Apple Cracking Down on VPN-Based Ad Blockers That Work in Third-Party Apps - What will AdGuard do ?

SergZZZ

New Member
I can confirm that's as was promised every single app that used local VPN profile Adblock workaround stoped working :(

Back to Wi-Fi DNS filtering...
 

Tanith

New Member
Back to Wi-Fi DNS filtering...
It works great so far. I‘ve added the standard DNS-server of my internet service provider and only use the blacklist and whitelist feature. So nothing really changed regarding the DNS server but the black- and white lists do a great job on Wifi and mobile connection. Keep the fingers crossed that Apple will never forbid DNS filtering.
 

Bruno

Member
This is for the macOS-version of NordVPN, not the iOS-version.
I use CyberGhost VPN since a few years now. At the beginning, the iOS-App (and their macOS-App) also had a combined adblocking-feature via the VPN-server connection...
FYI CyberGhost was identified in an academic paper because its Android VPN app is considered “malicious or intrusive” and it also tested positive for malware by VirustTotal.
 

Tanith

New Member
FYI CyberGhost was identified in an academic paper because its Android VPN app is considered “malicious or intrusive” and it also tested positive for malware by VirustTotal.
Thanks Bruno! I‘m with iOS and do not even use the CyberGhost-App. I configured the VPN connection by myself. CyberGhost does not force you to use their Apps. There are also manuals publiced by CyberGhost for a configuration without the Apps.
 

Bruno

Member
@Tanith Good to hear. However a provider that is intrusive within its app can be trusted at IMHO. I will strongly recommend your look for another VPN provider.
To be honest I've also been scam by NordVPN that is dishonest and malicious in term of marketing and customer service. Whatever the reviews or some people say, this is not true.
There is a month free trial (12$ normally) which will end tomorrow on Stacksocial for Perfect Privacy. I testing them right now and I can tell you that I am very impressive about their speed and adblocker technology integrated on the VPN level. You should try it. Be aware there is no app for iOS or Mac. You have to configure your WiFi settings to use IKEv2 settings .
 

Tanith

New Member
@Tanith Good to hear. However a provider that is intrusive within its app can be trusted at IMHO. I will strongly recommend your look for another VPN provider.
To be honest I've also been scam by NordVPN that is dishonest and malicious in term of marketing and customer service. Whatever the reviews or some people say, this is not true.
There is a month free trial (12$ normally) which will end tomorrow on Stacksocial for Perfect Privacy. I testing them right now and I can tell you that I am very impressive about their speed and adblocker technology integrated on the VPN level. You should try it. Be aware there is no app for iOS or Mac. You have to configure your WiFi settings to use IKEv2 settings .
Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. I have left over 12 months with CyberGhost and it does the job also quite well. CyberGhost is situated in the European Union in Romania. I think that is also a good combination because on the one hand there is no logging of any connection data because there is no data preservation in Romania. But there also applies the strong EU General Data Protection Regulation. In terms of NordVPN, which is situated in Panama, you never know if a company, which is dishonest and malicious in terms of marketing and customer service, are selling your user data (e. g. your email address) to others even if they say they don't.
 

Bruno

Member
I got so pissed with NordVPN, I still have 2 years to go with them, that I asked for a refund. And you know what, they refused the first time but after my response they finally accept it the second time :)

So I will keep testing Perfect Privacy.
 

SergZZZ

New Member
I have to admit that configuring DNS servers in Wi-Fi settings works great and even using updated version of AdGuard 1.3 also works great, with one but, what you do on your phone goes through AdGuards DNS servers. What I find interesting is that apps like Adblock and Weblock that use local VPN workaround still in the App Store and both of them were just updated and both work perfectly! Which makes me wonder, what if that the whole thing/article that started this whole thread was just a publicity stunt?
 

Bruno

Member
Is Adblock and Weblock workaround real VPN or fake one as Adguard?
Anyway, going through third party DNS or VPN, won't change anything until this third party gets your data encrypted with no logs. Otherwise it will always see what you are doing.
 
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SergZZZ

New Member
Is Adcock and Weblock workaround real VPN or fake one as Adguard?
Anyway, going through third party DNS or VPN, won't change anything until this third party gets your data encrypted with no logs. Otherwise it will always see what you are doing.
ha ha, Bruno, you made me laugh "Adcock" is a hilarious name for an Adblock app. Any way Adblock and Weblock still use Local VPN profile (fake VPN) same one that Adguard used back in 1.2 version where all blocking happens on your device.
Now Adguard deploys real VPN servers. It connects to OpenDNS, Google & Yandex DNS servers all very reputable companies that buy and sell your personal data for more targeted advertising purposes. They anonymize individual users data and use pools of data to optimize their advertising delivery algorithms.
 
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Bruno

Member
Sorry about the mistake, I should have re-read my post :rolleyes:

So if it is a fake VPN, then you are back to square one in term of privacy. However what you are saying is intriging because Apple should have blocked them. Maybe they are still under the radar...
 

Bianco8

Beta Tester
So, at this moment, is not possible to have a full filtering? I've AdGuard Pro and i've really enjoyed the possibility to block ads on every app, on both cellular/wifi connection..
As i saw posted before, why other apps are allowed continue using the full filtering through a fake VPN, for ex. AdBlock or WeBlock?
 

Panatha23

New Member
If it's not showing VPN icon it means it's not connected, which means you will see ads in your apps, the free version only blocks ads in Safari!

You have to have Adguard PRO version

Inside Adguard PRO app, you should enable PRO setting

Then make sure system-wide Ad Blocking is enabled

Then under DNS Settings you should select one of the custom DNS Servers you can choose Adguard Default or Adguard Family Protection

then go to your phone Settings under VPN it should say Connected. (if not then you can connect it under VPN Config)

Also by selecting Adguard Pro VPN, make sure Connect On Demand is enabled so it will switch automatically between Wi-Fi and 3G or LTE

I have included pictures so you can troubleshoot the issue.

I know it's confusing, I wish Adguard had an article about this, I would gladly write it for them!
Hello thanks for the info but I’m not getting any Adguard Default or Adguard Family Protection indication at my Adguard Pro app.
I I’m missing something that need to do to have that option?

Thanks.
 
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Bruno

Member
So, at this moment, is not possible to have a full filtering? I've AdGuard Pro and i've really enjoyed the possibility to block ads on every app, on both cellular/wifi connection..
As i saw posted before, why other apps are allowed continue using the full filtering through a fake VPN, for ex. AdBlock or WeBlock?
You can still activate the full filtering in the option.
 
U

user3

Guest
So, at this moment, is not possible to have a full filtering? I've AdGuard Pro and i've really enjoyed the possibility to block ads on every app, on both cellular/wifi connection..
As i saw posted before, why other apps are allowed continue using the full filtering through a fake VPN, for ex. AdBlock or WeBlock?
I use a blacklist I've been curating since Apple's crackdown began. I recreated the list using parts of lists from several sources, as well as adding to it myself. It's only been for personal use but from the demand I've seen over the last couple months, I'm seriously contemplating releasing it for public use with the caveat that the end user has to be sure to remove from & add to the list as is needed by each person.IMG_0674.PNG
 
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user3

Guest
If anyone is interested in my list, which is curated from Malware Domains, DS Shield, Zeus Tracker, Peter Lowe's, HP Hosts, plus I think 1 or 2 others, please let me know in a conversation thread. I also have a smaller collection that I use - that should be used - that I compiled via Adguard's DNS logging function. Again, don't hesitate to message me and I'll send both lists with ### NOTES ### attached. Enjoy!

Note: A simple explaination of how DNS Blacklisting via Adguard Pro for iOS follows.

The Adguard Pro VPN is nothing more/less than a loopback to localhost, 127.1.1.1 in this case. This allows DNS Blacklisting to act as a deny hosts file, the computer (Linux) equivilent is found in /etc/hosts.deny. So, anything entered as a domain in the Adguard Pro DNS Blacklist file will behave in exactly the same way, stopping connections dead in their tracks before the connection occurs.
 
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user3

Guest
I've gone ahead and created a public gist instead to avoid waiting for me to respond to every convo. Here's a link - gist.github.com/X8716e/fb2267c5793d46ea99dad583ee0b977e - use https. I've used 'AdGuard Pro iOS' in the name.txt file as well as the list. If either or both is an issue, please let me know and I'll change what's needed.
 
U

user3

Guest
Is there an easy way to import your list? Copy/paste for 20K lines just isn't working.
Copying the list from its 'Raw' view is much easier. Also, I use a free app called "Documents" by 'Readdle' to do any editing / saving I need to do before pasting into Adguard's DNS Blacklist. I recommend using that particular app as its far more resilient than the native notes app or any other I've yet found. It eases the entire process. Hope this helps you; it works well for me.

Edit: Using “Documents”’ built-in single tab browser, using ‘Select All’ is as easy as holding your finger on the list for one or two seconds. Then ‘Copy’ the list in/onto a new .txt file right within “Documents” itself. You can pre-create an empty, named .txt file (recommended) or create one after copying the list. Then ‘Paste’ it onto the blank .txt file and you’ll have an easy to work with DNS Blacklist for Adguard Pro. The scrollbar to the right of the document works quickly to navigate through the blacklist. I see one domain not properly set. It should be ‘.top’, instead there is no ‘.’ - one reason any help given in editing and maintaining this list which is *all of yours* is most welcomed. All you have to do for suggestions, pointing out misnamed domains, duplicate entries (there are still quite a few, especially with yesterday’s update), etc, is to leave comments just like you do in Adguard’s Github Repository.
CAAC8B3A-B88F-4A25-9F58-2BAC5E426582.png
 
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user3

Guest
I've gone ahead and created a public gist instead to avoid waiting for me to respond to every convo. Here's a link - gist.github.com/X8716e/fb2267c5793d46ea99dad583ee0b977e - use https. I've used 'AdGuard Pro iOS' in the name.txt file as well as the list. If either or both is an issue, please let me know and I'll change what's needed.

### Updated List on October 12 2017 to include Adguard Mobile, adapted for DNS Blacklisting, and DisconnectMe, also adapted. The DisconnectMe list I’ve included is targeted toward/against corporate-social control. It targets corporations exterting power over our everyday interconnected lives. Examples include Facebook, Google, Yandex, and Twitter, including all “services” they “give you” such as Gmail, GDrive, Yandex Mail, Disk . Yandex and WhatsApp (owned by Facebook, its original encryption protocal was designed by Openwhisper (brilliant group of devs; Moxie Marlinspike runs circles around anyone I’ve yet to encounter when it comes to evolving encryption protocals), ultimately destroyed by Facebook via in-corporation of proprietary code, making it no more private or secure than Facebook in general. Use the DisconnectMe list and see just how controlled you and every detail of your lives are being controlled by multinational-corporations. That particular portion of the list is clearly labeled as such, making it easy to edit out any entries that may disrupt your lives. I recommend giving serious thought to using, for example, open-source, privacy-oriented &/or user-friendly encrypted email services such as Protonmail . com or Tuta . de (Protonmail is my choice when communicating any direct personal information; its Swiss based, founded by CEARN members, uses a far better encryption protocal, has its servers located in a heavily guarded granite bunker, is not subject to the *European Union’s LAX PRIVACY LAWS*, isn’t a German company that will submit to the U.S. whenever the U.S. wants, for whatever reason, Tutanota to decrypt mail for them, and for that matter doesn’t spy on it’s own citizens and those of other countries whenver they so desire as Germany does.) There are, as well, open-source social networks in use; a simple DuckDuckGo . com search (personally I never use the term or the engine of Google). Its just as easy to use groups in Signal by Openwhisper; why expose yourself to anyone but the people *you choose*. Why expose yourself to unlimited data retention, no matter what Facebook et al may claim? Do you want to trust a multinational corporation that is actively fighting to trash (inter)Net(work) Neutrality? On that note, if you are in the U.S. please demand of your representatives and senators that they vote to keep the Net Neutrality law enacted during the previous administration or face losing their seat in government. Remember the days of America Online? The paywalled garden that will be implemented by the current FCC chairman will take the America Online wall and say to Comcast and other ISPs “Here you go! Enjoy your new windfall, I know you’ll just love charging for all but the most prominent web domains owned by corporations’ who pay you whatever amount of *protection money* you desire while passing double that amount to all of those sheeple too lazy to fight for freedom! *You have choices every moment of your lives. Use them wisely.*

This is the address of the Raw TXT version of the list - gist.githubusercontent.com/X8716e/fb2267c5793d46ea99dad583ee0b977e/raw/56e66ead4f2086e072b16b2555e27c327173bf1e/Adguard_Pro_iOS_Hosts.Deny_List.txt - use https://
 
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