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[Suerte]

So I'm attempting to download a new episode of a TV show and it keeps downloading much more data than the actual file size, apparently the MPAA have begun using a tool to flood torrent networks with useless data, something like this:

"A Finnish company called Viralg is emerging with claims to have a high-powered new way of stopping unauthorized file trading on peer-to-peer networks.

The company, which took the top prize at a recent Finnish emerging-technology competition, says it has been working with BMG Finland to protect local music releases on file-swapping networks for more than a year.

The company's method involves piggybacking on modern file-swapping networks' ability to download from several sources at once. It mimics the digital signature of a desired song, movie or game, and then adds junk data into the download stream, corrupting the file.

The technology "mixes together files in P2P networks in a way that the illegal downloader will end up downloading useless garbage instead of real music, movie or game content," the company said in a press release outlining its technique. "Our...technology is capable of destroying already-shared functional files from peer-to-peer networks."

 

[borghe]

don't most of the more advanced bittorrent apps hash twice? once on the piece and once on the file(s)? I find it hard to believe that viralg can fake both individual piece hashes that will also pass entire torrent hashes.

 

[The Faceless Master]

i don't get how this would work... most (all?) clients will start ignoring sources that send data with bad hashes...

 

[ManaByte]

XNews people...

BiTorrent is on the radar now, it'll be useless soon.

 

[Hitokage]

Nice that the MPAA's script kiddies heard about the MD5 vulnerability.

Fix: Move to a more robust hashing scheme... maybe even hash pairs along with individual torrent pieces.

 

[Blatz]

Last I heard, it was legal to d/l TV shows. How can the MPAA restrict that? I smell a class action suit coming!! Unless the MPAA can apply this to movies only, then they are infringing on our rights to download legal stuff on BitTorrent.

 

[Manics]

Why don't they ever target newsgroups? You never hear anything about newsgroups but you can find EVERYTHING there. You would think the MPAA would try to stop that too.

 

[pnjtony]

TV shows are also illegal broseph

 

[Vlad]

Why don't they ever target newsgroups? You never hear anything about newsgroups but you can find EVERYTHING there. You would think the MPAA would try to stop that too.

Shhhhh, it's supposed to be a secret

 

[borghe]

XNews people...

BiTorrent is on the radar now, it'll be useless soon.

considering that bittorrent is open source AND has already been extended by many devs beyond Brahm's original version, I would hardly say it'll be useless soon. hash twice on each piece and this is done with. furthermore, it could be introduced as a security reason instead of simpy to encourage piracy (MS distributes a major file P2P and an anti-MS hacker pulls a viralg and works to corrupt the swarm).

This won't last long and is based on existing vulnerabilities that are easily corrected.

Hell, DHT based torrent apps can already implement this through DHT participants who are already torrenting through non-standard means.

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

Usenet has been around forever. Just like IRC. People still do use these outlets for the intentions that they were created for.

 

[Blatz]

TV shows are also illegal broseph

I've heard that once they hit the air then they are legal, but that info is only as good as my source.

But there are legal files out there, and the MPAA can't interfere with the download of such files. It's illegal, or it should be.

 

[Drexon]

Direct Connect, it'll outlive 'em all, muahahaha.

 

[Great King Bowser]

Try searching torrentspy for "Coldplay".

THE END IS NIGH.

 

[borghe]

Try searching torrentspy for "Coldplay".

THE END IS NIGH.

edit - eh.. maybe you guys should be required to figure it out yourself........

 

[Vlad]

Try searching torrentspy for "Coldplay".

THE END IS NIGH.

That's not the only one.. a search for "Family Guy" gives you the same result.

EDIT: "Star Wars", too...

 

[Phoenix]

The company's method involves piggybacking on modern file-swapping networks' ability to download from several sources at once. It mimics the digital signature of a desired song, movie or game, and then adds junk data into the download stream, corrupting the file.

I believe I mentioned this strategy almost 2 years ago as a way for them to attack torrent networks Digital signatures can be hacked and the stream CAN be corrupted.

 

[Phoenix]

Last I heard, it was legal to d/l TV shows. How can the MPAA restrict that? I smell a class action suit coming!! Unless the MPAA can apply this to movies only, then they are infringing on our rights to download legal stuff on BitTorrent.

Whomever told you this lied to you. Only the copyright owner can make that activity legal and they have to transfer this right to you in writing.

 

[8bit]

Oh no! I can't download Coldplay, Family Guy or Star Wars?


I think I'll live.

 

[borghe]

I believe I mentioned this strategy almost 2 years ago as a way for them to attack torrent networks Digital signatures can be hacked and the stream CAN be corrupted.

regardless it not only is fixable inprocess, but a security issue as well.

 

[Lord Error]

I know that downloading TV shows is not legal, but I also thought there was no watchdog group to track the downloads of TV shows - I didn't know they are MPAA's jurisdiction.

 

[borghe]

I know that downloading TV shows is not legal, but I also thought there was no watchdog group to track the downloads of TV shows - I didn't know they are MPAA's jurisdiction.

yes, television programming falls under the jurisdiction of the MPAA, especially now that all TV networks (except PBS) are owned by MPAA members (Vivendi, Viacom, Fox, Warner, Disney). Also all network shows are produced by MPAA members (either by the network or licensed by a studio).

but much like the RIAA, the MPAA just doesn't "get it". While there are many that of course will always download something, even if they can afford it, there are many movie downloads that translate into actul sales on DVD. DVD sales are currently at an all time home video record. Think about that. more videos are being sold now than ever before! does this sound like an industry (home video) that is being hurt by piracy? TV ratings on quality shows (again an important disctinction) are attracting more viewers than almost any other time in history.

so why the fuss over all of this piracy? Oh yeah, that's right. Falling box office returns from mediocre content and rising ticket prices.

as for TV shows, if the networks would provide their own DRM wrapped banner surrounded shows, piracy would be a thing of the past. as simple as that. think about it. every episode of lost available directly from ABC, and all you have to do is deal with a banner at the top or bottom for the entire show. if you don't want the banner you can still buy the DVD.

 

[bionic77]

Why don't networks offer their own torrents that include the commercials? Wouldn't that keep everyone happy?

 

[borghe]

Why don't networks offer their own torrents that include the commercials? Wouldn't that keep everyone happy?

you can skip past the commercials or edit the files.

no, eventually presumably the networks will do as I am saying. provide a streaming DRM protected HD copy (or SD copy) that will be full screen quality, just have like a clickable banner or something on it that can be ignored but not removed. that should be enough to keep everyone happy.

though that isn't really the point. TV DVD sales are at an all time record and TV viewing is at an all time record. the point generally here is box office returns, and what's funny is that hollywood isn't even the ones really seeing that (the box office drop is being offset by huge DVD sales). the only people really being hurt at all are the theater owners, and most would agree that the 4 month window to DVD and insane film rental fees are hurting them a hell of a lot worse than 20,000 people downloading a movie.

 

[U.2.K. Tha Greate$t]

I plan to get back into the torrent area soon, been gone ever since supernova died. But i can tell you str up, the MPAA or whoever else is only after the NEW STUFF. I use to be one of the biggest uploaders on suprnova and i only shared the old stuff and not once did anyone contact me, infact i made sure that i wouldnt get touch.

Also i was sharing this one game from ratbag and i contacted them about could i share some of your old games and 2 people there, told me its ok, but if someone from their company contacts you, you must stop, but our old games are not a problem.

Gotta play the game smart to maintain, some of the american laws are wrong tho, so even if you sharing the old stuff, someone still might come after you. I still say its best to only share the old stuff, like old movies, or old games, old everything and you should be alright.

The New stuff is a direct target and i dont blame them, i would come after somene if i put out a new game and some fool starting sharing my game the next day.

 

[Pimpwerx]

The war on piracy has been less successful than the war on terror or the wra on drugs. Marinate on that thought for a second. All I can say is:

:lol The floodgates can never be closed. PEACE.

 

[Mama Smurf]

You know, I don't WANT to download TV shows. I'd much rather just watch them on Tv as soon as I can, with no sync issues or download times or fucked up video.

I live in the UK though. Channel 4 bought Lost at the same time as Desperate Housewives, which they've finished showing already, and haven't even started showing it! They can't screw people over like that and expect us not to look elswhere when it's so easily available. There are other problems like the ridiculous practice of showing what's going to happen on the episode you're about to watch seconds before it begins which I also want to avoid (luckily it rarely happens in the UK, even with shows where it does in the US), though they can be avoided I suppose.

I look forward to the day when I can get any TV show I want on the net legally. That could be a long time off, but I'm sure it'll come. I'll pay a (reasonable) subscription, watch the commercials if they choose to have them (I don't know how they could make them unskippable, but if they can, fine), just as long as I can get my hands on it as soon as anyone else in the world.

 

[TheDuce22]

Why don't they ever target newsgroups? You never hear anything about newsgroups but you can find EVERYTHING there. You would think the MPAA would try to stop that too.

The cox cable news server is horrible. All the files are incomplete, I think they do it on purpose.

 

[Koshiba]

Meh, it seems everytime they go and stop something, something new eventually pops up. It's a shame though. As for TV shows, I download alot of TV shows. I watch and delete them because I refuse to watch a TV show in the middle of it's season, etc. Alot of things I'm way behind on and once I catch up on them, yeah I'm going to watch them on TV. Plus I like to try out alot of stuff before I buy it. Like with music. I want to hear the whole CD before I even think about buying it so I know if I'll get my money's worth or not. As for games.. the only games I download is games that I can't find anywhere else. Point me in a direction I can buy them then yeah, I'd buy them. I should really look into downloading from newsgroups but I hear it costs more money. Le sigh.

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

The cox cable news server is horrible. All the files are incomplete, I think they do it on purpose.

Comcast stopped their freebie service at the turn of the year

 

[fart]

time for a new hash

 

[Jeffahn]

It's all part of the evolution of p2p, 'coz I can't imagine going back to Kazaa.

...

 

[SoVos20]

Remember as the MPAA and RIAA shut down one source another one will always open up. People will always find a way to pirate files. Believe me when BiTorrent is killed, something else will emerge to take its place.

 

[XMonkey]

Oh no! I can't download Coldplay, Family Guy or Star Wars?


I think I'll live.

You just can't search for it. The torrents are still there

 

[Phoenix]

Remember as the MPAA and RIAA shut down one source another one will always open up. People will always find a way to pirate files. Believe me when BiTorrent is killed, something else will emerge to take its place.

They know they can't 'kill' piracy. They just want to drive it underground so that its not a 'popular' and 'common' as it is now.

 

[Suerte]

Ah well, got my TV show in the end, hurrah for IRC.