uBlock Origin stopped working on Youtube, Spotify

[shytikov]

This is invitation to discussion, I'm still working on identifying reason of the issue. But here is the story.

It seems to be if URL is requested through PepperFlash plugin in Chrome, they bypass uBlock0 filters.

I can see in developers tools, that requests sent from Flash succeeds, while the same URLs called from browser's address bar shows blocking notification.

It happened when I have updated Chrome to version 45. They promised to abandon third-party plugins and they did this (once again). Yesterday when I was running website through Adobe Flash, addresses was blocked, but today PepperFlash bypasses all blocking easily.

Have someone else noticed the same behavior?

[gorhill]

if URL

Any test case (specific URL) so that anyboby can try and reproduce?

[shytikov]

Here is screen. It's Spotify Web player.

It's sends some tracking (successfully!!! note status 200!!!) to following URL.

The URL will be immediately blocked by uBlock0 as soon as you click on it.

[gorhill]

What is the URL of that web page? I want an exact URL, so that I do not have to second guess whether I have a good case or not: I want the same test case as yours.

[gitarra]

Related? #633

[gorhill]

@shytikov Also, could you look into what uBlock's logger is reporting? I am wondering whether the network request is reported as behind-the-scene network request (select the All entry in the logger's droplist).

[gorhill]

Ok I am guessing the URL is https://play.spotify.com/artist/4YVK4q8FoSDmaV6ikZaKPZ (Space Rangers).

[shytikov]

@gorhill Sorry for delay, yes, the URL is correct.

@gitarra 100% related.

[gorhill]

With Google Chrome 46.0.2490.6 dev (64-bit) on Linux, I can't reproduce here. I do see a request to stats.g.doubleclick.net, but it is properly blocked:

[shytikov]

@gorhill can you give me some hints how I can get information from uBlock0 log?

I'm using Windows 8, x64. Maybe issue is specific to Windows only?

[gorhill]

I see differences between my result and your result:

• Your request to stats.g.doubleclick.net is for a GIF, mine was for a script.
• The "initiator" of your request was "other", mine was spotify.web.client.js:309.

What are your uBlock settings? Please provide all settings which differ from default ones (I use default settings in my attempt to reproduce).

[shytikov]

Default settings. Reseted them once again right not to make sure they are stock.

Can you please check on Linux, which version of flash are you using? Adobe or Pepper?

[gorhill]

which version of flash are you using?

Pepper: Adobe Flash Player - Version: 19.0.0.142.

uBlock's logger: https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/The-logger.

[shytikov]

In my case it's Pepper: Adobe Flash Player - Version: 18.0.0.232

[shytikov]

I believe on Windows Pepper runs in container so separate, so uBlock0 cannot access it.

[gorhill]

so uBlock0 cannot access it

It should not matter, the browser is supposed to pass network requests to uBlock through its webRequest API, it does not matter where the network request comes from.

[shytikov]

Is there any test cases I can run on my PC to determine the reason of the issue?

[gorhill]

I think you should look in uBlock's logger first to see if the offending network request is seen or not by uBlock. If it is a behind-the-scene request, it won't be blocked by default, and this could be what you are experiencing.

[shytikov]

You can see even on my screenshot number of blocked elements is empty. I have checked log too. It's empty. Not a record there. It seems all requests are passing by.

Before that Spotify triggered a hundreds of blocked items.

Are we doomed?

[gorhill]

Not a record there. It seems all requests are passing by.

Ok, so it does seem you are experiencing exactly the same problem as reported here: https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=526413. Someone posted a screenshot of the logger, and this suggests that for whatever reasons, chrome.webRequest API stops working.

If more people stars the Chromium issue, this might help in convincing Chromium devs to look more into this.

[gorhill]

@shytikov Do you have uBlock Origin's "Collect errors" checked in about:extensions? If not, could you check it and once it's checked, are there any errors reported once uBlock stops working?

[gorhill]

Related: #594?

[shytikov]

@gorhill related 💯

I will try to get you more information with "Collect errors" enabled...

[gorhill]

Side note, there has been some work done in chrome.webRequest-related code in the last four weeks: https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+log/master/extensions/browser/api/web_request/web_request_api.cc.

[harshanvn]

this is very bad news, if chrome disables ability to view net requests made by other extensions...:(

Hope this will not be true with Firefox, with their web extensions api..

[gorhill]

Do you have "Continue running background apps when Chromium is closed" checked in the browser's advanced settings?

[tvanderka]

This happens if you have youtube app in chrome, remove it and uBlock starts working.

The new webrequest filtering code treats those apps like extensions and filters the requests out.

[gorhill]

@tvanderka Thanks for the tip! I will share with others.

[gorhill]

@tvanderka I launched Chrome 47 and went to install the Youtube app to see if I could now reproduce the issue, but apparently it is already installed, and yet I am still unable to see video ads.

Edit: I was finally able to reproduce by removing/re-installing Youtube app from store. Removing the app I wasn't able to reproduce.

[Luxocracy]

Just posting to confirm that the solution that @tvanderka commented on solved the issues I've been having with youtube ads as of late.
edit: Tried re-adding the youtube app to confirm and as soon as I did I had ads on youtube bypass uBlock again.

[gorhill]

Confirmed working by other users: https://forums.lanik.us/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=25033&start=15.

[gorhill]

So to recapitulate:

• Regression bug on Chromium 45 and higher (affects all blockers).
  • Roughly, side effect of a fix related to a security issue (which is not yet public).
• Workaround as posted by @tvanderka above:
  • Open a new tab.
  • Type chrome://apps in the address bar.
  • Remove YouTube app (right-click, Remove from Chrome...).
  • Restart the browser.

If you also get ads on Spotify, it's probably because you install the Spotify app. The solution is the same as above, except remove the Spotify app from chrome://apps (confirmed working by OP below).

[Rob--W]

@shytikov Did you install the Spotify app? Due to a bug in Chromium (https://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=526413), extensions cannot block requests originating from websites for which you have installed a "hosted app".

The work-around for now is to disable (or remove) e.g. the Spotify app.

[shytikov]

@Rob--W yes, I have Spotify app... After removing it started working! Thanks!

[JulianNorton]

I'm still gettings ads from youtube even though I've removed the youtube app.

[gorhill]

Logger.

[j3mdamas]

this is just a thank you note
Thanks a lot about this tip on removing the Youtube and Spotify apps! I am not a user of uBlock origin, but this thread helped me solving the problem with the tracker blocker I use.

[Rob--W]

FYI, at the next release of Chrome 45 and 46, the problem will be fixed. All patches have landed in the right branches, the only remaining to-do is actually publishing a new version of Chrome.

[gorhill]

Duplicate of #633.

[pawel2105]

I'd like to chime in that I'm seeing ads on YouTube using 1.1.1 on FF 40.0.3.

EDIT: restarting my firefox has fixed uBlock Origin. Must be a browser issue.

[gorhill]

If it happens again, look in the logger to see what is happening. Also a look at the browser console (Ctrl-Shift-j) to see if there are errors reported.