New Update uBlock Origin update thread

[oldschool]

FYI - most recent posts re: Manifest V3

and gorhill, Jul 04 2021

A gorhill post from a couple of days ago:

gorhill commented 2 days ago •
edited​

Given how the deprecation of a blocking webRequest API put a lid on innovations (and regressions in capabilities in the case of uBO) regarding content blocking, it does seem the move could be the "Not-Owned-But-Operated" strategy applied to content blocking -- the declarativeNetRequest API means the capabilities of (not-owned) content blockers are ultimately operated by Google through the limitations of the API the content blockers must use.

 

[The_King]

1.39.0​

Pre-release

Closed as fixed​

Chromium

• Text editing boxes have mouse location issues in higher DPIs
• Cosmetic filters not working on many websites with "Experimental Web Platform features" in chrome://flags
  • This also fixed "Security: Comments can still be used to smuggle arbitrary CSS", which was reported afterward.

Core

• [discovered by @hackvertor] Security: Cosmetic filters can make background requests using image-set() on Firefox
• uBlock GA overwrites breaking _link implementation when using a named property
• [discovered by @hackvertor] Security: Smuggle arbitrary CSS inside cosmetic uBlock filters
• [discovered by @hackvertor] Security: JavaScript URL injection allowed in query string parameter and redirection to uBlock origin urls
• Fix not highlighting cases of invalid syntax
• [patch by @pixeltris] Twitch bypass is circumvented
• Extension report website adblocking option
• [patch by @eligrey] Don't assume document.documentElement is non-null
• Add support for pseudo classes

Notable commits without an entry in the issue tracker

• Do not decode query parameter name when used as token
• Suggest network filter as best candidate by default
• Auto-escape commas in removeparam's regexes
• Simplify handling of valid HTML tags in i18n files
• Give precedence to negated types in case of ambiguity
• Fix regression in isBlockImportant()
• Add refresh-defuser scriptlet
• Add advanced setting to modify default webext flavor
• Convert fingerprint2.js scriptlet into a redirectable resource

Release 1.39.0 · gorhill/uBlock

Commits to master since this release Commits since last release To install the stable build: Firefox: Click uBlock0_1.39.0.firefox.signed.xpi uBO works best on Firefox. Chromium: Install from t...

github.com

 

[oldschool]

Even the famous µBO encounters security vulnerabilities as evidenced in this update.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.39.2 Released (November 30, 2021)

Closed as fixed

• 'Address of webpage' textbox needs to be readonly or changes to it need to be monitored

Notable commits without an entry in the issue tracker

• Fine tune new reporting feature
• Link to filter descriptions (patch by @breyed)
• Reject generic HTML block filters

Download - 1.39.0 - Firefox (AMO)
Download - 1.38.6 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.38.6 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.39.0 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)
It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40.0 Released (December 22, 2021)

Closed as fixed:

• Inconsistent line-break in the support pane for Japanese environment
• Wrong description in Trusted site pane
• Update nobab
• Specific-generic cosmetic filter is not disabled by generichide
• "Your request URL is too long": problem with too many filters and the new "problem with filter lists" button
• Exceptions do not work when processing requests with long paths

Notable commits without an entry in the issue tracker:

• Improve auto-completion in "My filters" editor
• Store domain= option into trie container's character buffer
• Partially bring suspendTabsUntilReady out of experimental status
• Fix potentially reporting wrong context in logger for ghide filters
• Fine-tune static network filtering engine code
• Wait for placeholders to be present (in googlesyndication_adsbygoogle.js)
• Create synthetic event for new windows created from external application
• Add window.close scriptlet
• Store regex filter pattern into bidi-trie buffer
• Ignore pointless trailing *^ in network filters
• Change compiled list format to a saner block id management
• Store generic pattern string into bidi-trie buffer
• Remove classes specialized in handling single-wildcarded patterns
• Refactoring work in static network filtering engine
• Have getAll() returns at least one neutered Tracker object

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

Download - 1.40.0 - Firefox (AMO)
Download - 1.39.2 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.39.2 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.39.2 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)

It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40 Update introduces a workaround to block YouTube ads that were loaded at Chrome startup​

Recently, some users chimed in about a similar problem with uBlock Origin in Chrome. The open-source ad blocker let some YouTube ads through in Google's browser. But this didn't happen all the time, only in specific scenarios, like when leaving a YouTube tab as the last active tab, and closing the browser. Upon reopening Chrome, the ads came through.

A member of uBlock Origin's team, who was investigating the issue, proposed a change, to make tabs reload after the ad blocking plugin is ready to filter the web requests. That could be a potential solution for stopping the ads before they could be delivered. But, Raymond Gorhill, the creator of the add-on, said that making tabs reload unconditionally would be a bad idea, especially if the user has hundreds of tabs. Imagine if all the tabs reloaded simultaneously, that could result in chaos.

Gorhill suggested that the extension should only reload when a network request has been made by the tab. The developers worked with this in mind, and introduced a commit at the add-on's repo. They have enabled a feature that was previously being tested, it's referred to as suspendTabsUntilReady. The new version of the add-on, uBlock Origin 1.40 brings the fix for the YouTube ads at Chrome startup.

With the change, uBlock Origin will reload active tabs when Chrome is launched, while ignoring the tabs that were inactive/suspended. The update for the extension also includes a couple of other improvements for the My Filters Editor's auto-complete functionality, scriplets, defusers, and the issue reporter. Pop-up filtering now supports a new scriptlet, window-close-if. The update is not yet live on the Chrome webstore, Opera Addons store and Microsoft Store, but is already available on Firefox's AMO.

uBlock Origin 1.40 Update introduces a workaround to block YouTube ads in Chrome - gHacks Tech News

UBlock Origin has been updated to version 1.40. The extension will now block YouTube ads when Chrome starts.

www.ghacks.net

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40.2 Released (December 26, 2021)

Closed as fixed:

• localhost: breakage

Download - 1.40.0 - Firefox (AMO)
Download - 1.39.2 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.39.2 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.39.2 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)
It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40.4 Released (January 2, 2022)

Notes
This release is intended for Chromium-based browsers only.
Closed as fixed:
Chromium

• Better test for presence of browser extensions API

Notable commits without an entry in the issue tracker:

• Offer a way to disable tab-reloading at launch on Chromium-based browsers
• Fix broken suspendTabsUntilReady for Chromium-based browsers

Download - 1.40.2 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.39.2 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.39.2 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)
It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40.6 Released (January 11, 2022)

• Fix selfie with invalid data in some circumstances (reported internally by @gwarser)

Download - 1.40.2 - Firefox (AMO)
Download - 1.40.4 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.40.8 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.39.2 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)
It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40.8 Released (January 12, 2022)

• Fix bad release 1.40.6
  • The latest release should have forced an invalidation of existing selfie, I overlooked this.

Download - 1.40.8 - Firefox (AMO)
Download - 1.40.8 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.40.8 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.39.2 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)
It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

uBlock Origin 1.40.8 Released (January 12, 2022)

Download - 1.40.8 - Firefox (AMO)
Download - 1.40.8 - Chrome (Web Store)
Download - 1.40.8 - Opera (Opera Addons)
Download - 1.40.8 - Edge (Microsoft Edge Addons)
It will take some time until the new version will be available on AMO, Chrome Web Store, etc.

Releases · gorhill/uBlock

uBlock Origin - An efficient blocker for Chromium and Firefox. Fast and lean. - gorhill/uBlock

github.com

Finally, today the Edge version of uBlock Origin also has gotten the latest update

Version 1.40.8
Updated January 15, 2022

uBlock Origin - Microsoft Edge Addons

Make Microsoft Edge your own with extensions that help you personalize the browser and be more productive.

microsoftedge.microsoft.com

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

Obeserved some unexpected behaviour of uBlockOrigin (which was chromium related) and checked on Github. I noticed some "Something to address" and "bug" labels on Github for uBlockOrigin. So I walked through the changes posted in this thread and noticed there is a lot of performance related refactoring under the hood, some examples since 1.39

- Refactoring work in static network filtering engine (will increase uBlock first load time)
- Suggest network filter as best candidate by default
- Fix regression of isBlockImportant()
- Store domain= option into trie container's character buffer
- Store regex filter pattern into bidi-trie buffer
- Remove classes specialized in handling single-wildcarded patterns
- Fine-tune static network filtering engine code
- Make FilterJustOrigin derive from FilterOriginHitSet
- Improve dealing with ambiguity in regex-based-looking network filters
- Reject generic HTML block filters
- Simplify handling of valid HTML tags in i18n files
- Give precedence to negated types in case of ambiguity
- Ignore pointless trailling *^ in network filters

Does someone has a clue why MrGorhill is putting so much effort in optimization with ManifestV3 on the horizon or is it just coincidence?

 

[SpiderWeb]

Well the truth is Google can't afford to nerf uBlock Origin. Everyone will just flock to Firefox and Brave which support Manifest v3 but without Chrome's restrictions. Nobody is going to put up with uBO not working properly because of a Chrome update.

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

Well the truth is Google can't afford to nerf uBlock Origin.

There is not much Google can't afford with 1 trillion dollar market value.

Everyone will just flock to Firefox and Brave which support Manifest v3 but without Chrome's restrictions.

Mozilla lives because Google pays them 450 million dollar each year. When Google pulls the plug than Mozilla will cease to exist. So I would not trust your adblock future in the hands of Mozilla.

Brave has a build-in adblocker and when all 10 million or so uBlockOrigin users would switch to Brave than brave's market share would increase from 0.05% (50 million users) to a whopping 0.06%. Brave has an alternative advertising scheme. Brave ads have a 4 times higher click through rate (CTR) than industry average because Brave serves only few ads and this high CTR with Brave's hard to reach audience (hard core adblock aficionados) makes Brave an interesting advertising platform for mainstream brands.

The CEO of Brave is one of the founding fathers of the web(Brandon Eich created Javascript and has an impressive track record at Netscape and Mozilla). As long as Brave shows excellent growth rates, you will be able to opt-out Brave advertising, but in future Brave will force its advertising to its users also (only way less than other browsers will throw at you).

Nobody is going to put up with uBO not working properly because of a Chrome update.

Unless AdGuard is able to provide a working Manifest3 alternative (and it seems they will succeed: link) I am afraid Google will push this change through our throats.

 

[oldschool]

Does someone has a clue why MrGorhill is putting so much effort in optimization with ManifestV3 on the horizon or is it just coincidence?

This is what I've been wondering for some time now.

There is not much Google can't afford with 1 trillion dollar market value.

Unless AdGuard is able to provide a working Manifest3 alternative (and it seems they will succeed: link)

except they won't be able to fix the outstanding Chromium bugs related to MV3 like this major one: 1024211 - chromium - An open-source project to help move the web forward. - Monorail Only Google/Chromium Project can.

I am afraid Google will push this change through our throats.

... and M$ will happily follow along.

 

[plat]

Bottom line, though: we won't know much for certain until Manifest v. 3 is actually put into service. I'm seeing a domino effect from other browsers eventually if allowed to proceed in its present state. That would include Mozilla and Brave but to what extent is unclear to me at least. I expect Opera to fall like a lead balloon myself.

Google is growing from a near-monopoly to a genuine monster if allowed to prevail on this, I'm telling you.

According to some online sources, Google intends to disable Manifest v. 2 extensions in its Web Store starting in 2023 (January at the earliest). Those same sources state Google appears to listen to community complaints but actually inputs little-to-nothing from those into its actual product. uBlock Origin a "toy" under Manifest v. 3? Yeah right!

Source (thanks, oldschool)

 

[plat]

Well the truth is Google can't afford to nerf uBlock Origin. Everyone will just flock to Firefox and Brave which support Manifest v3 but without Chrome's restrictions. Nobody is going to put up with uBO not working properly because of a Chrome update.

You think Moz with a 3% browser (Firefox) market share is going to stand firm on this? It's already made some concessions viz Manifest 3. Google is Mozilla's life-support.

Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 is Deceitful and Threatening

Manifest V3, Google Chrome’s soon-to-be definitive basket of changes to the world of web browser extensions, has been framed by its authors as “a step in the direction of privacy, security, and performance.” But we think these changes are a raw deal for users. We've said that since Manifest V3...

malwaretips.com

 

[SpiderWeb]

There is not much Google can't afford with 1 trillion dollar market value.


Mozilla lives because Google pays them 450 million dollar each year. When Google pulls the plug than Mozilla will cease to exist. So I would not trust your adblock future in the hands of Mozilla.

Brave has a build-in adblocker and when all 10 million or so uBlockOrigin users would switch to Brave than brave's market share would increase from 0.05% (50 million users) to a whopping 0.06%. Brave has an alternative advertising scheme. Brave ads have a 4 times higher click through rate (CTR) than industry average because Brave serves only few ads and this high CTR with Brave's hard to reach audience (hard core adblock aficionados) makes Brave an interesting advertising platform for mainstream brands.

The CEO of Brave is one of the founding fathers of the web(Brandon Eich created Javascript and has an impressive track record at Netscape and Mozilla). As long as Brave shows excellent growth rates, you will be able to opt-out Brave advertising, but in future Brave will force its advertising to its users also (only way less than other browsers will throw at you).


Unless AdGuard is able to provide a working Manifest3 alternative (and it seems they will succeed: link) I am afraid Google will push this change through our throats.

Firefox is an open source browser. They have survived worse times and they are working hard on finding new revenue streams like VPN, Relay, turns out providing people with more privacy is something people are willing to pay for!

 

[Nightwalker]

There is not much Google can't afford with 1 trillion dollar market value.


Mozilla lives because Google pays them 450 million dollar each year. When Google pulls the plug than Mozilla will cease to exist. So I would not trust your adblock future in the hands of Mozilla.

Brave has a build-in adblocker and when all 10 million or so uBlockOrigin users would switch to Brave than brave's market share would increase from 0.05% (50 million users) to a whopping 0.06%. Brave has an alternative advertising scheme. Brave ads have a 4 times higher click through rate (CTR) than industry average because Brave serves only few ads and this high CTR with Brave's hard to reach audience (hard core adblock aficionados) makes Brave an interesting advertising platform for mainstream brands.

The CEO of Brave is one of the founding fathers of the web(Brandon Eich created Javascript and has an impressive track record at Netscape and Mozilla). As long as Brave shows excellent growth rates, you will be able to opt-out Brave advertising, but in future Brave will force its advertising to its users also (only way less than other browsers will throw at you).


Unless AdGuard is able to provide a working Manifest3 alternative (and it seems they will succeed: link) I am afraid Google will push this change through our throats.

AdGuard doesnt need to fix Manifest v3, it has alternatives like the full desktop and mobile software, plus DNS.

Anyway, I dont like that much the fact that Google has so much power over the Web.

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

AdGuard doesnt need to fix Manifest v3, it has alternatives like the full desktop and mobile software, plus DNS.

AdGuard's V4 new rule engine has examples of the new declaratives ManfiestV3 rules (it also has build instructions for ManifestV3), that is why I switched (again, not the first time and probably also not the last time )

Spoiler: AdGuard V4 beta new rule engine