Hosts: Interesting Google Ad not being blocked.

Created on 12 Dec 2019 · 11Comments · Source: StevenBlack/hosts

Found a page that seems like Google is bypassing the Little Snitch rules based on these hosts.

From what I can tell, there is javascript SOMEWHERE that seems to be creating a proxy then sending all requests through it vs using system host or being blocked by Little Snitch.

https://ww.9to5mac.com/2019/12/11/apple-dmca-iphone-encryption-tweet/

wontfix

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rjhancock

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The same technology is being used on https://www-1.kansas.com/. It proxies every request through the first-party server. The technology is apparently called Apomaya Adgain https://apomaya.com/resources/data-sheets/AdGain.pdf and is pending a patent https://patents.google.com/patent/US20180189824A1/en.

llacb47 on 12 Dec 2019

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llacb47 on 12 Dec 2019

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Interesting. Just reported that to Apple as a work around for ITP for the 3rd Party -> 1st Party redirection.

Not sure there is a way to block this from a hosts file but might be able to via a browser extension blocking the data-aproxy-src element but that would probably also disable the site.

rjhancock on 12 Dec 2019

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uBlock Origin fixes it via a scriptlet on kansas.com. I haven't reported 9to5mac.com yet.

llacb47 on 12 Dec 2019

That is actually scary reading you provide there @llacb47 :fearful: But thanks for sharing these concerns about our privacy in the future, and it will be a good question on how we in the future would find those transparent proxies to be able to block them on other than browsers by ex: the data-aproxy-src @rjhancock mentions.

spirillen on 12 Dec 2019

I have noticed that disabling JavaScript on the site does prevent the proxy from working, but that is not a good long term solution.

I may have to look at the URL calls via Chrome to get a better idea what is going on. I'm fairly certain Apple will block it natively in Safari at some point but that doesn't solve the issue for others.

rjhancock on 18 Dec 2019

Looks like the latest Safari (13.1) released today blocks the method used by Apomaya. Tested both 9to5 and Kansas. Neither showed ads.

rjhancock on 24 Mar 2020

What do you mean? Safari out of the box w/ no extensions on macOS? Their normal homepages didn't show ads, or just the redirected homepage served by Apomaya?

llacb47 on 24 Mar 2020

Safari, out of the box, no extension, on any page I went to on 9to5 Mac did NOT redirect to an Apomaya served page.

Note: I'm still using my LittleSnitch powered rules to block ads. Before it required disabling javascript and now it doesn't.

rjhancock on 24 Mar 2020

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Oh, well that (is / could be) because 9to5mac temporarily (?) removed the apomaya code from their site. It's still on 9to5google, dronedj.com, and kansas.com.

llacb47 on 24 Mar 2020

Damn. That's probably it then. Kansas.com I didn't see any ads, droned.com I did.

rjhancock on 24 Mar 2020

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