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Ask HN: Why doesn't GitHub use the free impressions to sell ads?

1 points by jfoutz ↗ HN
Github is getting a huge number of requests to execute javascript on host pages. Injecting an advertisement for Chinese reading expats seems like a fantastic use of that traffic. It both helps defray the cost of bandwidth, and also discourages that type of attack.

I don't know what headers they're receiving, but i'd guess the search terms are included. How much would you pay for complete control of 0.01% of google's search results?

2 comments

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mirashii
I think you've misunderstood the nature of the attack. It's not Baidu or any other site that's being redirected to Github. A Baidu analytics javascript file is being replaced with a malicious file which loads Github via an AJAX call. It's not requests for JS from Github, nor is it an actual person looking at Github.
sjs382
Even if it worked the way that he understood it, that's a great way to destroy relationships with your advertisers.