Finns launch new anti-P2P tool.

[Rat]

According to CNet, 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'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"

[KM]

well we've already seen that happening on winmx... but they finally admited that they know how to do it? next they'll be forced to admit that they are doing it!

[Red XIII]

What else they got to do over there in Finland?

[Freezmizer]

If this tool injects bad data into multi-point downloads, does that mean that even if you use verified hashes you can still end up getting a corrupted file?

[p2p-sharing-rules]

That's what it sounds like.

[Rat]

If this tool injects bad data into multi-point downloads, does that mean that even if you use verified hashes you can still end up getting a corrupted file?

Yes.

[Grinch]

The finnish company Viralg claiming that their new method against p2p networks is able to fake or manipulate data in p2p networks even if the clients are using a verification site. In their press release they are naming findhash.com as an example.

Findhash is one of the oldests of its kind, and gained the title "trusted" by many of our users, simply because we'd never use or recommend any technology, method or software which can be corrupted by a third party.

Most client uses at least one, but usually two different checksum to verify the downloaded data. These methods are developed by real professional organisations (such NSA, Berkeley etc.) and often used in other secure transfers, such as your communication with your bank.

The use of two different algorithm, a secure and a tree-based can provide a very good corruption-handling to the filesharing client, so even if they trying to alter the data, you only have to redownload a smaller part of the file. Most of them do this for you automatically.

No matter what they claim or try to do, the laws of mathematics cannot be changed by them. And these laws tells us, that even using the whole computing capacity of mankind, they'd need millions of years to fake the hash of one movie file.

If their method is really working and they are not just bluffing, I'll personally break our own server into shivers.

Administrator

I wouldn't get worried yet.

[tunebud]

It would seem if this technology really did work aginst P2P clients and it landed in the wrong hands.

File corruption aginst P2P would be the least of worries to most anyone.Imagin this thing being lauched aginst Wall Street or some major bank system.

[KM]

If their method is really working and they are not just bluffing, I'll personally break our own server into shivers.

well, it is working... on winmx which doesn't use any of those things i guess he needs to get that axe out...

[Grinch]

Considering he is the admin of mybittorrent.com, he could really care less about it working against WinMX. I tired of the fakes on winmx a while ago and moved on, others should do the same in my opinion.

[Rat]

It's funny, but when I read the original article I quoted from, I wasn't imagining that it could affect BT. I don't know why. I had the impression it was aimed at more widely accepted P2P systems such as kazaa or limewire.
Perhaps it really doesn't apply to BT.

[KM]

most systems have some form of system like he described to prevent accidential (or non-accidental) corruption of files, but unfortunately winmx depends on encryption rather than a decent protocol

[Grinch]

most systems have some form of system like he described to prevent accidential (or non-accidental) corruption of files, but unfortunately winmx depends on encryption rather than a decent protocol

Another reason to stop using WinMX. I'm confused and bewildered as to why people still use WinMX, is it for the chat rooms? Come on folks, join the darkside. Just think about it, no more queues, no more fakes. No need to install a 3rd party app to keep your precious files safe from nasty leechers or to help regulate your queue. WinMX had its time and now is no longer a decent p2p program.

If anyone is interested in learning about the dark side please contact me and I will be glad to help you out.

[Freezmizer]

I'm confused and bewildered as to why people still use WinMX, is it for the chat rooms?

I believe that may be the main reason that a lot of people continue to use WinMX. Its the thing that kept me using it for several months past the time that I stopped using it to download. Several channels have been around forever, strong bonds have grown between channel-mates, etc.

Its hard to break up the communities when they are that tight.

Its a shame that its become so crappy though. I personally gained a lot from using the program and made a ton of great friends too.
I've moved on now, but I still have all those friends (and a few enemies too....hehe!) so WinMX will always hold a place in my heart and mind.

[Rat]

WinMX will always hold a place in my heart and mind.

The frozen and wobbly parts, respectively?