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Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers

From "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid>
Newsgroups alt.comp.software.firefox, alt.comp.software.seamonkey
Subject Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers
Date 2025-03-19 14:20 +0100
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <vregbr$uj05$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References (12 earlier) <vrchh5$35l7o$1@dont-email.me> <vrck47$380tp$1@dont-email.me> <ttlktjpal47sdbivi47usgin928o56be4d@4ax.com> <vrdqi3$bjct$1@dont-email.me> <vredr9$s9u2$1@dont-email.me>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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Newyana2,

>   That explanation makes sense.

Phew ! :-)

> Though there seem to generally be multiple servers, which could be Akamai 
> or the host. When I tested it last night there were two Akamai 
> connections, yet no Akamai in the webpage.

As described, one or more of the domains on the webpage could be pointing to 
Akamai's servers.

You could do a "ping domainname" to get its IP, and than a "ping -a IP" to 
do a reverse-DNS (of sorts).   Normally what goes in the first and what 
comes out the second are the same (or, in the case of a distributed 
serverpark (CDN), similar).

In your case the second would sometimes return an Akamai domain name.

>   If you read my link you can see how Akamai have advertised
> this as "pixel free" spyware. It's a giant hole in online privacy.

Agreed.

>   What Char is saying makes sense, but the idea that a URL should have no 
> connection to an IP does not make sense.

Not "should", but "does not have".   When you register a domain you can put 
any IP address you want into it.  Also think of DynDNS servers (where you 
can change the IP at any moment you want - intended to point at your own 
dynamic home IP address).

> In this case it's a sleazy company, Akamai, trying to make an extra 
> surveillance buck on the side.

Have you realized that both your internet provider as well as the DNS server 
you are using can do the same * ?   And for the first one, even when using 
SSL ? (the first SSL negotiation shows the target domain name in plain text)

* and, in the past, have done so by, when it could not resolve a domain 
name, returning an IP pointing at an advertising server.  Not getting a 
"domain doesn't exist" response created big problems though, so that idea 
was quickly dropped.

> their server is, itself, a surveillance device. So they can provide (sell) 
> details about visitors without anyin-page tricks needed. Thus, HOSTS to 
> block 3rd-party scripts and web beacons
> is bypassed.

I hope you do realize that *any* website could do the same.  When you 
connect to them they could send a "hey, I've got user xxxx here" to whomever 
would like to buy such data.

> Interestingly, though, I haven't seen any ads to speak of in
> 25+ years, and I don't use adblockers. (I've dabbled with UBlock Origin 
> more recently, but in general I've just restricted script and used HOSTS.
...
> If Akamai is inserting ads into commercial sites I visit, I'm not seeing 
> them.

Most likely because most ads are delivered using JS.

> The description of Akamai's service seems to point to a focus
> on compulsive shoppers.

As long as they control the links on the webpages they host (read: links on 
webpages go to websites again on their servers) they can easily do that.  I 
can't even blame them for doing it to be honest.   Still would not like to 
be caught by it though.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

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Thread

CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Sailfish <NIXCAPSsailfish@NIXCAPSunforgettable.com> - 2025-03-16 05:47 -0700
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-16 15:14 +0100
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers John McCue <jmccue@qball.jmcunx.com> - 2025-03-16 14:24 +0000
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers D <noreply@mixmin.net> - 2025-03-16 14:32 +0000
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-03-16 11:36 -0400
    Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) - 2025-03-17 01:19 +0000
      Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Daniel70 <daniel47@eternal-september.org> - 2025-03-17 19:22 +1100
        Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-17 10:55 +0100
          Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-17 13:19 +0100
            Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2025-03-17 12:43 +0000
            Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-17 14:27 +0100
              Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-17 20:04 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-17 20:59 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-03-17 21:20 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-18 07:40 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-03-18 08:39 -0400
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-18 15:43 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-03-18 15:29 -0400
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-18 21:12 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-03-18 18:52 -0400
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-19 08:28 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2025-03-19 01:30 -0500
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-19 08:08 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2025-03-19 02:49 -0500
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-03-19 08:39 -0400
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-19 14:20 +0100
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers News <news@triffid.co.uk> - 2025-03-18 07:30 +0000
                Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-18 09:10 +0100
          Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Daniel70 <daniel47@eternal-september.org> - 2025-03-18 00:10 +1100
            Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-03-17 14:32 +0100
              Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers R Daneel Olivaw <Danni@hyperspace.vogon.gov> - 2025-03-17 15:37 +0100
            Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-03-17 21:22 +0100
          Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2025-03-25 01:57 -0400
            Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-03-25 20:25 +0100
              Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2025-03-25 20:35 -0400
      Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers R Daneel Olivaw <Danni@hyperspace.vogon.gov> - 2025-03-17 13:02 +0100
        No RCEs to see here [was: Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers] Dirk Fieldhouse <surname@gmx.net.plusremovethisandtherest.example.com> - 2025-03-17 13:50 +0000
          Re: No RCEs to see here [was: Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers] ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) - 2025-03-17 18:24 +0000
        Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Chris Elvidge <chris@internal.net> - 2025-03-17 22:09 +0000
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-03-16 12:26 -0500
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-03-17 08:12 +1000
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers User One <noreply@invalid.com> - 2025-03-16 22:37 +0000
    Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2025-03-17 21:18 +0100
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) - 2025-03-17 01:18 +0000
    Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers Dirk Fieldhouse <surname@gmx.net.plusremovethisandtherest.example.com> - 2025-03-17 14:05 +0000
  Re: CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers "David E. Ross" <nobody@nowhere.invalid> - 2025-03-17 13:45 -0700

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