Operators are contracting parties responsible for storing and controlling access to users data, in a secured way.
In this context,
- data means:
- Prebid ID is the pseudonymous identifier generated by an operator to identify a device
- Other optional IDs will be supported in the future but are not part of the MVP
- Preferences are user-set preferences regarding online tracking that is captured by a CMP UI or a website (
such as a publisher).
- In the MVP, only one "preference" is supported: optin status.
- Prebid ID is the pseudonymous identifier generated by an operator to identify a device
- storing means in the form of cookies stored on Prebid Addressability Framework top level domain +1 (TLD+1, ex:
prebid-a-f.net
) - controlling access means to offer ways for contracting parties to read and write this data and help them store a copy ("cache") of these cookies on their own domain.
- in a secured way has different meanings that are discussed below
Multiple operators will implement the same set of core features under the same TLD+1, although at this stage it is not clear how they will co-operate.
We represent:
- two typical workflows
- the first interaction with Prebid where a user visits a publisher's page, that triggers a CMP
- a visit to an advertiser while the user already opted in to Prebid
- with different configurations
- the publisher doesn't use an operator backend client: redirects, when needed, are triggered in Javascript
- the advertiser uses an operator backend client: when needed, redirects can be triggered via an HTTP response
- in two different contexts
- where the browser supports third party cookies (3PC)
- where it doesn't
When 3d party cookies are available, all calls to read cookies can be made via Javascript to read or write data.
- When visiting a publisher and meeting Prebid Addressability Framework for the first time:
- the publisher's page is called.
- the publisher's backend serves the requested page, and it includes a JS library that checks for existence of Prebid Addressability Framework cookie
- a JS call to the operator to "read or init" data will generate a new ID
- the ID can be displayed in the CMP UI
- when the user submits their preferences:
- a JS call is made to the CMP to "prepare" the values to write (more about this, below)
- another JS call is made to the operator to write these values (saved under Prebid Addressability Framework domain)
- finally, these values are saved on the publisher's domain
- When a participating user visits an advertiser:
- a JS call is made to the operator to get the Prebid Addressability Framework ID and preferences
- the values are saved on the advertiser's domain
ℹ️ in this scenario, no full page redirect is needed
sequenceDiagram
participant U as user
participant B as browser
participant P as publisher P http server
participant C as CMP http server
participant A as advertiser A http server
participant O as operator node O
rect rgba(224, 224, 224, .55)
note right of U: Time T1<br>"WRITE" scenario: user visits publisher<br>and sets their preferences for the first time
U ->> B: visit www.publisherP.com/pageP.html
activate U
activate B
B ->> P: GET /pageP.html
deactivate B
activate P
P -->> B: pageP.html with embedded CMP
deactivate P
activate B
B ->> B: no Prebid SSO ID 🍪 found
B ->> O: JS call "read or init" endpoint
activate O
note over B,O: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to read central cookies
note over O: make sure<br/>CMP is authorized to read
O ->> O: create and sign ID
O -->> B: Prebid SSO ID
deactivate O
B ->> B: show Prebid SSO ID
B --> U:
deactivate B
deactivate U
U ->> B: submit preferences
activate U
activate B
B ->> C: JS call: sign preferences value
activate C
C -->> B: signed preferences
deactivate C
B ->> O: JS call "write" endpoint<br>id = xxx<br>preferences = yyy
activate O
note over B,O: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to write central cookies
note over O: make sure<br/>CMP is authorized to read and write
note over O: make sure<br/>ID and preferences values can be trusted
O ->> O: write 1P 🍪:<br/>ID & preferences
O -->> B: id & preferences
deactivate O
B ->> B: write 1P 🍪<br/>ID & preferences
B -->> U:
deactivate B
deactivate U
end
rect rgba(255, 255, 255, .55)
note right of U: Time T2<br>"READ" scenario: user visits a "new" advertiser without CMP
U ->> B: visit www.advertiserA.com/pageA.html
activate U
activate B
B ->> A: GET /pageA.html
deactivate B
activate A
A -->> B: display pageA.html
deactivate A
activate B
B ->> B: no Prebid SSO ID 🍪 found
B ->> O: JS call "read" endpoint
activate O
note over B,O: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to read data
O ->> O: read 1P 🍪
note over O: make sure<br/>advertiserA is authorized to read
O -->> B: id & preferences
deactivate O
B ->> B: write 1P 🍪
B -->> U:
deactivate B
deactivate U
end
Without 3d party cookies,
- a full page load on Prebid SSO domain is needed to read or write cookies stored on Prebid SSO TLD+1
- a full page load on the website domain is needed to write cookies based on values read from Prebid SSO
So the only way to interact with Prebid SSO cookies is through full page "redirects".
- When visiting a publisher and meeting Prebid SSO for the first time:
- the publisher's page is called. Here, two options are possible:
- either the publisher's backend checks the existence of Prebid SSO cookie, and redirect the user to Prebid SSO operator
- or, the publisher's backend serves the requested page, and it includes a JS library that does exactly the same thing
- in both cases the browser is redirected to Prebid SSO operator to read any existing cookie or to create an ID if needed
- the operator redirects back to the original page, this time with a Prebid SSO ID as part of the URL
- the CMP is displayed
- the ID can be displayed in the CMP UI if needed
- when the user submits their preferences:
- a JS call is made to the CMP to "prepare" the values to write
- via JS, a redirect is triggered to the operator to write these values (saved under Prebid SSO domain)
- the operator redirects back to the original page, this time with a Prebid SSO ID & preferences as part of the URL
- finally, these values are saved as cookies on the publisher's domain
- Note that this, again, can be done on the publisher's backend side or via JS
- the publisher's page is called. Here, two options are possible:
- When a participating user visits an advertiser:
- on the advertiser backend, a redirect is triggered to the operator to get the Prebid SSO ID and preferences
- the operator redirects back to the original page, this time with a Prebid SSO ID & preferences as part of the URL
- the values are saved on the advertiser's domain
sequenceDiagram
participant U as user
participant B as browser
participant P as publisher P http server
participant C as CMP http server
participant A as advertiser A http server
participant O as operator node O
rect rgba(224, 224, 224, .55)
note right of U: Time T1<br>"WRITE" scenario: user visits publisher<br>and sets their preferences for the first time
U ->> B: visit www.publisherP.com/pageP.html
activate U
activate B
B ->> P: GET /pageP.html
deactivate B
activate P
P -->> B: embed CMP
deactivate P
activate B
B ->> B: no Prebid SSO ID 🍪 found
B -->> B: REDIRECT
B ->> O: call "read or init" endpoint<br/>redirectUrl = publisherP.com/pageP.html
deactivate B
activate O
note over B,O: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to read central cookies
note over O: make sure<br/>CMP is authorized to read
O ->> O: create and sign ID
O -->> B: REDIRECT
deactivate O
activate B
B ->> P: GET /pageP.html?id=xxx
deactivate B
activate P
P -->> B: embed CMP
deactivate P
activate B
B ->> B: show Prebid SSO ID
B -->> U:
deactivate B
deactivate U
U ->> B: submit preferences
activate U
activate B
B ->> C: JS call: sign preferences value
activate C
C -->> B: { signed preferences + URL to call on operator }
deactivate C
B -->> B: REDIRECT
B ->> O: call "write" endpoint<br>id = xxx<br>preferences = yyy<br>redirectUrl = publisherP.com/pageP.html
deactivate B
activate O
note over B,O: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to write central cookies
note over O: make sure<br/>CMP is authorized to read and write
note over O: make sure<br/>ID and preferences values can be trusted
O ->> O: write 1P 🍪:<br/>ID & preferences
O -->> B: REDIRECT
deactivate O
activate B
B ->> P: GET /pageP.html?<br/>cookie = ID & preferences
deactivate B
activate P
note over B,P: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers<br>to write local cookies
note over B,P: make sure ID & preferences in the URL<br/>cannot be read by hackers & challengers (browser)
P ->> P: write 1P 🍪<br/>ID & preferences
P -->> B: display pageP.html
deactivate P
B -->> U:
deactivate U
end
rect rgba(255, 255, 255, .55)
note right of U: Time T2<br>"READ" scenario: user visits a "new" advertiser without CMP
U ->> B: visit www.advertiserA.com/pageA.html
activate U
activate B
B ->> A: GET /pageA.html
deactivate B
activate A
A ->> A: no Prebid SSO ID 🍪 found
A ->> A: build redirect URL
A -->> B: REDIRECT
deactivate A
activate B
B ->> O: call "read" endpoint<br/>redirectUrl = advertiserA.com/pageA.html
deactivate B
activate O
note over B,O: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to read data
O ->> O: read 1P 🍪
note over O: make sure<br/>advertiserA is authorized to read
O -->> B: REDIRECT
deactivate O
activate B
B ->> A: GET /pageA.html?<br/>cookie = ID & preferences
deactivate B
activate A
note over B,A: make sure this URL cannot be "replayed" by hackers to write local cookies
note over B,A: make sure ID & preferences in the URL<br/>cannot be read by hackers & challengers (browser)
A ->> A: write 1P 🍪
A -->> B: display pageA.html
deactivate A
B -->> U:
deactivate U
end