Researcher breaks AppLovin's ad mediation encryption, finds device re-identification possible despite ATT denial
By
lmbbuchodi
Toasted to a respectable shade. No regrets, no crumbs left.
Summary
A security researcher reverse-engineered and broke the encryption protocol AppLovin uses for its ad-mediation traffic. By decrypting thousands of real bid requests captured from a consented research panel, the researcher found that the encrypted payload contains enough device data to deterministically re-identify the same iPhone across apps from different publishers — even when the user has denied App Tracking Transparency (ATT). This data reaches AppLovin and roughly 12 downstream ad networks every ~30 seconds per banner load, undermining the assumption that ATT alone protects user privacy.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe encrypted bid request carries enough device data to deterministically re-identify the same iPhone across apps from different publishers, even when user denies ATT.
That payload reaches AppLovin plus around 12 downstream ad networks on every banner load, every ~30 seconds, for as long as the user is playing.
The assumption that ATT is the only privacy safeguard is fundamentally broken.
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