[prebrov]

They do.

I've recently encountered a video ad startup that runs a proxy wrapping VAST responses into a VMAP. So, a website would request an ad not from DFP, but from an inconspicuous CloudFront URL. These CF distributions are deployed for each publisher and you'd have to block them one by one, not being able to block the whole ad platform.

They said that some adblockers can discover ad servers by parsing responses. If a response, say, is a VAST tag, they tag and blacklist a server.

Adblockers are starting to employ heuristics to analyse what a server does, rather than relying on just URL pattern matching. Just like Virus VS. Antivirus arms race.

Fascinating!

[edibleEnergy]

I blogged about a fun one a while ago[1], pornhub using WebSockets to dodge adblockers.

[1]: http://blog.bugreplay.com/2016/11/pornhub-bypasses-ad-blocke...

[kronos29296]

Like all arms races, one day it will all blow up in our faces. Since it is not a literal arms races, it will metaphorically blow up in our computers. Hope somebody resolves it before it really does. (Not gonna happen though)

[sorokod]

Arms races are ubiquitous , from US Vs China to bats Vs the moths.

How exactly do they blow up?

[tgragnato]

Usually for money reasons?