(Ad)sorber blocks ads by 'absorbing' and dumbing them into void. Technically speaking, it adds ad-domains to the hosts file /etc/hosts with a redirection to a non-existent ip 0.0.0.0.

• Block advertisements system-wide, not only in the browser.
• Prevents annoying anti-adblockers from triggering.
• Update your blocked ad-domain list from external hosts-servers (like https://adaway.org/hosts.txt).
• Automatically update the hosts file per cronjob or systemd service.
• Revert to the previous hosts-file if the current hosts-file contains broken ad-servers
• White- and blacklist.

Also it saves data, speeds up loading time and prevents some tracking of your browsing habits. For extensive privacy, I recommend using the script along browser add-ons like NoScript (for Firefox 56 and below), Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere.

Currently we are using the following hosts lists:

• adaway.org
• yoyo.org
• & more to come.

To add your own hosts sources, just add them to the sources.list file.

• root rights (e.g. with sudo)

If you have a *nix like distribution (Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, Gentoo, Archlinux, Fedora, etc.) the following requirements should have been fulfilled by default:

• POSIX-compliant shell (bash, dash, fish, ksh, zsh, sh, etc.)
• Support for hosts file
• curl or wget

Adsorber can be installed into the system (recommended) for a more stable and robust usage. This can be achieved through running install_to_system.sh, files will placed to /usr/local/ if not other specified. If you don't want Adsorber to be installed into your system run portable_adsorber.sh.

Installing Adsorber into the system has the advantage that Adsorber can run independently from the user who downloaded it. Also it prevents broken cronjobs/services as there is no risk that the files/directory of Adsorber will be accidentally deleted or moved.

To configure where it should be installed (to fit your system), edit the relevant lines in install_to_system.sh and remove_from_system.sh. For more help about the specific files run them with --help.

Usage: adsorber <operation> [<options>]

(Ad)sorber blocks ads by 'absorbing' and dumbing them into void.
           (with the help of the hosts file)

Operations:
  setup   - setup necessary things needed for Adsorber
              e.g., create backup file of hosts file,
                    create scheduler which updates the host file once a week
            However this should've been done automatically.
  update  - update hosts file with newest ad servers
  restore - restore hosts file to its original state
            (it does not remove the schedule, this should be used temporary)
  revert  - reverts the hosts file to the last applied host file.
  remove  - completely remove changes made by Adsorber
              e.g., remove scheduler (if set)
                    restore hosts file to its original state
  version - show version of this shell script
  help    - show this help

Options: (optional)
  -s,  --systemd           - use Systemd ...
  -c,  --cron              - use Cronjob as scheduler (use with 'setup')
  -ns, --no-scheduler      - skip scheduler creation (use with 'setup')
  -y,  --yes, --assume-yes - answer all prompts with 'yes'
  -f,  --force             - force the update if no /etc/hosts backup
                             has been created (dangerous)
  -h,  --help              - show specific help of specified operations

Documentation: https://github.com/stablestud/adsorber
If you encounter any issues please report them to the Github repository.

Note: to get further information about a operation run adsorber <operation> --help

You should run this command first.

The command will:

• backup your /etc/hosts file to /etc/hosts.original (if not other specified in adsorber.conf)
• setup a scheduler which updates your hosts file with ad-server domains once a week. (either systemd, cronjob or none)
• fetch the newest ad-server domains in your hosts file. (same as update)

Possible options are:

• -s, --systemd
• -c, --cronjob
• -ns, --no-scheduler
• -y, --yes, --assume-yes
• -h, --help

To keep the hosts file up-to-date.

The command will:

• copy the current /etc/hosts to /etc/hosts.previous, if not disabled in adsorber.conf
• download ad-server lists from servers listed in sources.list
• filter those and apply them to the systems hosts file /etc/hosts

Possible options are:

• -f, --force
• -h, --help

To revert to the last applied hosts-file by Adsorber.

The command will:

• copy /etc/hosts.previous to /etc/hosts, overwriting the newest /etc/hosts.

This is useful if the new hosts file contains less ad-domains, because a server was unreachable and you don't want to loose the ad-servers supplied from this server.

Possible option:

• -h, --help

To restore the hosts file temporary, without removing the backup.

The command will:

• copy /etc/hosts.original to /etc/hosts, overwriting the modified /etc/hosts by Adsorber.

Important: If Adsorber's scheduler was set-up, it'll re-apply ad-server domains to your hosts file when triggered. For this reason this command is used to temporary disable Adsorber, e.g. when it's blocking some sites you need access for a short period of time. To re-apply run adsorber update

Possible option:

• -h, --help

To completely remove changes made by Adsorber.

The command will:

• remove all schedulers (systemd, cronjob)
• restore the hosts file to it's original state
• remove all leftovers (previous hosts-file, etc)

Possible options are:

• -y, --yes, --assume-yes
• -h, --help

Use with setup.

• Setup systemd scheduler, skipping the scheduler prompt. Files are placed into /etc/systemd/system by default.

Use with setup.

• Setup the cron scheduler, skipping the scheduler prompt. File is placed into /etc/cron.weekly/ by default.

Use with setup

• Skips the setup of a scheduler. You'll need to update Adsorber manually with adsorber update.

Answers all prompts with yes e.g.,

• Do you really want to setup Adsorber?
• Do you really want to remove Adsorber?

It'll not answer prompts which may harm your system. But --force will do it.

This will force the script to continue (dangerous) the update e.g.,

• Continue if no backup has been created, overwriting the existing hosts file.

If specified in conjunction with an operation, it'll show extended help about the operation.

To add or remove ad-domain sources edit the soures.list file which is created after the setup of Adsorber. For a general configuration of Adsorber e.g., the path of the crontab, edit adsorber.conf To add domains to the whilelist or blacklist edit the relevant files at the default config location.

The configuration's default location is at /usr/local/etc/adsorber/ if installed to system. If not, the config files should be placed at the scripts root directory.

You're free to implement things listed/not listed in TODO.md to Adsorber. Any additions are appreciated. :)

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2017 stablestud

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the Software), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.