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technologyreview.com·4d ago
AI Engineering
Hacker News·Jul 19·5 min read
Clever hacker fits 537,000 domains in a $5 ESP32 ad-blocking dongle
TL;DR
A hacker has successfully integrated 537,000 domains into a compact $5 ESP32 ad-blocking dongle. Utilizing only about 50KB of RAM, the firmware can process blocked lookups in just 10 milliseconds.
✦ Why It Matters
Engineers can explore using ESP32 for cost-effective ad-blocking solutions in their projects today.
Key Takeaways
- Explore using ESP32-C3 for low-cost network solutions.
- Implement hashing techniques to optimize data storage.
- Consider backup systems for existing ad-blockers.
- Evaluate trade-offs between storage and functionality in microcontroller projects.
How It Works
ZedAxis's ad-blocking filter uses a hashing method to compress domain names into 40-bit values, allowing the storage of a large number of domains in limited flash memory. When a DNS query is received, the device hashes the requested domain and performs a binary search against the sorted hash table to determine if it should block the request.