RIAA "traces" MP3-files

The recording industry lawyers have discovered that they can prove whether or not an MP3 file was selfmade or downloaded from the Internet. The claims were made in a case against a New York woman, who has been accused of sharing 1000 files through a peer-to-peer network.

The woman claims to have made the MP3 files herself, but RIAA lawyers beg to differ. They have discovered that the headers (or more likely ID3 tags, which are actually located at the end of the file) on the MP3 files on her computer included "the username of another computer user". Also the hashes of some of the files matched songs found on p2p networks earlier.

It's the latter that has even some significance. A hash is a "digital fingerprint" of a file created using a pre-defined algorithm (eg. MD5 or SHA1). The hash uniquely identifies a single file, ie. it's extremely unlikely that any two files would result in the same hash.

MP3 files of the same song, even when created from the same source, differ from each other somewhat, due to differences in encoder routines. Then again just editing the ID3 tags on the MP3 files changes the hash as well.

RIAA has been granted more than 1300 subpoenas already. Those found guilty might face fines between $750 and $150,000 per song.

Source:
NewScientist

Written by: Jari Ketola @ 30 Aug 2003 12:02

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17 comments

sundragon

so basically just use an id3 tagger and rebuild your mp3 collection with it. Then you can say you made em, since the hash and id3 tag would be unique.

30.8.2003 18:27 #1

darthnip

or bacically we just finish the war that these bastards started!! If they can mess with you system, and your files, we should seriously start "messing" with them!. It is wrong on so many levels for them to be scanning everything that goes on just to see IF someone has something they shouldn't. The cops dont kick in your door just to see IF you smoke dope, or anything like that. They must have either probably cause or a search warrant. If an artist makes his own music into mp3's and shares them, and they get passed around, according to the RIAA that file has been bounced around enough for those bastards to check you out and see what else you might have, which is an unjustified invasion of privacy. Guys, it's time we stood up and made it very clear that this will not be tolerated. The laws are not for us, they are for them. If the law isn't on there side, they make up ones that are. I say screw the law!! If they wont adhere to it, neither should we. Defend your personal freedom of privacy, even if it means striking first! Strike on behalf of those who already have been summoned to court wrongfully and had their lives disrupted over nothing!!

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30.8.2003 22:28 #2

Ghostdog

There�s already been attcks on RIAA�s servers, hackers altering their webpage.
But that�s just goofing around, someone should do some real damage to their servers.
Something like running extreme overclocking on their servers. Possible?

31.8.2003 10:05 #3

Dela

msblaster if it had been changed a small bit could have destroyed the RIAA!

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31.8.2003 23:19 #4

Ghostdog

Anyone care to write the RIAAblaster?

1.9.2003 07:16 #5

Powa

lol Ghostdog, interesting theory. The person who made the blaster worm could have used it for so many things, add a few commands to format the hdd in as well when it shuts down. That would get rid of the RIAA and MPAA for a day or two.

BTW, have a look for DriveCrypt Plus Pack, I think its what you guys need.

->E�F<-

1.9.2003 15:48 #6

Rodgers

Question...who gives the RIAA authority to invade your privacy? Isn't this a Constitutional violation? Alan Dershowitz from Harvard is an expert, perhaps he could give an opinion. Anyone have any connections?

Best to All!
Rodgers

2.9.2003 07:23 #7

Praetor

LOL good point indeed.
In the beginning i think perhaps the RIAA had a valid point and all but they've gone too far. I think the average-joe music pirate gets the message but the hardcore-12year olds will still be pirating music regardless.

Hehe all Kazaa has to do is create a licensing system... free for regular users however government employees must pay $100/file, $500/search and a $10000000 access fee hehe.

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2.9.2003 10:54 #8

Powa

LOL Praetor. And include EULAs within kazaa so if you use it you agree to not prosecute anyone else using the service, and you agree to not hack them.

->E�F<-

2.9.2003 23:34 #9

Praetor

I wonder why the Kazaa/P2P thinktanks havnt thought of that yet? It would definitely put a huge dampener on the RIAA's stupidity. I've read places that the RIAA shared copyrighted files in an attempt to trace and prosecute people etc (i could be wrong of course) but this is very similar to the issue of police conducting sting operations.... the police are 'technically' violating the law by doing whatever it is to carry the sting-op out however nobody challenges it! This is exactly what the RIAA are trying to do... police/sting the internet. Grrrrrrrrrrrr

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3.9.2003 08:29 #10

mac71

Quote:I've read places that the RIAA shared copyrighted files in an attempt to trace and prosecute people

Where I come from that's called INTRAPMENT!

3.9.2003 08:38 #11

Praetor

isnt it spelt entrapment? hehe... again this is all heresay from my perspective... i've never really delved into the messy issues regarding RIAA.... i think originaly they had a good purpose to discourage casual piracy and such but they've just gotten out of hand (hmmm.... thoughts of Skynet are entering me brain hehe).

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3.9.2003 08:44 #12

Dela

ah screw the RIAA, think they are soo big with their "people would never walk into a store and walk out with a cd" well would u walk into a house and delete the mp3 off someones computer???? FUCK NO YOU WOULDNT!

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4.9.2003 10:18 #13

Praetor

LOL Dela... a very good point!

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4.9.2003 10:44 #14

mac71

They might be able to walk in, but they for sure wouldn't walk out....hehehe....lol!

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4.9.2003 11:09 #15

madame-x

can someone recommend a good 'id3 tagger'?
whatever that is. (sigh) i'm gonna vent now...

the only thing i've seen that both sides agree on is
the term 'piracy'. + i think that's dangerous. we do
not emphasize enough the word 'sharing'. we SHARE,
we don't broker, we don't sell, even trading should
be discouraged (tha's why i dislike carracho). none of
us make a dime off this (well, not all. but that is
already criminal. + it should be punished)

the techTV show was too vanilla for me, but i did
come away with the sense that the riaa realizes they
were to heavy-handed. when they saw the number
60 million, they only saw us as commodities + not a
movement. they should have seeked remuneration
that was punitive AND humane. look, if the average
file sharer has 1k songs, that's 6 BILLION songs. if
they had started the 25c download (which i think is
realistic) scheme, they would have had $1.5% biliion
by now. of course 0 is less than 25c, but the
freeloader % would drop like crazy. a monthly
subscription ($x for x sontgs per month, etc) or
tariff--as in europe--is even more workable.

evidently, it's very wrong to share music, but
perfectly legal to trade it. i have been buying 2nd-
hand music since the 70's; why did the riaa never go
carrie nation all over them? neither they nor their
artists got a penny from that. you see all these big
used-cd brokers using our paranoia/misgivings to
buy our collections from us (that gets my gall, like all
those plastic flag merchants after 9/11). i see, it's ok
to copy your cd, sell the orignial so someone else
can buy it, make a copy, sell it... the only one who
makes out is the cd place (the riaa don't get squat
from this!)

thanks

madame-x

14.9.2003 11:02 #16

madame-x

oops. that should read:

... if the average file sharer has 1k songs, that's 60
BILLION songs. if they had started the 25c download
(which i think is realistic) scheme, they would have
had $15 biliion by now....

madame-x

14.9.2003 11:05 #17

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