System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#1

Post by krpl » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:17 PM UTC

System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux
github.com

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#2

Post by mathisd » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:34 PM UTC

How does it work compared to a browser extension ad blocker ?

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#3

Post by dotcoma » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:35 PM UTC

Is anything similar available? Also open source? Does it really work better than browser add-ons? Would this help minimise browser fingerprinting ?

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#4

Post by sodality2 » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:35 PM UTC

mathisd wrote: post #2

How does it work compared to a browser extension ad blocker ?

Browsers only work in the browser, this is system-wide

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#5

Post by sodality2 » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:36 PM UTC

dotcoma wrote: post #3

Is anything similar available? Also open source? Does it really work better than browser add-ons? Would this help minimise browser fingerprinting ?

This won't affect fingerprinting (except maybe it'll block the fingerprinting scripts if they're in lists). It does work better than add-ons in that it'll work on regular applications, not just your browser

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#6

Post by dotcoma » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:41 PM UTC

sodality2 wrote: post #5

dotcoma wrote: post #3

Is anything similar available? Also open source? Does it really work better than browser add-ons? Would this help minimise browser fingerprinting ?

This won't affect fingerprinting (except maybe it'll block the fingerprinting scripts if they're in lists). It does work better than add-ons in that it'll work on regular applications, not just your browser

I meant - but was not very clear: if one used this software instead of a browser add-on to block ads, would this be a big improvement in escaping browser fingerprinting ?

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#7

Post by normalaccess » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:42 PM UTC

I haven’t had time to look at the code. Is this generating a unique root certificate per install? If not this could become an attack vector to decrypt TLS traffic.

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#8

Post by sodality2 » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:44 PM UTC

dotcoma wrote: post #6

sodality2 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This won't affect fingerprinting (except maybe it'll block the fingerprinting scripts if they're in lists). It does work better than add-ons in that it'll work on regular applications, not just your browser

I meant - but was not very clear: if one used this software instead of a browser add-on to block ads, would this be a big improvement in escaping browser fingerprinting ?

Probably not. Use a dedicated tool like a custom browser (Mullvad Browser comes to mind - it beats fingerprint.com/demo which Firefox even WITH protections enabled, does not.

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#9

Post by exitzer0 » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:45 PM UTC

It is just not wise to allow some random application to MiTM your SSL traffic.

Re: System-wide open source ad blocker for Mac, Windows, and Linux

#10

Post by CodeNest » Mon, Dec 04, 2023, 11:47 PM UTC

Application doesn't provide a way to remove installed certificate. Don't use this app.