Microsoft's new Torrent-busting ‘Pirate Pay’ may be illegal

[Agorism]

Microsoft's new Torrent-busting ‘Pirate Pay’ may be illegal



http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120514/01483218902/microsoft-funded-bittorrent-disruptor-wont-make-pirates-pay-might-break-law.shtml


A Russian startup that received $100,000 of funding from Microsoft made headlines recently as its emerging efforts to battle digital piracy found their way to the spotlight. Dubbed Pirate Pay, the company’s technology launches attacks on groups of computers hosting pirated content, theoretically making it impossible for them to share copyrighted material. While the company claims to have already successfully trialed its technology when it blocked nearly 45,000 attempts to download pirated copies of a Russian film, one expert believes Pirate Pay’s system may be illegal.“Reading the article it sound like they are spoofing traffic to confuse torrent clients and force disconnects,” former BitTorrent VP of engineering John Pettitt wrote in a note distributed in Dave Farber’s Interesting-People elist, Techdirt reports. ”It’s not at all clear if this will work against all versions of the protocol (particularly the udp based version). Leaving aside the technical issues it’s also unclear if such action is legal.”

Pettitt continued, ”It sounds like a targeted denial of service attack, a major corporation paying for such an attack leaves itself wide open to civil and criminal legal action particularly if they accidentally target the wrong torrent which given the history is highly likely.”

Pirate Pay’s trial was performed in cooperation with Russia-based Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing, and it is unknown if the company is currently in talks with any major studios or related companies based in the United States.

..cont

[tttppp]

What kind of idiot invests in a company like this? There are much better solutions to piracy than that.

[Indy Vidual]

Nice.
Film companies pay for "protection" and the open web will (eventually) create a way to share anyway.

[ShaneEnochs]

I used to feel bad for pirating.

And then I watched MTV Cribs.

[QuickZ06]

I used to feel bad for pirating.

And then I watched MTV Cribs.

HAHA.

[alucard13mmfmj]

we will always be 1 step ahead of anti-piracy.

[teacherone]

I used to feel bad for pirating.And then I watched MTV Cribs.Spoken like a true socialist.

[ShaneEnochs]

Spoken like a true socialist.

Please. You actually believe intellectual property is a thing?

[pcosmar]

http://www.news.com.au/technology/the-pirate-bay-pulled-offline-by-hackers-with-ddos-attack/story-e6frfro0-1226358876519


However, The Pirate Bay said Anonymous is not behind the attack.

“Just to clarify, we KNOW that it is NOT Anonymous who is behind the ddos attack. Stop spreading rumours like that,” they said.

“We may not agree with Anonymous in everything, but we both want the internet to be open and free.”

Hmm,

[pcosmar]

What kind of idiot invests in a company like this?

Micro$oft.

[enjerth]

I'm sure that it's not illegal for them, at least not for long.

[specsaregood]

What kind of idiot invests in a company like this?

Micro$oft.

Or more specifically, American companies with billions of dollars overseas that does not want to bring the money back into the states or distribute it to shareholders because it would suffer a massive tax hit. So they would rather invest and spend it on foreign companies.

[Ninja Homer]

This company is probably owned by the Russian mafia. If not, it will be soon. Then if this technology actually works, they can use it to create a black market monopoly on pirated media. Thanks Micro$oft, you're the best! Better keep paying them, or they'll take you down next.

In the end, this technology will fail. There's always a way around it.

[tttppp]

Or more specifically, American companies with billions of dollars overseas that does not want to bring the money back into the states or distribute it to shareholders because it would suffer a massive tax hit. So they would rather invest and spend it on foreign companies.

My point is, this company's business model is idiotic and probably illegal anyways. Microsoft should know there are much better ways to solve this problem and invest in companies with a much better business plan.

[DerailingDaTrain]

They don't even need this. Pirating is so easy a 5 yr old can do it and yet how many people still buy Microsoft's products because they're afraid of going to jail?

[Lishy]

Denial of Service attacks are legal now? Sweet! Anonymous is gonna have a blast with this...

[specsaregood]

My point is, this company's business model is idiotic and probably illegal anyways. Microsoft should know there are much better ways to solve this problem and invest in companies with a much better business plan.

They got $100,000 from MS. MS could throw that kind of money around at a thousand of startups and all it takes it just one to find a market and they make it back.

[tttppp]

They got $100,000 from MS. MS could throw that kind of money around at a thousand of startups and all it takes it just one to find a market and they make it back.

They have a much higher chance of success if they actually do some due diligence. My guess is that they take these deals seriously and don't just give their money away. Which makes this deal seem really stupid.

[specsaregood]

They have a much higher chance of success if they actually do some due diligence. My guess is that they take these deals seriously and don't just give their money away. Which makes this deal seem really stupid.

Or perhaps you don't know anything about it. MS has been known to invest in companies in order to get access to the technology, patents, staff, etc. Stop thinking so limitedly.

[KingRobbStark]

Microsoft is trying to bandage its poor marketing by coming up with this kind of crap.

[pcosmar]

Microsoft is trying to bandage its poor marketing by coming up with this kind of crap.

They have great marketing, They have sold a crappy system worldwide.
They just want a monopoly on it.. all.

I have never cared for their business practices,, but hearing Bill Gates speak ,,, that is one truly evil phuk.

[tttppp]

Or perhaps you don't know anything about it. MS has been known to invest in companies in order to get access to the technology, patents, staff, etc. Stop thinking so limitedly.

The technology this company has does not appear to be useful for anything. If you know something about this deal that I don't, I'm willing to listen. But if this company is what it sounds like, it looks like a stupid investment.

[RickyJ]

Please. You actually believe intellectual property is a thing?

If it is not a thing then why do people download it? Why would anyone download something that is not a thing? Wouldn't that be crazy?

It obviously has some value or people wouldn't even want to download it. Now it probably doesn't have near the value that its owners are charging for it, but that it up to them. They charge too much and they make less money because then people will be more likely to not buy it. Like Microsoft charging 10 grand for the latest enterprise version of Microsoft visual studio. Of course it is not worth even 1/10 of that but they charge it anyway, which is really stupid on their part.

[ShaneEnochs]

If it is not a thing then why do people download it? Why would anyone download something that is not a thing? Wouldn't that be crazy?

It obviously has some value or people wouldn't even want to download it. Now it probably doesn't have near the value that its owners are charging for it, but that it up to them. They charge too much and they make less money because then people will be more likely to not buy it. Like Microsoft charging 10 grand for the latest enterprise version of Microsoft visual studio. Of course it is not worth even 1/10 of that but they charge it anyway, which is really stupid on their part.

Er, no.

If I had stolen a CD, that would be theft. What I did was take a copy of it that was freely given by someone who had bought the CD.

Thomas Jefferson himself spoke of this.

"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself, but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of everyone, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature, whom she made them, like fire, expansible over all space, without lessening their density at any point, and like the air in which we breath, move, and have our physical being, incapable of confinement or exclusive appropriation. Inventions then cannot, in nature, be a subject of property."

There is no less DVDs/CDs/whatever than there were when I downloaded whatever I downloaded, therefore I did not steal anything. It's not a particularly difficult concept to grasp. Libertarianism at its finest.

[Lafayette]

Er, no.

If I had stolen a CD, that would be theft. What I did was take a copy of it that was freely given by someone who had bought the CD.

Thomas Jefferson himself spoke of this.

"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself, but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of everyone, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature, whom she made them, like fire, expansible over all space, without lessening their density at any point, and like the air in which we breath, move, and have our physical being, incapable of confinement or exclusive appropriation. Inventions then cannot, in nature, be a subject of property."

There is no less DVDs/CDs/whatever than there were when I downloaded whatever I downloaded, therefore I did not steal anything. It's not a particularly difficult concept to grasp. Libertarianism at its finest.

I had never read that quote before, thank you for posting it.

[ShaneEnochs]

I had never read that quote before, thank you for posting it.

It's one of my favorites.

[jmdrake]

They have great marketing, They have sold a crappy system worldwide.
They just want a monopoly on it.. all.


That was based on MicroSloth piggybacking off of IBM's marketing of the PC and the smart business decision to retain the rights to license the software to other hardware vendors.

[jmdrake]

Great quote! Obviously Thomas Jefferson was a socialist. ;) I have mixed feelings about IP. I can see the utility of wanting to encourage creativity, but sometimes IP stifles creativity. Further illegal copying doesn't deprive anyone of anything except the potential sale to someone who might not have bought the song/software/movie in the first place. There are other more creative ways to make sure that creative people in our society are financially rewarded for their efforts.


Er, no.

If I had stolen a CD, that would be theft. What I did was take a copy of it that was freely given by someone who had bought the CD.

Thomas Jefferson himself spoke of this.

"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself, but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of everyone, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature, whom she made them, like fire, expansible over all space, without lessening their density at any point, and like the air in which we breath, move, and have our physical being, incapable of confinement or exclusive appropriation. Inventions then cannot, in nature, be a subject of property."

There is no less DVDs/CDs/whatever than there were when I downloaded whatever I downloaded, therefore I did not steal anything. It's not a particularly difficult concept to grasp. Libertarianism at its finest.

[LibertyRevolution]

Why so much Microsoft hate here...I love my windows 7.

[Lishy]

Why so much Microsoft hate here...I love my windows 7.
And I <3 my Linux

http://swindonict.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/tux-small.png

FREE AS IN FREEDOM!

[pcosmar]

And I <3 my Linux

http://swindonict.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/tux-small.png

FREE AS IN FREEDOM!

Me too.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lqgKZaMB1BQ/S-uZQvDumCI/AAAAAAAAABc/-K0SjTkYU6I/s1600/pclinuxos-logo.jpg

Been using it since 2004.

[LibertyRevolution]

My understanding is that linux is not a good choice for a gaming pc...
Most software in general is developed for windows, not linux.
What exactly do you do with your computer that runs linux, just browse the internet?

[talkingpointes]

http://torrentfreak.com/more-music-sold-than-ever-before-despite-piracy-110110/

In 2010 the BPI reports that there were 281.7 million units sold, which is an all-time record. Never in the history of recorded music have so many pieces of music been sold, but you wont hear the music industry shouting about that. In fact, the music industry is selling more music year after year and today’s figure is up 27% compared to the 221.6 million copies sold in 2006.

[talkingpointes]

I find great humor that people actually think that so much original material comes out that actually would require intellectual property protection. Most movies, books, and music is just rehashed shit. Led Zeppelin comes to mind..... Steal peoples ideas then claim domain over them with the protection of the government and lawyers.

[pcosmar]

My understanding is that linux is not a good choice for a gaming pc...
Most software in general is developed for windows, not linux.
What exactly do you do with your computer that runs linux, just browse the internet?

I know folks that play Warcraft on it, though set up takes some skill. Mine does not have enough resources, but I can play several games designed for windoze.

Though it is nearly invulnerable on the web. Safe surfing.
Great graphics, ripping and burning. and some of the best animations (though that's not me)
http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=415193
Most supercomputers run Linux. and a great many web servers.

What can't you do with Linux? (it is possible to get a virus,, but you have to try)

[Zach Vega]

I've always hated Microsoft. And now this. -___-

[Lishy]

What can't you do with Linux? (it is possible to get a virus,, but you have to try)
Like how?

Besides running in terminal the "Doomsday" ( : ) :(( : ) command?

[pcosmar]

Like how?

Besides running in terminal the "Doomsday" ( : ) :(( : ) command?

You could download one of the various "Proof of Concept" viruses. and install it as Root.

I would not suggest doing so,, except perhaps for educational or research purposes.

[jmdrake]

Why so much Microsoft hate here...I love my windows 7.

Did you love Vista? Cause it sucked.

[jmdrake]

My understanding is that linux is not a good choice for a gaming pc...
Most software in general is developed for windows, not linux.
What exactly do you do with your computer that runs linux, just browse the internet?

Obviously you've never used Linux. Anything that you could fathom that you might want to do on a Windoze computer you can do on Linux. You might not be able to find a particular piece of software, but you can find a reasonable (often better) equivalent. And often you can find that reasonable equivalent for free. I almost never buy software these days. I don't steal software either. That said, people dislike MicroSoft for there company practices over the years. Bill Gates is really the ultimate pirate. His first piece of commercial software was a rip off of something someone else put out for free. (He took a public domain version of the BASIC computer language, made a few modifications and then sold it. Legal? Yes. Ethical? Questionable. It's actions like that which lead to the GPL license so that software released to be free would remain free.)

See: http://dotnetmasters.com/HistoryOfBasic.htm

Edit: One other thing. If there is software that you just have to have that requires a PC you can always dual boot. Also many Windows programs (including lots of games) will run under Linux using Wine.

[LibertyRevolution]

I'm sorry, you can't play windows games on linux unless your emulating..
Emulating will always lead to lower framerates.
So making a linux based gaming pc would be stupid.

I am not a fan of emulation, as soon as a linux user tells me to run wine or something I just ignore the rest their argument..

Did vista suck? Yep, so did windows 98.
Windows 7 seem to be rock stable. I haven't reset my media pc in over 6 months now..

And yes I know there is software for linux, but its all different software..
I like photoshop over gimp, I like office 2003 better than open office..

[RickyJ]

I like photoshop over gimp, I like office 2003 better than open office..

I suppose you also like viruses over no viruses too. Windows 7 still gets many viruses just like Vista and XP. Linux is not immune to viruses, but it is much more secure and a secured Linux server getting a virus is almost unheard of. Where with windows servers it happens too often for comfort. There is a good reason most web servers use Linux, and it has nothing to do with it being free and everything to do with it being the most secure OS out there.

[Lishy]

If you want intense gaming, then make a Dual Boot which switches between Windows and Linux. That way you can still use Windows 7, but you can use Linux for Web surfing and office work and all that. While in Windows mode, if you just use it for games, it's pretty difficult to get a virus...

[ShaneEnochs]

Get a good firewall and run a decent anti-virus program at least once a week and you're good.

[soulcyon]

Lol its not a denial-of-service attack

just facepalm

[pcosmar]

Lol its not a denial-of-service attack

just facepalm

Then what would you call it?


“We used a number of servers to make a connection to each and every P2P client that distributed this film. Then Pirate Pay sent specific traffic to confuse these clients about the real IP-addresses of other clients and to make them disconnect from each other,” Andrei Klimenko says.

What would you call it if it was done to this forum? Or any competitors web site?

[soulcyon]

Then what would you call it? What would you call it if it was done to this forum? Or any competitors web site?To be frank, it's more of a virus rather than a DoS. Although, I wouldn't call it a virus either, theres just no name for this hacky crap they're doing lol.

Denial-of-service attacks target the provider, however since this is P2P there is no single network resource or provider of the content. Each and every client is being sent malformed packets, when a standard denial-of-service attack will force a single server to be unresponsive. This is similar to the old XP DNS virus (or trojan), where your computer could not access any websites (or certain website addresses lead you to different sites). I call it a virus because of the strategy involved in denying YOUR service - however that service may still be available to whoever is not infected.

Normal "DoS" attacks are done by flooding the service with requests or exploiting network bugs in the service itself (usually called nukes or bombs and some called spoof packets). There are P2P DoS attacks as well, however they're usually exploiting the clients to start sending packets towards a single server (thus shutting down access to that one server).

Whatever those Russians are up to, I don't like it - but it's not illegal so far.

[pcosmar]

To be frank, it's more of a virus rather than a DoS. Although, I wouldn't call it a virus either, theres just no name for this hacky crap they're doing lol.


They are using a botnet,

“We used a number of servers to make a connection to each and every P2P client that distributed this film. Then Pirate Pay sent specific traffic to confuse these clients about the real IP-addresses of other clients and to make them disconnect from each other,” Andrei Klimenko says.

To deny service..

But it's not illegal when they do it?

[Lishy]

They are using a botnet,


To deny service..

But it's not illegal when they do it?

Anonymous will have a field day..

[soulcyon]

They are using a botnet,


To deny service..

But it's not illegal when they do it?

Edit: somebody will have to verify this for me, but this is my understanding so far: DoS attacks have been illegal, but in writing, those types of attacks will strictly "deny a service" - the law says nothing about denying the clients from reaching the service. This is very different from denying the service from reaching the clients.

You have to be very clear as to who the client and who the service are, although I could see the counter-argument that all clients and servers can be treated as "services". But this is just a legal battle, I'm just providing my technical expertise.

[jmdrake]

I'm sorry, you can't play windows games on linux unless your emulating..
Emulating will always lead to lower framerates.
So making a linux based gaming pc would be stupid.

I am not a fan of emulation, as soon as a linux user tells me to run wine or something I just ignore the rest their argument..

Did vista suck? Yep, so did windows 98.
Windows 7 seem to be rock stable. I haven't reset my media pc in over 6 months now..

And yes I know there is software for linux, but its all different software..
I like photoshop over gimp, I like office 2003 better than open office..

If you're so into games then just buy a PS3 and be done with it. :rolleyes: Oh yeah, and the PS3 runs Linux. ;) Personally I have loads of fun playing open source 3D games written on and for Linux as well as writing my own. But if I was a serious gamer I would just go with the PS3. And while Windows 7 may be "rock solid" (actually it's still very virus prone), we're talking about business practices and not just "I like my current version of software X". And the business practice of "beta testing" Vista on the whole world sucked. But hey, stick with Windoze all you want. Nobody told you that you had to switch. So drop the tude.

Edit: And even though Sony dropped Linux support from their latest version of the PS3 (mistake IMO), it's still possible to install it.

http://www.linuxonyourgamingconsole.com/linux-on-ps3-slim

[pcosmar]

But this is just a legal battle, I'm just providing my technical expertise obfuscating mumbo jumbo.

FIFY
:cool:

[soulcyon]

FIFY
:cool:

Hey, you can look up all this stuff yourself if you don't believe it. No need to attack because I'm pointing out a different perspective than normally held.

[soulcyon]

@jmdrake, have you tried ArchLinux?

[libertarian4321]

Did you love Vista? Cause it sucked.

I've still got a couple of computers running Vista, including this one.

And yeah, it SUCKS.

[pcosmar]

Hey, you can look up all this stuff yourself if you don't believe it. No need to attack because I'm pointing out a different perspective than normally held.

I'm not the only one calling it Denial of Service. The posted article and others call it that. And I'm not trolling.
It may well be different from traditional DOS attacks but it accomplishes the same result.
And it is standard operating practices for micro$oft.

The rest is legalese mumbo jumbo.

[Czolgosz]

OSX > *


*tosses grenade and walks away lul

[jbauer]

I've got a question. I can go to pandora and play music for free. I can go to youtube and play music for free. I turn on my radio and listen to music for free. Whats the difference between that and a torrent that downloads the music so I can listen to it for free?

[soulcyon]

I've got a question. I can go to pandora and play music for free. I can go to youtube and play music for free. I turn on my radio and listen to music for free. Whats the difference between that and a torrent that downloads the music so I can listen to it for free?Downloading the music and streaming/listening is slightly different. Yet more legal crap involved there, since "listening" to the music over the radio/pandora is more about the licensing fees that the respective companies have to pay. Downloading the music and having the MP3 file on your harddrive is similar to owning the song, which usually costs money - this is where RIAA is particularly pissed, because anyone can now own AND listen to music without paying.

Although, its very easy to "own" music via downloading through Youtube - so there are holes still unfilled.

[soulcyon]

I'm not the only one calling it Denial of Service. The posted article and others call it that. And I'm not trolling.
It may well be different from traditional DOS attacks but it accomplishes the same result.
And it is standard operating practices for micro$oft.

The rest is legalese mumbo jumbo.Right, just like how raising taxes and enforcing minimum wage accomplishes the same result (of screwing over the lower class), you don't call both activities "tax hikes". It doesn't matter if everyone just calls raising minimum-wage a tax hike (theoretically), its just not a proper classification. I realize that I'm opposing what the VP of Engineering @ BitTorrent said, but nobody has provided an real argument to my statement - so I stand by it.

Idk why you're hell-bent upon your own beliefs, and when I propose an alternate explanation, you start attacking me. This all seems very childish, so if you don't have a real explanation to call it a DoS, please don't bother replying.

[pcosmar]

This all seems very childish, so if you don't have a real explanation to call it a DoS, please don't bother replying.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&cp=15&gs_id=hn&xhr=t&q=plastic%20bag%20mats&safe=off&biw=1188&bih=604&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw&ei=ILK_T9_oOcWNgwejlum2CQ#hl=en&gs_nf=1&pq=plastic%20bag%20mats&cp=14&gs_id=uk&xhr=t&q=pirate+bay+ddos&pf=p&safe=off&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Pirate+Bay+DOS&aq=0s&aqi=g-s1g-K3&aql=&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=539fbe40cafc9eb7&biw=1188&bih=604

Denial of service is denial of service.. regardless of how that is accomplished.

Pirate Pay is just a new method of DOS.

[jmdrake]

@jmdrake, have you tried ArchLinux?

Never heard of it until now. I'll check it out. I use Ubuntu. Having a weird problem with Ubuntu (my wireless connection works but my wired one doesn't).

[pcosmar]

Never heard of it until now. I'll check it out. I use Ubuntu. Having a weird problem with Ubuntu (my wireless connection works but my wired one doesn't).

I have used it, when I was still distro shopping. I liked it..mostly.
I still prefer PCLinuxOS. Lots of choice with Linux.

[soulcyon]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&cp=15&gs_id=hn&xhr=t&q=plastic%20bag%20mats&safe=off&biw=1188&bih=604&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw&ei=ILK_T9_oOcWNgwejlum2CQ#hl=en&gs_nf=1&pq=plastic%20bag%20mats&cp=14&gs_id=uk&xhr=t&q=pirate+bay+ddos&pf=p&safe=off&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Pirate+Bay+DOS&aq=0s&aqi=g-s1g-K3&aql=&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=539fbe40cafc9eb7&biw=1188&bih=604

Denial of service is denial of service.. regardless of how that is accomplished.

Pirate Pay is just a new method of DOS.You should re-read my prior posts, PiratePay does not Deny a Service, they deny the clients from reaching a file over P2P. By definition, there is no single service that provides files over P2P - so by definition, this cannot be a DoS attack. This is more in line with a DNS Hijacker that reroute users, like a virus, but this takes advantage of an outdated BitTorrent protocol.

You can keep saying "what they think" or "what he thinks", but thats just a childish way to acknowledge that you know nothing about the subject at hand. Why don't you go over to Wiki and check out what DoS really means.

[jmdrake]

I can tell you this. You're not going to get help from the government for someone doing something that may be illegal to stop you from doing something that is (like it or not) illegal. If someone ran a straight up DOS against a child porn site they would not be prosecuted for it.

[jmdrake]

This is more in line with a DNS Hijacker that reroute users, like a virus, but this takes advantage of an outdated BitTorrent protocol.


So the latest BitTorrent isn't vulnerable to this?

[soulcyon]

So the latest BitTorrent isn't vulnerable to this?I can't say for sure.

I know for a fact that the Microsoft Russian office chair is really pissed about recent software leaks. Over the past year, there have been MANY Windows 8 leaks (of pre-release builds) and of course, to stop these leaked builds they would have to stop torrents. So I don't see why Microsoft is in the wrong here, they're only doing this to save their own profits - perhaps this is a good discussion for intellectual property, but I'd rather not delve there now.

In the end, its always a battle between security experts and security-hackers, its been like this since the dawn of time and the cycle will never end. It just so happens that the security phase is pulling ahead with these anti-piracy measures. Perhaps years into the future, there will be another wave of hackers, or the like, and we'll see piracy become more prevalent again.

[pcosmar]

there will be another wave of hackers, or the like, and we'll see piracy become more prevalent again.

One can always hope,

;)

[DerailingDaTrain]

I can tell you this. You're not going to get help from the government for someone doing something that may be illegal to stop you from doing something that is (like it or not) illegal. If someone ran a straight up DOS against a child porn site they would not be prosecuted for it.

That already happened. You don't know about the Hidden Wiki? Fucked up stuff linked on there so Anonymous took them out.

[jmdrake]

That already happened. You don't know about the Hidden Wiki? Fucked up stuff.

Not until you mentioned it. Saw it now here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hidden_Wiki I have heard of Tor and do know hidden file sharing sites exist. I see "Anonymous" attacked that. I assume they've never been prosecuted? I can't imagine such a prosecution being successful.

[DerailingDaTrain]

Some of the members of LulzSec got ratted out by their own leader because he was facing gun, drug, and hacking charges and some of them may have been involved in that but Anonymous isn't really a group and as far as I know they haven't been prosecuted for the Hidden Wiki stuff. The feds did get pissed at them because they had ongoing investigations into the CP sites they took down and it caused a bunch of pedos to go underground.