Apple Approves, Then Removes In-App Ad Blocker (reuters.com)

Mickeycaskill writes: Apple has pulled a number of applications from the App Store, most notably the "Been Choice" ad blocker, because of concerns the methods they employ to rid adverts could compromise sensitive user data. iOS 9 allows for the installation of applications that block adverts in Safari, but other apps like Been Choice go one step further and let users remove adverts from applications – including Apple News. Been Choice routes traffic through a VPN to filter out adverts in some applications, but it this technique has attracted the attention of Apple, which is concerned user data could be exposed. Apple says it is working with developers to get their apps back up and Been is refining its application for resubmission. In any case, Been says users must opt-in for in-app ad blocking and that no data is stored on its servers.

Comments

Just wait for macos to have the same level of lock

[Joe_Dragon]

Just wait for macos to have the same level of lock down and app store only.

Good

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm the first guy in line to shit on Apple, but having an app that routes all traffic through some unknown server is a major security issue. Apple is right to pull this until they can figure out a way to make sure the user knows the implications and/or the server operator has no way of collecting data from the users routed through his/her VPN.

Re:Good

[nullchar]

Silly they use an external VPN. On Android, local loopback VPNs like Mobiwol work great. All the apps's traffic goes through the VPN, which is local, so you can allow/deny on the fly (can filter foreground vs background too). Mobiwol could easily add some DNS-based blacklists (aka hosts file) and do add blocking plus firewall.

One would have to really trust an external VPN provider to ship all your traffic through. Which if you run your own VPN service or do trust one, it's safer than sending all your plain-text data through random wifi or cell carriers.

Re: Good

[0123456]

It cannot inspect ssl/tls traffic unless you add certificate authorities, which may be impossible without root.

If you read the actual article, it would appear that's what they're doing.

For general use? Hell no.

[SuperKendall]

The summary is horrific because it paints the pulling of these apps as negative when in fact it's one of the better demonstrations as to why non-technical people need a curated app store.

Be honest, your mom or other family member is is not as technically knowledgeable tells you they installed an app that routes all mobile traffic through some VPN the developer runs (never mind how they knew enough to explain that to you!).

Would you SERIOUSLY let that stay installed, or would you run to un-install it?

This is nothing more than a giant security breach. If you really are STUPID enough to want to run all your traffic through some strangers VPN, you can do so easily with existing mobile VPN support on any platform. They can scrub ad blockers and run MITM attacks on your bank or what have you, but at least it would have required more effort on your part to get yourself into trouble.

Honestly...

[hyperar]

I don't own, and probably never will, an Apple product, i simply don't think they worth what they cost, but i got to give a thumbs up on this one, i don't know how many of the app's users know (and understand) what was going on, and while there isn't any evidence that this actually happened, you only can "trust" they don't. Maybe if this app was advertise as such, it may be acceptable, because the user choose to trust them or not.

Re:No need anyway

[DanJ_UK]

Fucking hell mate, you have way too much time on your hands.

Re:No need anyway

[UnknowingFool]

I have it on good authority that APK has the secret moon landing tapes where it shows Kubrik directing the so-called astronauts. Also APK smuggled the infant Obama from Kenyan into Hawaii just in time for him to be "born" there. Really my neighbor's friend's cousin's roomate's college ex-girlfriend was there.

Your theory is contradicted by the summary.

[Brannon]

Do you find that most of your theories end up being wrong? If so then maybe it's time to acquire some reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Re:Does that force it off your phone too?

[tlhIngan]

Android fanboy here... just wondering - when Apple pulls an app from the store, does it force it to uninstall from your device(s) as well?

Nope.

So far, if Apple even has the ability to uninstall an app, they've never used it. They've never used their ability to disable apps, either (though limited to ones which use CoreLocation, since the disabling code is in there, so if you never touch GPS...).

All Apple has done is basically prevent users from redownloading apps. But even that's not as big a limitation - you can still back up an app using iTunes. Or download the app using iTunes and install it via iTunes (recommended method for large apps). Even if the app is removed, as long as you have the IPA (the app file, similar to apk for Android) file somewhere, and iTunes is available, you can install it via iTunes. iTunes doesn't check - as long as the app is in your name and account, iTunes will install it on your device long after the developer has disappeared.

This was how users of a particular (medical) assistance app kept using it - after the developer has been sued by some larger company or patent violations that forced Apple to remove the app, the users backed up the app via iTunes and use that to install it on every new device.

The only thing is, it's unmaintained, so if it doesn't work with a new OS version...

And if you wanted, using iTunes you can back up old versions of apps too, so if they try to screw you or add stuff like ads or IAPs (in app purchase) you don't like, you can always revert by installing that particular version of the app.

Re:You don't pay enough

[gnupun]

You don't pay enough to use a phone without ads.

Are people really this stupid? You pay a lot of money for the iphone. But who pays the developers who develop these millions of useless to useful apps? Not Apple and not the consumers either (the vast majority refuse to spend even 99 cents on apps). Therefore, the developer has a better chance to make money via ads.

Re:You don't pay enough

[0123456]

And the reason there are so many half-assed, barely useful apps on the app store is precisely because they can 'make money via ads'.

Without ads, the actual useful apps would be much easier to find than they are under the tsunami of adware crap.

Re:You don't pay enough

[gnupun]

And how will the fake reviews drown out the torrent of bad reviews/ratings from real users?

Re:You don't pay enough

[macs4all]

Yes, because people pushing out crap apps to bring in ad revenue would never post fake reviews.

Sure they can. But I personally use the same guidelines I do when doing any online shopping with "User Reviews":

Items with less than 10 User Reviews are very suspect. I pretty much assume those are fake Reviews (especially if there are good and bad ones, or all good ones) and skip those Items completely.

Items with 10-50 User Reviews are less suspect, but I generally read all the reviews.

Items with greater than 50 User Reviews are generally pretty valid.

Sure, someone can get a few of his friends to post a fake Review; but almost NO ONE can come up with 50 (or even 10) individual User IDs that will be willing to shill for someone.

Of course there are exceptions; but I haven't personally gotten burned yet with those guidelines on any product I've purchased online. Oh, and I do (generally lots of) additional research, too, above and beyond User Reviews. I also look at the "Distribution" of the Reviews, and make sure I read ALL the "Bad" ones, just because.