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This title is not completely accurate. If you read the article it specifically references users attempting to VPN and also using the Netflix Android app. I am

by readme 12y ago

This title is not completely accurate. If you read the article it specifically references users attempting to VPN and also using the Netflix Android app. I am gonna go out on a limb and say the app is probably checking the GPS in order to achieve this. Fortunately, GPS can be spoofed with the developer tools if someone wants to test my theory: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2279647/how-to-emulate-gps-location-in-the-android-emulator/2279827#2279827 http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2279647/how-to-emulate-gp...

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
dang 12y ago
We changed the post to use the article's current title, which is consistent with what you're saying. (The submitted title was "Netflix blocks users streaming via VPN", which I think may also have been what the article originally said.)
- readme 12y ago
  Thanks
- webdisrupt 12y ago
  Yes that is correct and apologies for that. After posting the article I found that there were no changes to the way they detect VPN access. In actual fact it was some change to just the Android App which is probably DNS resolution.
JosephRedfern 12y ago
The Netflix Android App doesn't seem to use the "ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" or "ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" permissions: http://i.imgur.com/wFOLs6Q.png http://i.imgur.com/wFOLs6Q.png
- readme 12y ago
  Thanks for checking that. Looks like I'm wrong. Out of curiosity, what other perms does it have? I bet you could also sneakily restrict people by checking the device's phone number, for example.
  - JosephRedfern 12y ago
    I wouldn't be surprised if they started checking the GPS in the future, though - like you, I thought they would be. The full list is: <uses-permission android:name="com.netflix.mediaclient.permission.C2D_MESSAGE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_TASKS"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK"/> <uses-permission android:name="com.amazon.permission.SET_FLAG_NOSOFTKEYS"/> <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE"/>
dantiberian 12y ago
This article http://torrentfreak.com/netflix-cracks-down-on-vpn-and-proxy-pirates-150103/ http://torrentfreak.com/netflix-cracks-down-on-vpn-and-proxy... suggests that the Android app is experimenting with forcing Google's DNS which would break DNS proxy systems. It also talks about looking at a number of signifiers of time/location (IP address, clock, timezone, GPS) and not allowing to play if they don't match.

by readme 12y ago

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]

dang 12y ago

We changed the post to use the article's current title, which is consistent with what you're saying. (The submitted title was "Netflix blocks users streaming via VPN", which I think may also have been what the article originally said.)

readme 12y ago
Thanks
webdisrupt 12y ago
Yes that is correct and apologies for that. After posting the article I found that there were no changes to the way they detect VPN access. In actual fact it was some change to just the Android App which is probably DNS resolution.

JosephRedfern 12y ago

The Netflix Android App doesn't seem to use the "ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" or "ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" permissions: http://i.imgur.com/wFOLs6Q.png http://i.imgur.com/wFOLs6Q.png

readme 12y ago
Thanks for checking that. Looks like I'm wrong. Out of curiosity, what other perms does it have? I bet you could also sneakily restrict people by checking the device's phone number, for example.
- JosephRedfern 12y ago
  I wouldn't be surprised if they started checking the GPS in the future, though - like you, I thought they would be. The full list is: <uses-permission android:name="com.netflix.mediaclient.permission.C2D_MESSAGE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_TASKS"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE"/> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK"/> <uses-permission android:name="com.amazon.permission.SET_FLAG_NOSOFTKEYS"/> <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE"/>

dantiberian 12y ago

This article http://torrentfreak.com/netflix-cracks-down-on-vpn-and-proxy-pirates-150103/ http://torrentfreak.com/netflix-cracks-down-on-vpn-and-proxy... suggests that the Android app is experimenting with forcing Google's DNS which would break DNS proxy systems. It also talks about looking at a number of signifiers of time/location (IP address, clock, timezone, GPS) and not allowing to play if they don't match.