Another EliteTorrents Uploader Facing 10 Years in Prison

[saffir]

DanielleD87, I didn't know you could use p2p (BT specifically) over proxy chains. Are you saying it is possible? Or is your proxy chain for http only? I use tor for anonymous http, for BT it's a no go.

Anyway, yes, this is of topic, but if you could point me in the direction of safe BT I'd much appreciate it.

PsxCite - if you spoof your ip, how does the return traffic find you? I dont' see how you're doing it. I've been studying network security for a while now and would like to know how you do what you're doing please. Thanks.

[yetmae]

If you don't mind your torrents taking 10x longer to download, head on over to www.i2p.net and download the i2p software. The software anonymizes your network connections to other people also on the i2p network. It contains (among other things) a bittorrent client. There are at least 6-7 trackers on the i2p network at present (although they are all tiny by open internet standards). Still, this could be the future. The anonymity is more than strong enough to stop the RIAA, MPAA, and ilk, and likely strong enough to confound even 3-letter government agencies. This (or something like it) could well be the future of P2P if the corporate-sponsored government raids and arrests continue.

[saffir]

Thanks. I'll definately check it out. I used it a few years ago but it wasn't really practical. If it's working now and is secure, it sounds good.

[fsephie]

Something tells me that most people would rather move to the next less well-known standard than give up speed for anonymity. The whole point behind bittorrent is that it not only alleviates stress on single uploaders but also provides blazing fast speeds, so to make them 10x slower would be a horrible blow to the community which prides itself on fast delivery.

Just a thought, though.

[yetmae]

Something tells me that most people would rather move to the next less well-known standard than give up speed for anonymity. The whole point behind bittorrent is that it not only alleviates stress on single uploaders but also provides blazing fast speeds, so to make them 10x slower would be a horrible blow to the community which prides itself on fast delivery.

Just a thought, though.

I2P is just a transport (like tcp/ip, but providing encryption and anonymity). So you can run bittorrent over it, or gnutella, or whatever you like. The problem is that in order to provide anonymity, your packets must be encrypted and routed through intermediate nodes. Tor works the same way, and if you've used it (for anonymous web browsing), you are aware of the cost in speed.

There is a fundamental tradeoff between anonymity and speed. Unfortunately, there's no getting around this.

A faster solution is to use a VPN based in some country that doesn't forbid P2P. The relakks service (recommended at Piratebay, I believe) is one example of this. For the time being, this is probably reasonably safe. The problem with this type of thing is that you have to trust the company providing the service not to betray you. With I2P and similar systems, you don't need to trust anyone as your anonymity is built-in to the system. Also, I2P, Tor, etc. are free to use.

[DanielleD87]

*shrugs* i get around 20 to 40 megbit/s download and around 1.5 to 2megbit/s upload and i'm proxied.

[yetmae]

*shrugs* i get around 20 to 40 megbit/s download and around 1.5 to 2megbit/s upload and i'm proxied.

Your anonymity can be compromised in at least three different ways when you use a proxy:

1) A proxy only works on your outgoing connections. Unless you have firewalled your computer AGAINST incoming bittorrent connections, other people can (and will) connect directly to you. If you do firewall your computer against incoming connections, your performance (speed) will be lower than optimal (although this is a reasonable tradeoff).

2) The proxy operator can turn his log files over to the authorities, either voluntarily or through legal compulsion. You need to make sure you are using a proxy based in a country where P2P is legal, and where they give you some kind of assurance that your anonymity won't be compromised. Still, your anonymity is in their hands.

3) Unless you are connected to the proxy by SSL, your torrents are traversing the network in unencrypted form. This means your ISP can see them, and could (theoretically) detect that you are sharing files and report you. I don't think this is a problem today (except when it comes to companies like Comcast throttling torrents), but it certainly could become a problem in the future as more laws are passed in order to protect the fat cat corporations' profits.

A VPN eliminates two out of three of these concerns. An anonymizing (and encrypting) transport layer like I2P or TOR eliminates all of them.

[haitham334]

cool ... nice post

[CrabShack]

That's nasty

[Colt Seevers]

*shrugs* i get around 20 to 40 megbit/s download and around 1.5 to 2megbit/s upload and i'm proxied.

Your anonymity can be compromised in at least three different ways when you use a proxy:

1) A proxy only works on your outgoing connections. Unless you have firewalled your computer AGAINST incoming bittorrent connections, other people can (and will) connect directly to you. If you do firewall your computer against incoming connections, your performance (speed) will be lower than optimal (although this is a reasonable tradeoff).

2) The proxy operator can turn his log files over to the authorities, either voluntarily or through legal compulsion. You need to make sure you are using a proxy based in a country where P2P is legal, and where they give you some kind of assurance that your anonymity won't be compromised. Still, your anonymity is in their hands.

3) Unless you are connected to the proxy by SSL, your torrents are traversing the network in unencrypted form. This means your ISP can see them, and could (theoretically) detect that you are sharing files and report you. I don't think this is a problem today (except when it comes to companies like Comcast throttling torrents), but it certainly could become a problem in the future as more laws are passed in order to protect the fat cat corporations' profits.

A VPN eliminates two out of three of these concerns. An anonymizing (and encrypting) transport layer like I2P or TOR eliminates all of them.

Not feeling so smug and safe now are we DanielleD87?