profile 
database associated with a globally 
unique device identifier. Specifically, mark up code embedded into a referring 
content page effectively downloads 
software from a distribution 
server, and then instantiates the 
software in the 
client device browser. The 
software transparently and dynamically inserts an 
Internet address request to a device identification 
management system. The device identification 
management system selects a device profile associated with a previously detected request from the device and retrieves its 
globally unique identifier from a 
database of all profiles for all previous devices requesting unique device identifications. If a matching profile is not found in the 
database, the device identifying information associated with the request is entered as a 
new device profile along with a 
globally unique identifier associated with that specific device in the database. The 
globally unique identifier is delivered back to the device or external systems for their own use, e.g., 
mobile Internet advertising management systems.