Would Adblock plus be a problem ?

[sarunw]

I just heard the news of new app About Adblock Plus for Android which block ads with no rooted required. Do you guys see this as a threat ? I know there are tens of ad-block app out there, but most of them required rooted.

[Magnesus]

The problem I see is - how does Adblock Plus work with only "full Internet access" permission on non-rooted devices? If Adblock Plus can act as a proxy won't malware be able to do the same? All apps have this permission. Does that mean any app can change proxy?

[sarunw]

The problem I see is - how does Adblock Plus work with only "full Internet access" permission on non-rooted devices? If Adblock Plus can act as a proxy won't malware be able to do the same? All apps have this permission. Does that mean any app can change proxy?

I wonder the same, this is like a really big security hole.

[Androider]

I just heard the news of new app About Adblock Plus for Android which block ads with no rooted required. Do you guys see this as a threat ? I know there are tens of ad-block app out there, but most of them required rooted.

I don't think Google is going to like this because it will block admob, which is one of their sources of income.

[Androider]

Wow, take a look at the installation graph for Adblock Plus: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....android&hl=en

If it continues this way the app will be featured by Google on the front page...

[Babuye]

We need to act. This is a threat to our future. We need to report the app as spam or anything lol. Maybe google play guys haven't seen it. And if they have then its stupid for them to allow an app that will deny us our earnings as this will just make us not develop for the platform.

[Magnesus]

People from Google know about it (at least those who work on fixing Android) - I reported the security hole that AdBlock uses (that allows it to set proxy to all apps without root) and they've set high priority to it. The AdBlock Plus guys (I have nothing against them, I use adBlock myself all the time) even commented how it could be solved on the reported issue. I don't think it's a problem to us - people who block ads, don't click on ads (speaking from my own experience). But I might be wrong - if the installation rate of adBlock gets really high (like 10% of devices), it could be a problem. There were already numerous applications like that already though - the only difference is that AdBlock works without root - but it is because of a HUGE security hole (imagine: it could be used for pishing or spying by any app!).

[Androider]

People from Google know about it (at least those who work on fixing Android) - I reported the security hole that AdBlock uses (that allows it to set proxy to all apps without root) and they've set high priority to it. The AdBlock Plus guys (I have nothing against them, I use adBlock myself all the time) even commented how it could be solved on the reported issue. I don't think it's a problem to us - people who block ads, don't click on ads (speaking from my own experience). But I might be wrong - if the installation rate of adBlock gets really high (like 10% of devices), it could be a problem. There were already numerous applications like that already though - the only difference is that AdBlock works without root - but it is because of a HUGE security hole (imagine: it could be used for pishing or spying by any app!).

Magnesus, even if the borg fix that "hole", it will take a couple of years for users to switch to the "fixed" version of Android.

And Adblock is not like other ad blockers because it is very well-known by Firefox and (lately) Chrome users. So it has a huge user base.

[Androider]

Update: It seems someone figured out the effect of Adblock Plus can be easily reverted: LeadBolt income since Google Play policy update