Obfuscation for dynamically inserted TS ads greatly reduces detection and blocking by ad-blocking extensions

Pre-roll and mid-roll ads are now common in videos, but more extensions and players remove inserted ads. For example, they identify differences between ad-segment paths and video-segment paths, substantially reducing the effectiveness of ad insertion.

An obfuscation feature is therefore needed. When the viewer requests the m3u8 playlist for playback, the m3u8 contents are rewritten dynamically so that video and ad segments have identical distinguishing characteristics. This greatly reduces the likelihood of detection and blocking by ad-blocking extensions.

Feature settings:

Results

This is the m3u8 playlist with pre-roll and mid-roll ads inserted, but obfuscation disabled:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:9
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/stream/202604/30/69f31a1c74beb93d212dd423/4b851e/index0.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/stream/202604/30/69f31a1c74beb93d212dd423/4b851e/index1.ts
#EXTINF:0.173911,
/stream/202604/30/69f31a1c74beb93d212dd423/4b851e/index2.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index0.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index1.ts
#EXTINF:8.608689,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index2.ts
#EXTINF:7.304356,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index3.ts
#EXTINF:7.739122,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index4.ts
#EXTINF:9.000000,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index5.ts
#EXTINF:6.869567,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index6.ts
#EXTINF:8.956522,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index7.ts
#EXTINF:7.000000,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index8.ts
#EXTINF:8.391300,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index9.ts
#EXTINF:7.826089,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index10.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/stream/202604/30/69f31a2a74beb93d212dd4f4/adc12b/index0.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/stream/202604/30/69f31a2a74beb93d212dd4f4/adc12b/index1.ts
#EXTINF:0.173911,
/stream/202604/30/69f31a2a74beb93d212dd4f4/adc12b/index2.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.695656,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index11.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index12.ts
#EXTINF:8.347822,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index13.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index14.ts
#EXTINF:8.434778,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index15.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index16.ts
#EXTINF:7.652167,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index17.ts
#EXTINF:9.000000,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index18.ts
#EXTINF:7.826089,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index19.ts
#EXTINF:7.695656,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index20.ts
#EXTINF:7.652167,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index21.ts
#EXTINF:8.173922,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index22.ts
#EXTINF:8.391300,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index23.ts
#EXTINF:3.739089,
/videos/202604/30/69f31aca74beb93d212ddaf8/f7787d/index24.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

This is the m3u8 playlist with obfuscation enabled:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:9
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/lY01DiOoX995.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/c7zUbRnWebsm.ts
#EXTINF:0.173911,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/tBXbWnJgSQ7C.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/3XQ58FgFUZlN.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/fJxa6DYqCDfO.ts
#EXTINF:8.608689,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/dmMsfSQ7hJH5.ts
#EXTINF:7.304356,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/kr6G4ARauG0s.ts
#EXTINF:7.739122,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/b2ADj7KBAgKG.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:9.000000,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/2dp7NLTs0ucG.ts
#EXTINF:6.869567,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/zOaeVRoHzwjX.ts
#EXTINF:8.956522,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/d1jxAMZasrqa.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:7.000000,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/i2gtF9F9N4hD.ts
#EXTINF:8.391300,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/IUWwtpUEUTvT.ts
#EXTINF:7.826089,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/OE0moJWgAw71.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/FXrmrUZwLn99.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/HGNr7OYPrSBu.ts
#EXTINF:0.173911,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/RO6ddr4gO9qI.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.695656,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/AMHqrISVgjgW.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/ItZmVtYEkOqv.ts
#EXTINF:8.347822,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/1qSzWBjJdgzI.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/76BWcLK8RraP.ts
#EXTINF:8.434778,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/kPtj4qZ8v9BO.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/CmbWQEb1p7vt.ts
#EXTINF:7.652167,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/MASnMfxNaDZR.ts
#EXTINF:9.000000,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/MQ05iZkCdxlZ.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:7.826089,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/wHNZcVAKmhiv.ts
#EXTINF:7.695656,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/oK3e2QsEi8Z9.ts
#EXTINF:7.652167,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/IwWaOpOihdfg.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.173922,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/zFkdNHjo7QaA.ts
#EXTINF:8.391300,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/IrlmtJpFrXVG.ts
#EXTINF:3.739089,
/chunk/5cfe5ce7b1bcbe9832b17181e04d4986/kC7rNeeOJyDD.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

After obfuscation, video and ad segments have identical characteristics and cannot be distinguished by their paths. Depending on the video duration, a small number of segments from the main video are also selected automatically and presented in the same pattern as ad segments. The same ad has a different path in each video, greatly reducing the likelihood of detection and blocking by ad-blocking extensions.

If TS encryption is enabled, all inserted pre-roll and mid-roll ad segments share the video's ts.key. The m3u8 playlist then looks like this:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:9
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=AES-128,URI="/videos/202604/30/69f31a8474beb93d212dd87b/ts.key",IV=0x3de234ce4da88bae7e29c05c70a99193
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/lY01DiOoX995.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/c7zUbRnWebsm.ts
#EXTINF:0.173911,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/tBXbWnJgSQ7C.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/crhjjH1Vrkh0.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/oKZRlMOl2v63.ts
#EXTINF:8.608689,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/rB4Wpw6haHDG.ts
#EXTINF:7.304356,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/2kdaK1adTjko.ts
#EXTINF:7.739122,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/ho25yOGHs7VT.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:9.000000,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/5lKX3oCcr1vL.ts
#EXTINF:6.869567,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/vC9bC1yLjbVU.ts
#EXTINF:8.956522,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/QO0ZUiRjkv09.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:7.000000,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/vc8kloeYx2iF.ts
#EXTINF:8.391300,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/Zn55DCpDm8NZ.ts
#EXTINF:7.826089,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/EwpRGq9kuD01.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.913044,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/FXrmrUZwLn99.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/HGNr7OYPrSBu.ts
#EXTINF:0.173911,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/RO6ddr4gO9qI.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.695656,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/2tMu7H3czm1H.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/7ALwsyGvtmxf.ts
#EXTINF:8.347822,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/0BP3qP6YyI7S.ts
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/DvDKOmE5eAyc.ts
#EXTINF:8.434778,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/bTSYjZwu0t5F.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:7.608700,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/QzgAikQOo8Ws.ts
#EXTINF:7.652167,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/bPRlSszuycK3.ts
#EXTINF:9.000000,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/V4bTn24zcNvo.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:7.826089,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/8MI5RHhgo7BU.ts
#EXTINF:7.695656,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/kj3WWpxdpQKN.ts
#EXTINF:7.652167,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/GPrfMCD3zelT.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:8.173922,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/4iuqG0V2GCBd.ts
#EXTINF:8.391300,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/zKiEkaT0nEWw.ts
#EXTINF:3.739089,
/chunk/08150493f9724c29ea937897bd85168a/ACLJ7p1mue0E.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

Thus, enabling TS encryption on video segments does not affect obfuscation.

Finally, if features such as generated PNG segments or TS segments disguised as JPEG are enabled, ad segments are processed dynamically in the same way. They become png or jpeg segments as well, maintaining compatibility with all supported segment formats.