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How to find

Always use a virtual machine to test. DO NOT do this in your working system.

  • Install any network capturing tool like WireShark, tcpdump, Fiddler etc. Fiddler may be easier to understand here. Allow it to capture HTTPS traffic with Tools > Options > HTTPS > Decrypt HTTPS traffic. Allow it to capture all Windows programs in WinConfig > Exempt All > Save Changes. Do not close the window.

  • Open Immersive Control Panel aka. Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen > Windows SpotLight. This executes Background Task Host process under Microsoft Content Delivery Manager.

  • Wait some time. When you see arc.msn.com in host column in Fiddler stop it to capture further network packets. Copy the whole URL with Ctrl+U. The URL will be something like this:

https://arc.msn.com/v3/Delivery/Placement?pubid=da63df93-3dbc-42ae-a505-b34988683ac7&pid=338387&
adm=2&w=1&h=1&wpx=1&hpx=1&fmt=json&cltp=app&dim=le&rafb=0&nct=1&pm=1&cfmt=text,image,poly&
sft=jpeg,png,gif&topt=1&poptin=0&localid=w:13BB0C2A-BF26-FAA1-30D3-96E3178DBE1A&ctry=US&
time=20190501T195244Z&lc=en-US&pl=en-US&idtp=mid&uid=f7e90ccd-a609-45c2-8543-cd5fb4597749&
aid=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&ua=WindowsShellClient%2F9.0.40929.0%20%28Windows%29&
asid=d33a80c001534bd3bcd52f6ed281dbe9&ctmode=MultiSession&arch=x64&cdm=1&cdmver=10.0.18890.1000&
devfam=Windows.Desktop&devform=Unknown&devosver=10.0.18890.1000&disphorzres=1366&dispsize=15.8&
dispvertres=654&isu=0&lo=2655&metered=false&nettype=ethernet&npid=sc-338387&oemName=innotek%20GmbH&
oemid=innotek%20GmbH&ossku=Professional&rver=2&sc-mode=0&smBiosDm=VirtualBox&tl=2&tsu=2655&
waasBldFlt=1&waasCfgExp=1&waasCfgSet=1&waasRetail=1&waasRing=1
  • In the scripts, the link is shortened as https://arc.msn.com/v3/Delivery/Placement?&fmt=json&cdm=1&ctry=US&pid=338387.

Internals

  • The pid field comes from HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager registry values. See the sample registry file.

  • The URL string is constructed in ContentManagementSDK file. See these DLL files:

C:\Windows\System32\ContentDeliveryManager.Utilities.dll
C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\ContentDeliveryManager.Background.dll
C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\ContentManagementSDK.dll

List of Subscription IDs

The same link also downloads Store Apps recommendations, Start Menu Tiles icon etc. From CreativeFramework::TargetedContent::GetAdUnitIdFromSubscriptionId arrays:

Subscription ID Internal Ad ID Public Ad ID
ActionCenter 310092 310091
ApiTest 280812 280812
DynamicLayouts 314558 314559
MinuteZeroOffers 310094 310093
OobeOffers 314566 314567
ShareAppSuggestions 280814 280815
SilentInstalledApps 202913 202914
StartSuggestions 338381 338388
PeopleAppSuggestions 314562 314563
OneDriveLocal 280797 280811
OneDriveSync 280817 280810
OneDriveDocuments 88000162 88000161
OneDriveDesktop 88000164 88000163
OneDrivePictures 88000166 88000165
LockScreen* 338380 338387*
WindowsTip 338382 338389
Settings 338386 338393
Signals 346480 346481
SettingsHome 353697 353696
SettingsValueBanner 88000106 88000105
SettingsAccountsYourInfo 353695 353694
Timeline 353699 353698
AppDefaultsEdgeEnlightenment 88000044 88000045

More to be discovered...