# **Part 5: Specialized Web Scraping – Social Media, Mobile Apps, Dark Web, and Advanced Data Extraction**
#### **Ethical Considerations for Visual Content Extraction**
#### **Visual Content Ethics Framework**
```python
# visual_content_ethics.py
import hashlib
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
class VisualContentEthics:
def __init__(self):
self.content_policies = self._load_content_policies()
self.user_consent = {}
self.data_inventory = []
self.compliance_log = []
def _load_content_policies(self):
"""Load content policies for different platforms"""
return {
'general': {
'prohibited_content': [
'child_sexual_abuse_material',
'non_consensual_intimate_imagery',
'extreme_violence',
'hate_symbols'
],
'consent_requirements': {
'public_figures': 'implied',
'private_individuals': 'explicit'
},
'data_retention': timedelta(days=30),
'anonymization_required': True
},
'social_media': {
'prohibited_content': [
'private_messages',
'non_public_content',
'user_contact_info'
],
'consent_requirements': {
'public_content': 'not_required',
'user_profiles': 'implied'
},
'data_retention': timedelta(days=7),
'anonymization_required': True
},
'news_media': {
'prohibited_content': [],
'consent_requirements': {
'news_content': 'fair_use'
},
'data_retention': timedelta(days=365),
'anonymization_required': False
}
}
def check_content_compliance(self, content_url, content_type, context):
"""
Check if visual content extraction complies with ethical guidelines
Returns:
Tuple of (is_compliant, reason, recommended_action)
"""
# Check for prohibited content
if self._contains_prohibited_content(content_url, content_type):
return (
False,
"Content contains prohibited material",
"Do not extract or process this content"
)
# Check consent requirements
consent_status = self._check_consent_requirements(content_url, context)
if not consent_status['compliant']:
return (
False,
consent_status['reason'],
consent_status['recommendation']
)
# Check data retention
retention_status = self._check_data_retention(context)
if not retention_status['compliant']:
return (
False,
retention_status['reason'],
retention_status['recommendation']
)
return (
True,
"Content extraction complies with ethical guidelines",
"Proceed with extraction"
)
def _contains_prohibited_content(self, content_url, content_type):
"""Check if content contains prohibited material"""
# Implementation would analyze content
# This is a simplified version
prohibited_keywords = [
'child porn', 'cp', 'lolicon', 'shotacon',
'non-consensual', 'revenge porn', 'extreme violence'
]
# Check URL for keywords (simplified)
url_lower = content_url.lower()
return any(keyword in url_lower for keyword in prohibited_keywords)
def _check_consent_requirements(self, content_url, context):
"""Check if consent requirements are met"""
# Determine content source
source_type = self._determine_source_type(content_url)
# Get policy for source type
policy = self.content_policies.get(source_type, self.content_policies['general'])
# Check consent requirements
if 'private_individuals' in context.get('subjects', []):
if policy['consent_requirements'].get('private_individuals') == 'explicit':
if not self._has_explicit_consent(content_url):
return {
'compliant': False,
'reason': 'Explicit consent required for private individuals',
'recommendation': 'Obtain explicit consent from individuals'
}
return {'compliant': True}
def _determine_source_type(self, content_url):
"""Determine source type from URL"""
if 'twitter.com' in content_url or 'instagram.com' in content_url:
return 'social_media'
if 'reuters.com' in content_url or 'bbc.com' in content_url:
return 'news_media'
return 'general'
def _has_explicit_consent(self, content_url):
"""Check if explicit consent exists"""
# Implementation would check consent database
return False
def _check_data_retention(self, context):
"""Check if data retention complies with policy"""
# Determine source type
source_type = self._determine_source_type(context.get('url', ''))
policy = self.content_policies.get(source_type, self.content_policies['general'])
# Check requested retention
requested_days = context.get('retention_days', 0)
if requested_days > policy['data_retention'].days:
return {
'compliant': False,
'reason': f"Requested retention ({requested_days} days) exceeds policy limit "
f"({policy['data_retention'].days} days)",
'recommendation': f"Reduce retention period to {policy['data_retention'].days} days"
}
return {'compliant': True}
def log_content_extraction(self, content_url, content_hash, metadata):
"""Log content extraction for auditing"""
self.data_inventory.append({
'timestamp': datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
'content_url': content_url,
'content_hash': content_hash,
'metadata': metadata,
'retention_end': (
datetime.utcnow() + metadata.get('retention_timedelta', timedelta(days=30))
).isoformat()
})
def get_ethical_guidelines(self, context_type='general'):
"""Get ethical guidelines for visual content extraction"""
policy = self.content_policies.get(context_type, self.content_policies['general'])
return (
f"Ethical Guidelines for {context_type.replace('_', ' ').title()} Visual Content:\n\n"
f"PROHIBITED CONTENT:\n- " + "\n- ".join(policy['prohibited_content']) + "\n\n"
f"CONSENT REQUIREMENTS:\n" +
"\n".join(f"- {k}: {v}" for k, v in policy['consent_requirements'].items()) + "\n\n"
f"DATA RETENTION: Up to {policy['data_retention'].days} days\n"
f"ANONYMIZATION: {'Required' if policy['anonymization_required'] else 'Not required'}"
)
def anonymize_faces(self, image):
"""
Anonymize faces in image
Returns:
Anonymized PIL Image
"""
# Convert PIL image to OpenCV format
cv_image = cv2.cvtColor(np.array(image), cv2.COLOR_RGB2BGR)
# Load face detector
face_cascade = cv2.CascadeClassifier(
cv2.data.haarcascades + 'haarcascade_frontalface_default.xml'
)
# Detect faces
gray = cv2.cvtColor(cv_image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)
faces = face_cascade.detectMultiScale(
gray, scaleFactor=1.1, minNeighbors=5, minSize=(30, 30)
)
# Anonymize faces
for (x, y, w, h) in faces:
# Apply Gaussian blur
face_roi = cv_image[y:y+h, x:x+w]
blurred = cv2.GaussianBlur(face_roi, (99, 99), 30)
cv_image[y:y+h, x:x+w] = blurred
# Convert back to PIL format
return Image.fromarray(cv2.cvtColor(cv_image, cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB))
```
---
## **6. Scraping Behind Complex Authentication Systems** 🔒
Modern websites employ sophisticated authentication mechanisms that require advanced scraping techniques.
### **Advanced Authentication Mechanisms**
#### **1. JWT Authentication Handling**
```python
# jwt_auth.py
import requests
import jwt
import time
import base64
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.asymmetric import rsa
from cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend
class JWTAuthHandler:
def __init__(self, base_url, client_id, client_secret=None):
self.base_url = base_url
self.client_id = client_id
self.client_secret = client_secret
self.session = requests.Session()
self.access_token = None
self.refresh_token = None
self.token_expiry = 0
self.public_keys = {}
def login(self, username, password):
"""
Authenticate using username/password and obtain JWT tokens
"""
# OAuth2 Resource Owner Password Credentials flow
token_url = f"{self.base_url}/oauth/token"
data = {
'grant_type': 'password',
'username': username,
'password': password,
'client_id': self.client_id
}
# Add client secret if available
if self.client_secret:
data['client_secret'] = self.client_secret
response = self.session.post(token_url, data=data)
response.raise_for_status()
# Store tokens
tokens = response.json()
self._process_tokens(tokens)
return tokens
def _process_tokens(self, tokens):
"""Process and store JWT tokens"""
self.access_token = tokens.get('access_token')
self.refresh_token = tokens.get('refresh_token')
# Decode access token to get expiry
if self.access_token:
try:
decoded = jwt.decode(
self.access_token,
options={"verify_signature": False}
)
self.token_expiry = decoded.get('exp', 0)
except:
# Fallback to expires_in
self.token_expiry = time.time() + tokens.get('expires_in', 3600)
def is_token_valid(self):
"""Check if current token is still valid"""
return self.access_token and time.time() < self.token_expiry
def refresh_token(self):
"""Refresh expired access token"""
if not self.refresh_token:
raise Exception("No refresh token available")
token_url = f"{self.base_url}/oauth/token"
data = {
'grant_type': 'refresh_token',
'refresh_token': self.refresh_token,
'client_id': self.client_id
}
if self.client_secret:
data['client_secret'] = self.client_secret
response = self.session.post(token_url, data=data)
response.raise_for_status()
# Process new tokens
self._process_tokens(response.json())
return self.access_token
def get_auth_headers(self):
"""Get headers with current authentication token"""
if not self.is_token_valid() and self.refresh_token:
self.refresh_token()
return {
'Authorization': f'Bearer {self.access_token}',
'Accept': 'application/json'
}
def make_authenticated_request(self, url, method='GET', **kwargs):
"""Make authenticated request with automatic token refresh"""
# Ensure we have a valid token
if not self.is_token_valid() and self.refresh_token:
self.refresh_token()
# Add authentication headers
headers = kwargs.pop('headers', {})
headers.update(self.get_auth_headers())
# Make request
response = self.session.request(
method,
url,
headers=headers,
**kwargs
)
# Handle token expiration (401 responses)
if response.status_code == 401:
auth_header = response.headers.get('WWW-Authenticate', '')
if 'Bearer' in auth_header and 'error="invalid_token"' in auth_header:
# Token might be expired, try refreshing
self.refresh_token()
# Retry request with new token
headers.update(self.get_auth_headers())
response = self.session.request(
method,
url,
headers=headers,
**kwargs
)
response.raise_for_status()
return response
def extract_public_keys(self):
"""Extract public keys for JWT verification"""
# Get JWKS endpoint
jwks_url = f"{self.base_url}/.well-known/jwks.json"
try:
response = self.session.get(jwks_url)
response.raise_for_status()
jwks = response.json()
for key in jwks.get('keys', []):
kid = key.get('kid')
if kid:
# Convert JWK to PEM
if key['kty'] == 'RSA':
n = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(key['n'] + '==')
e = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(key['e'] + '==')
# Create RSA public key
public_key = rsa.RSAPublicNumbers(
int.from_bytes(e, 'big'),
int.from_bytes(n, 'big')
).public_key(default_backend())
# Convert to PEM
pem = public_key.public_bytes(
encoding=serialization.Encoding.PEM,
format=serialization.PublicFormat.SubjectPublicKeyInfo
)
self.public_keys[kid] = pem
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error extracting public keys: {str(e)}")
def verify_token(self, token=None):
"""Verify JWT signature and claims"""
token = token or self.access_token
if not token:
return False
try:
# Decode header to get key ID
headers = jwt.get_unverified_header(token)
kid = headers.get('kid')
# Get public key
if kid not in self.public_keys:
self.extract_public_keys()
if kid not in self.public_keys:
return False
# Verify token
decoded = jwt.decode(
token,
self.public_keys[kid],
algorithms=['RS256'],
audience=self.client_id,
options={"verify_exp": True}
)
return True
except jwt.InvalidTokenError:
return False
def get_user_info(self):
"""Get user information from userinfo endpoint"""
if not self.is_token_valid():
raise Exception("Token not valid")
userinfo_url = f"{self.base_url}/oauth/userinfo"
response = self.make_authenticated_request(userinfo_url)
return response.json()
```
#### **2. Multi-Factor Authentication Bypass**
```python
# mfa_bypass.py
import time
import re
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver.support.ui import WebDriverWait
from selenium.webdriver.support import expected_conditions as EC
class MFABypass:
def __init__(self, driver=None):
self.driver = driver or webdriver.Chrome()
self.mfa_handlers = {
'sms': self._handle_sms_mfa,
'authenticator': self._handle_authenticator_mfa,
'email': self._handle_email_mfa,
'security_questions': self._handle_security_questions
}
def login_with_mfa(self, login_url, username, password, mfa_type='authenticator'):
"""
Perform login with multi-factor authentication
Returns:
Boolean indicating success
"""
# Navigate to login page
self.driver.get(login_url)
# Enter username
self._enter_username(username)
# Enter password
self._enter_password(password)
# Submit credentials
self._submit_credentials()
# Handle MFA based on type
if mfa_type in self.mfa_handlers:
return self.mfa_handlers[mfa_type]()
else:
raise ValueError(f"Unsupported MFA type: {mfa_type}")
def _enter_username(self, username):
"""Enter username on login page"""
try:
# Wait for username field
username_field = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 10).until(
EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, "username"))
)
username_field.clear()
username_field.send_keys(username)
except:
# Try alternative selectors
try:
email_field = self.driver.find_element(By.NAME, "email")
email_field.clear()
email_field.send_keys(username)
except:
raise Exception("Could not find username field")
def _enter_password(self, password):
"""Enter password on login page"""
try:
# Wait for password field
password_field = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 10).until(
EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, "password"))
)
password_field.clear()
password_field.send_keys(password)
except:
# Try alternative selectors
try:
pwd_field = self.driver.find_element(By.NAME, "password")
pwd_field.clear()
pwd_field.send_keys(password)
except:
raise Exception("Could not find password field")
def _submit_credentials(self):
"""Submit username and password"""
try:
# Click login button
login_button = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 10).until(
EC.element_to_be_clickable((By.ID, "login-button"))
)
login_button.click()
except:
# Try alternative methods
try:
# Submit form
form = self.driver.find_element(By.TAG_NAME, "form")
form.submit()
except:
raise Exception("Could not submit credentials")
# Wait for potential MFA page
time.sleep(2)
def _handle_sms_mfa(self):
"""Handle SMS-based MFA"""
print("SMS MFA detected - please enter code manually")
# Wait for code input
try:
code_field = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 30).until(
EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, "verification-code"))
)
# Manual entry required
print("Verification code field detected. Please enter code and press Enter to continue...")
input("Press Enter after entering code...")
# Check if login succeeded
return self._check_login_success()
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error handling SMS MFA: {str(e)}")
return False
def _handle_authenticator_mfa(self):
"""Handle authenticator app MFA"""
print("Authenticator app MFA detected")
# Check for QR code (indicating setup needed)
try:
qr_code = self.driver.find_element(By.CLASS_NAME, "qr-code")
print("QR code detected - authenticator setup required")
print("Please scan QR code with authenticator app")
input("Press Enter after setup is complete...")
return True
except:
pass
# Wait for code input
try:
code_field = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 10).until(
EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, "mfa-code"))
)
# Manual entry required
print("Verification code field detected. Please enter code from authenticator app...")
input("Press Enter after entering code...")
# Check if login succeeded
return self._check_login_success()
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error handling authenticator MFA: {str(e)}")
return False
def _handle_email_mfa(self):
"""Handle email-based MFA"""
print("Email MFA detected")
# Check if "Send code" button exists
try:
send_code = self.driver.find_element(By.ID, "send-code")
send_code.click()
print("Requested MFA code via email")
except:
pass
# Manual entry required
print("Please check your email for the MFA code")
input("Press Enter after entering code...")
# Check if login succeeded
return self._check_login_success()
def _handle_security_questions(self):
"""Handle security question MFA"""
print("Security questions MFA detected")
# Get security questions
try:
questions = self.driver.find_elements(By.CLASS_NAME, "security-question")
print(f"Found {len(questions)} security questions")
# Manual answers required
print("Please answer security questions manually")
input("Press Enter after answering questions...")
# Check if login succeeded
return self._check_login_success()
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error handling security questions: {str(e)}")
return False
def _check_login_success(self):
"""Check if login was successful"""
# Check for common success indicators
success_indicators = [
'dashboard', 'welcome', 'home', 'profile'
]
current_url = self.driver.current_url
page_source = self.driver.page_source.lower()
# Check URL
if any(indicator in current_url.lower() for indicator in success_indicators):
return True
# Check page content
if any(indicator in page_source for indicator in success_indicators):
return True
# Check for error messages
error_indicators = [
'error', 'incorrect', 'failed', 'invalid'
]
if any(indicator in page_source for indicator in error_indicators):
return False
# Uncertain - prompt user
print("Login status uncertain. Please verify manually.")
return input("Login successful? (y/n): ").lower() == 'y'
def setup_headless_mfa(self, mfa_type, mfa_data):
"""
Setup headless MFA handling (for automated systems)
Args:
mfa_type: Type of MFA to handle
mfa_ Data needed for MFA handling
(e.g., email credentials, authenticator seed)
"""
if mfa_type == 'email':
self._setup_email_mfa(mfa_data)
elif mfa_type == 'authenticator':
self._setup_authenticator_mfa(mfa_data)
# Add other MFA types as needed
def _setup_email_mfa(self, mfa_data):
"""Setup automated email-based MFA handling"""
# Implementation would connect to email service
# and automatically retrieve MFA codes
pass
def _setup_authenticator_mfa(self, authenticator_data):
"""Setup automated authenticator-based MFA handling"""
# Implementation would use authenticator seed
# to generate time-based codes
pass
def auto_handle_mfa(self, mfa_type, mfa_data, timeout=60):
"""
Automatically handle MFA without manual intervention
Returns:
Boolean indicating success
"""
if mfa_type == 'email' and 'email_handler' in mfa_
return self._auto_handle_email_mfa(mfa_data, timeout)
elif mfa_type == 'authenticator' and 'seed' in mfa_
return self._auto_handle_authenticator_mfa(mfa_data, timeout)
else:
raise ValueError("Insufficient data for automatic MFA handling")
def _auto_handle_email_mfa(self, mfa_data, timeout):
"""Automatically handle email-based MFA"""
# Connect to email
email_handler = mfa_data['email_handler']
# Wait for email
start_time = time.time()
while time.time() - start_time < timeout:
# Check for new emails
emails = email_handler.check_new_emails()
# Look for MFA code
for email in emails:
code = self._extract_mfa_code(email)
if code:
# Enter code
self._enter_mfa_code(code)
return self._check_login_success()
time.sleep(2)
return False
def _auto_handle_authenticator_mfa(self, mfa_data, timeout):
"""Automatically handle authenticator-based MFA"""
# Generate code from seed
code = self._generate_authenticator_code(mfa_data['seed'])
# Enter code
self._enter_mfa_code(code)
return self._check_login_success()
def _extract_mfa_code(self, email):
"""Extract MFA code from email"""
# Look for common code patterns
code_match = re.search(r'\b\d{6}\b', email['body'])
if code_match:
return code_match.group(0)
return None
def _generate_authenticator_code(self, seed):
"""Generate authenticator code from seed"""
# Implementation would use TOTP algorithm
# This is a simplified example
import time
import hmac
import hashlib
# Convert seed to bytes
key = base64.b32decode(seed.upper() + '=' * ((8 - len(seed) % 8) % 8))
# Get current time step
interval = int(time.time()) // 30
# Convert time to bytes
time_bytes = interval.to_bytes(8, 'big')
# Generate HMAC-SHA1
hmac_result = hmac.new(key, time_bytes, hashlib.sha1).digest()
# Extract code
offset = hmac_result[-1] & 0x0F
binary = ((hmac_result[offset] & 0x7F) << 24 |
(hmac_result[offset + 1] & 0xFF) << 16 |
(hmac_result[offset + 2] & 0xFF) << 8 |
(hmac_result[offset + 3] & 0xFF))
# Format as 6-digit code
return str(binary % 1000000).zfill(6)
def _enter_mfa_code(self, code):
"""Enter MFA code into the appropriate field"""
try:
# Wait for code input
code_field = WebDriverWait(self.driver, 10).until(
EC.presence_of_element_located((By.ID, "mfa-code"))
)
code_field.clear()
code_field.send_keys(code)
# Submit
submit_button = self.driver.find_element(By.ID, "submit-mfa")
submit_button.click()
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error entering MFA code: {str(e)}")
raise
```
---
## **7. Building Scraping-as-a-Service Platforms** 🌐
Creating a scalable, reliable scraping service requires careful architecture and business considerations.
### **Scraping-as-a-Service Architecture**
#### **1. Core Platform Components**
```
[Client API] → REST/GraphQL interface
↓
[Request Router] → Distributes requests to appropriate service
↓
[Scraping Service] → Executes scraping tasks
↓
[Data Processing] → Cleans and structures data
↓
[Storage Service] → Stores structured data
↓
[Billing Service] → Manages subscriptions and usage
↓
[Monitoring] → Tracks system health and performance
```
#### **2. API Gateway Implementation**
```python
# api_gateway.py
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
import jwt
from functools import wraps
import time
from usage_metering import UsageMeter
from billing_service import BillingService
app = Flask(__name__)
app.config['SECRET_KEY'] = 'your-secret-key'
usage_meter = UsageMeter()
billing_service = BillingService()
def token_required(f):
@wraps(f)
def decorated(*args, **kwargs):
token = request.headers.get('Authorization')
if not token:
return jsonify({'message': 'Token is missing!'}), 401
try:
# Remove 'Bearer ' prefix if present
if token.startswith('Bearer '):
token = token.split(' ')[1]
# Decode token
data = jwt.decode(token, app.config['SECRET_KEY'], algorithms=["HS256"])
current_user = data['user_id']
# Check subscription status
if not billing_service.is_subscription_active(current_user):
return jsonify({'message': 'Subscription inactive'}), 403
# Check rate limits
if not usage_meter.check_rate_limit(current_user):
return jsonify({'message': 'Rate limit exceeded'}), 429
except jwt.ExpiredSignatureError:
return jsonify({'message': 'Token has expired'}), 401
except jwt.InvalidTokenError:
return jsonify({'message': 'Invalid token'}), 401
except Exception as e:
return jsonify({'message': str(e)}), 401
return f(current_user, *args, **kwargs)
return decorated
@app.route('/api/v1/scrape', methods=['POST'])
@token_required
def scrape(current_user):
"""Scrape URL with specified parameters"""
data = request.json
# Validate request
if not data or 'url' not in data:
return jsonify({'error': 'URL is required'}), 400
# Record usage
usage_meter.record_usage(
user_id=current_user,
endpoint='/api/v1/scrape',
count=1
)
# Process scrape request
try:
# In practice, would route to scraping service
result = {
'url': data['url'],
'content': 'Scraped content would appear here',
'metadata': {
'timestamp': time.time(),
'status': 'success'
}
}
return jsonify(result)
except Exception as e:
return jsonify({'error': str(e)}), 500
@app.route('/api/v1/usage', methods=['GET'])
@token_required
def get_usage(current_user):
"""Get current usage statistics"""
usage = usage_meter.get_usage(current_user)
return jsonify(usage)
@app.route('/api/v1/subscribe', methods=['POST'])
def subscribe():
"""Handle new subscriptions"""
data = request.json
plan = data.get('plan')
payment_token = data.get('payment_token')
user_id = data.get('user_id')
if not plan or not payment_token or not user_id:
return jsonify({'error': 'Missing required parameters'}), 400
# Process payment
if not billing_service.process_payment(user_id, plan, payment_token):
return jsonify({'error': 'Payment failed'}), 400
# Create subscription
subscription_id = billing_service.create_subscription(
user_id=user_id,
plan=plan,
start_date=time.time()
)
# Generate API token
token = jwt.encode({
'user_id': user_id,
'exp': time.time() + 30 * 24 * 3600 # 30 days
}, app.config['SECRET_KEY'], algorithm="HS256")
return jsonify({
'subscription_id': subscription_id,
'api_token': token,
'plan_details': billing_service.get_plan_details(plan)
})
@app.route('/api/v1/webhook', methods=['POST'])
def webhook():
"""Handle webhook notifications from payment processor"""
data = request.json
event_type = data.get('type')
if event_type == 'payment.succeeded':
billing_service.handle_payment_success(data)
elif event_type == 'subscription.canceled':
billing_service.handle_subscription_cancellation(data)
return jsonify({'status': 'success'})
@app.errorhandler(429)
def rate_limit_exceeded(e):
"""Custom rate limit error handler"""
return jsonify({
'error': 'Rate limit exceeded',
'retry_after': usage_meter.get_retry_after()
}), 429
if __name__ == '__main__':
app.run(debug=True)
```
#### **3. Usage Metering System**
```python
# usage_metering.py
import time
from collections import defaultdict
class UsageMeter:
def __init__(self, rate_limits=None):
self.usage = defaultdict(lambda: defaultdict(int))
self.rate_limits = rate_limits or {
'free': {'requests_per_minute': 60, 'requests_per_day': 1000},
'basic': {'requests_per_minute': 300, 'requests_per_day': 10000},
'pro': {'requests_per_minute': 1000, 'requests_per_day': 50000},
'enterprise': {'requests_per_minute': 5000, 'requests_per_day': 500000}
}
self.request_timestamps = defaultdict(list)
self.window_size = 60 # seconds for minute-based limits
def record_usage(self, user_id, endpoint, count=1):
"""Record API usage for a user"""
current_time = time.time()
# Update total usage
self.usage[user_id]['total'] += count
self.usage[user_id][endpoint] += count
# Track timestamps for rate limiting
self.request_timestamps[user_id].append(current_time)
# Clean up old timestamps
cutoff = current_time - self.window_size
self.request_timestamps[user_id] = [
ts for ts in self.request_timestamps[user_id] if ts > cutoff
]
def check_rate_limit(self, user_id, plan='basic'):
"""Check if user is within rate limits"""
# Get current usage
current_minute_usage = len(self.request_timestamps[user_id])
current_day_usage = self.usage[user_id]['total']
# Get rate limits for plan
limits = self.rate_limits.get(plan, self.rate_limits['basic'])
# Check minute limit
if current_minute_usage > limits['requests_per_minute']:
return False
# Check daily limit
if current_day_usage > limits['requests_per_day']:
return False
return True
def get_usage(self, user_id):
"""Get current usage statistics"""
return {
'total_requests': self.usage[user_id]['total'],
'minute_requests': len(self.request_timestamps[user_id]),
'limits': self.rate_limits.get(self.get_user_plan(user_id), {})
}
def get_retry_after(self):
"""Get seconds until rate limit reset"""
return max(0, self.window_size - (time.time() % self.window_size))
def get_user_plan(self, user_id):
"""Get user's subscription plan"""
# Implementation would retrieve from database
return 'basic' # Simplified
def reset_daily_usage(self):
"""Reset daily usage counters (called by scheduler)"""
for user_id in list(self.usage.keys()):
self.usage[user_id]['total'] = 0
def get_usage_report(self, period='daily'):
"""Generate usage report for billing"""
# Implementation would generate detailed usage report
pass
```
#### **4. Billing Service Implementation**
```python
# billing_service.py
import stripe
import time
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
stripe.api_key = "sk_test_..."
class BillingService:
def __init__(self):
self.plans = {
'free': {
'name': 'Free',
'price': 0,
'requests_per_day': 1000,
'features': ['basic_scraping', 'csv_export']
},
'basic': {
'name': 'Basic',
'price': 29,
'requests_per_day': 10000,
'features': ['basic_scraping', 'csv_export', 'api_access']
},
'pro': {
'name': 'Pro',
'price': 99,
'requests_per_day': 50000,
'features': ['advanced_scraping', 'real_time', 'api_access', 'priority_support']
},
'enterprise': {
'name': 'Enterprise',
'price': 499,
'requests_per_day': 500000,
'features': ['custom_scraping', 'real_time', 'dedicated_proxy', '24_7_support']
}
}
self.subscriptions = {} # In-memory storage (would use DB in production)
def process_payment(self, user_id, plan, payment_token):
"""Process payment using Stripe"""
try:
# Create customer if doesn't exist
customer = self._get_or_create_customer(user_id)
# Create subscription
subscription = stripe.Subscription.create(
customer=customer.id,
items=[{"price": self._get_stripe_price_id(plan)}],
expand=["latest_invoice.payment_intent"]
)
# Store subscription
self.subscriptions[user_id] = {
'id': subscription.id,
'plan': plan,
'status': subscription.status,
'start_date': time.time(),
'next_billing_date': subscription.current_period_end
}
return True
except Exception as e:
print(f"Payment processing error: {str(e)}")
return False
def _get_or_create_customer(self, user_id):
"""Get or create Stripe customer"""
# In practice, would store customer ID with user
try:
# Try to find existing customer
customers = stripe.Customer.list(email=f"{user_id}@example.com")
if customers.
return customers.data[0]
# Create new customer
return stripe.Customer.create(
email=f"{user_id}@example.com",
name=f"User {user_id}"
)
except Exception as e:
print(f"Customer creation error: {str(e)}")
raise
def _get_stripe_price_id(self, plan):
"""Get Stripe price ID for plan"""
# In practice, would map to actual Stripe price IDs
price_ids = {
'free': 'price_free',
'basic': 'price_basic',
'pro': 'price_pro',
'enterprise': 'price_enterprise'
}
return price_ids.get(plan, 'price_basic')
def create_subscription(self, user_id, plan, start_date):
"""Create subscription record"""
subscription_id = f"sub_{user_id}_{int(time.time())}"
self.subscriptions[user_id] = {
'id': subscription_id,
'user_id': user_id,
'plan': plan,
'status': 'active',
'start_date': start_date,
'end_date': start_date + 30 * 24 * 3600, # 30 days
'billing_cycle': 'monthly'
}
return subscription_id
def is_subscription_active(self, user_id):
"""Check if user's subscription is active"""
subscription = self.subscriptions.get(user_id)
if not subscription:
return False
# Check status
if subscription['status'] != 'active':
return False
# Check expiration
if time.time() > subscription['end_date']:
return False
return True
def get_plan_details(self, plan):
"""Get details for a subscription plan"""
return self.plans.get(plan, self.plans['basic'])
def handle_payment_success(self, event):
"""Handle successful payment webhook"""
subscription_id = event['data']['object']['subscription']
# Update subscription status
for user_id, sub in self.subscriptions.items():
if sub['id'] == subscription_id:
sub['status'] = 'active'
sub['next_billing_date'] = event['data']['object']['current_period_end']
break
def handle_subscription_cancellation(self, event):
"""Handle subscription cancellation webhook"""
subscription_id = event['data']['object']['id']
# Update subscription status
for user_id, sub in self.subscriptions.items():
if sub['id'] == subscription_id:
sub['status'] = 'canceled'
break
def generate_invoice(self, user_id):
"""Generate invoice for user"""
subscription = self.subscriptions.get(user_id)
if not subscription:
return None
plan = self.plans.get(subscription['plan'], self.plans['basic'])
return {
'invoice_id': f"inv_{user_id}_{int(time.time())}",
'user_id': user_id,
'plan': subscription['plan'],
'amount': plan['price'],
'period_start': subscription['start_date'],
'period_end': subscription['end_date'],
'status': 'paid',
'created_at': time.time()
}
def get_billing_history(self, user_id):
"""Get user's billing history"""
# Implementation would retrieve from database
pass
def cancel_subscription(self, user_id):
"""Cancel user's subscription"""
if user_id in self.subscriptions:
self.subscriptions[user_id]['status'] = 'canceled'
self.subscriptions[user_id]['end_date'] = time.time()
return True
return False
```
---
## **8. Quiz: Specialized Scraping Mastery** ❓
**1. When reverse engineering a mobile app's API, what is the primary purpose of SSL pinning bypass?**
A) To increase request speed
B) To intercept and analyze encrypted traffic
C) To reduce server load
D) To improve data accuracy
**2. Which technique is most effective for extracting data from infinite scroll pages on social media platforms?**
A) Traditional HTML parsing
B) API reverse engineering and direct endpoint calls
C) Full-page screenshots
D) Manual data entry
**3. In dark web research, what is the primary ethical principle that prohibits accessing child sexual abuse material?**
A) Beneficence
B) Non-maleficence
C) Justice
D) Respect for persons
**4. For financial data scraping, what regulation requires broker-dealers to implement market access controls?**
A) MiFID II
B) GDPR
C) SEC Rule 15c3-5
D) CCPA
**5. When analyzing images at scale, what computer vision technique is most effective for detecting objects in varying lighting conditions?**
A) Traditional edge detection
B) YOLO object detection
C) Histogram analysis
D) Color thresholding
**6. Which JWT claim is essential for preventing token replay attacks?**
A) iss (issuer)
B) exp (expiration time)
C) jti (JWT ID)
D) aud (audience)
**7. In a scraping-as-a-service platform, what is the primary purpose of usage metering?**
A) To improve data quality
B) To enforce rate limits and billing
C) To enhance scraping speed
D) To bypass anti-scraping measures
**8. When handling multi-factor authentication, what approach allows for fully automated login without manual intervention?**
A) Waiting for user input
B) Using authenticator seed to generate codes
C) Disabling MFA
D) Using public Wi-Fi networks
**9. For GDPR compliance when scraping public social media profiles, what is generally required?**
A) Explicit user consent
B) Data minimization and purpose limitation
C) Payment of data processing fees
D) Registration with local authorities
**10. In video analysis, what technique is most effective for identifying scene changes?**
A) Extracting frames at fixed intervals
B) Analyzing audio waveforms
C) Comparing frame differences with thresholding
D) Tracking object movement
👉 **Answers:**
1. B (Intercept and analyze encrypted traffic)
2. B (API reverse engineering and direct endpoint calls)
3. B (Non-maleficence)
4. C (SEC Rule 15c3-5)
5. B (YOLO object detection)
6. C (jti - JWT ID)
7. B (Enforce rate limits and billing)
8. B (Using authenticator seed to generate codes)
9. B (Data minimization and purpose limitation)
10. C (Comparing frame differences with thresholding)
---
## **9. Conclusion and Future of Web Scraping** 🚀
You've now mastered **specialized web scraping domains** including:
- Advanced social media scraping with API reverse engineering
- Mobile app scraping and reverse engineering
- Ethical dark web data extraction
- Real-time financial data scraping
- Image and video content extraction at scale
- Scraping behind complex authentication systems
- Building scraping-as-a-service platforms
### **The Future of Web Scraping**
#### **Emerging Trends**
- **AI-Powered Scraping**: LLMs for adaptive data extraction
- **Decentralized Scraping**: Blockchain-based distributed scraping networks
- **Privacy-First Scraping**: Techniques that respect user privacy by design
- **Real-Time Data Marketplaces**: Instant access to verified scraped data
- **Ethical AI Frameworks**: Ensuring responsible data collection and use
#### **Ethical Considerations for the Future**
- **Transparency**: Clear disclosure of data collection practices
- **User Control**: Giving users control over their data
- **Purpose Limitation**: Collecting only data necessary for specific purposes
- **Data Minimization**: Reducing data collection to the absolute minimum
- **Algorithmic Accountability**: Ensuring AI scraping systems are auditable
### **Final Thoughts**
Web scraping has evolved from simple HTML parsing to a sophisticated discipline requiring expertise in multiple domains. As technology advances, so too must our approaches to data extraction.
The most successful scraping operations are those that:
- **Respect website owners' rights** through robots.txt compliance
- **Prioritize user privacy** with GDPR/CCPA compliance
- **Add value to the ecosystem** rather than extracting value
- **Operate transparently** with clear data usage policies
- **Invest in ethical frameworks** that guide decision-making
> "The future of web scraping isn't about collecting more data—it's about collecting the right data in the right way, transforming it into value while respecting the digital ecosystem we operate within."
### **Resources for Continued Learning**
- **Books**:
- "Web Scraping with Python" by Ryan Mitchell
- "Ethical Web Scraping" by Daniel Greenspan
- "Data Collection and Analysis for Web Intelligence" by John Doe
- **Communities**:
- Web Scraping Slack Community
- GitHub Web Scraping Organizations
- Privacy Tech Forums
- **Tools**:
- Scrapy Cloud
- Bright Data
- Apify
- Octoparse
**Thank you for completing this comprehensive web scraping series!**
You're now equipped with the knowledge to tackle any web scraping challenge while operating ethically and responsibly.
**Keep scraping responsibly!** ✨
**Hashtags:** #WebScraping #DataScience #APIReverseEngineering #EthicalAI #DarkWeb #FinancialData #MobileScraping #ScrapingSaaS #TechEducation #DataEthics
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