How getting Scene releases has changed

[daveturner81]

What interests me is that when you paste a scene release into google you are greeted with countless site links to RAPIDSHARE, hotfile and so forth as well as torrents and even pre formatted newsgroup searches. What amazes me is that when I used to paste scene releases into google years ago there were NO results what so ever and then some 0day apps would link to a Chinese pre db. Scene releases were almost always debadged or were non scene content.

There is no doubt that downloading through RS/HF is more secure than bittorrent due to your IP being visible however I wish there was some standard where the file names were scrambled randomly with each release, like you chose the root download page but then a random 907868564556GGBVU8656.rar was generated. If an ISP wanted to look at the http requests, it would be so obvious you download pirated material. Not that they are looking though as most don't want to be internet police. How long will it be until RS/HF downloaders are prosecuted? RS and HF both say they don't keep downloaders information and only the uploaders so only your ISP would know if they wanted to and prosecutions come from people contacting your ISP and not your ISP contacting you?

Just some thoughts.

I prefer to stick with SSL Newsgroups, yeh it looks obvious but I only download game demos and legal things

[Rart]

I guess there's always going to be a risk associated with downloading through non secure methods or through bittorrent, that's the risk you take for convenience.

As you said, you could always use SSL with Newsgroups, or get a VPN/Seedbox to mask your activity. However, what you're willing to invest depends on your level of paranoia: security doesn't come without a price tag.

[beansis]

also with a download manager you can rename the file name and extention of the download, if that was what you were getting at

[heiska]

Fail. In modern countries ISPs are not allowed to sniff your traffic. Even if they sniffed, they wouldn't go tell about your download habits to the MAFIAA/any other copyright holder because it makes absolutely zero sense for them to do such thing.

What they could do is shape the traffic to eg. rapidshare or hotfile.

I'd say it is pretty safe to just download off rapidshare/hotfile/megaupload.

[anon]

What they could do is shape the traffic to eg. rapidshare or hotfile.

Some of them are already doing so.

Let's not forget the possibility the hoster may hand your IP if asked. But I think in that case they'd need to specifically be going after you.

[heiska]

What they could do is shape the traffic to eg. rapidshare or hotfile.

Some of them are already doing so.

Let's not forget the possibility the hoster may hand your IP if asked. But I think in that case they'd need to specifically be going after you.

Hoster = RS/HF? They don't log any info about the downloader (including IP).

[anon]

Hoster = RS/HF? They don't log any info about the downloader (including IP).

Yes, and that's what they say. In the end you can't really know.

[heiska]

Hoster = RS/HF? They don't log any info about the downloader (including IP).

Yes, and that's what they say. In the end you can't really know.

Yea.. For all we know, everyone who has ever downloaded anything from alt.binaries could get raided tomorrow.

Doubt it, but it's definitely possible.

[Violator]

My first introduction to downloading music was with Napster. That was back in the days of being thrilled at a finding a song you'd been looking to buy in the shops but couldn't. We'd get a download rate of about 3-5k on dial up and would then burn a CD with a single speed writer lol, during which time we'd go for a drive and to get food.

I found it an addictive thing, it was like fishing and hoping to catch something you'd been after for ages. Then came Kazaa, E-Donkey, Audiogalaxy and the addiction continued to grow.

After a while I'd start to notice media files that were named a funny way, with underscores between each word and funny letters at the end...and the folder would contain 3 odd files - m3u, NFO and SFV?!. Up until a few years ago I'd innocently delete these, not knowing what the hell they were.

Having then progressed to Soulseek add DC++ Hubs and making friends along the way, I began to learn what these files were and what a Scene release was. The more people I chatted to, the more I learnt and I decided to make it my hobby to build a collection of Scene Promo CDS/VLS. The more my collection grew, the more opportunities came my way and now I'm in a place where I can be 'that guy' who has that rare release that you need, and who can help those below me...maybe 'below' is the wrong word but you get my drift.

As I've said a few times on here, AirDC++ is an awesome tool to use as it has TLS encryption, which if you are on a hub with many users using the same protocol, offers a degree of safety. I believe that you can never be 100% safe but, as they say, every little helps. Not that I need it mind, as I only have uncopyrighted material.

[daveturner81]

Renaming the file in a download manager? Can you expand on that? You are downloading from the direct link and the HTTP request is sent and most likely logged by an ISP, you have to assume it is.

I used to get very paranoid about downloading and how I was worried I would get busted but the likelyhood of me being raided is 0. I download and thats it, I don't download things which draw on any moral issues. If you get raided in my opinion you deserve the affects as your obviously doing something really bad. I download for myself for pleasure and to further IT career, I don't feel guilt but don't need it either, its a hobby and helping me out.

ISP's keep information on your downloaded / uploaded content, spread of protocols used and many keep so many http requests, I know this due to its self evident and a small ISP I worked for as a front line techie ages ago. They rarely need to look at this information but can if they needed too. Deep packet inspection does not happen but if the file name in the request is clearly Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise + Crack.rar, it doesn't take an clever person to work out what your doing.

Another point is the defense of torrent sites is laughable, especially the piratebay, they change the logo to match certain releases like film releases or certain games and 99% of it is pirated, if I were a judge I would use common sense and shut them down. Same goes for newzbin. There will always be ways to download however and it will not be stopped for a long time.

I mean even if a dongle was used on every app, due to the demand and need for a crack, I am sure a dongle emulator would be made, the reason certain apps havent been pirated now is the demand.

Just some more thoughts

Dave