AfterDawn: News

BitTorrent exploit causes buzz after UK anti-piracy law passes

New attention has been given to a BitTorrent exploit that surfaced in November last year following the passing of the Digital Economy Bill in the UK. The widespread belief - or hope - appears to be that this 86 lines of C# can actually make BitTorrent downloading untraceable.

The code, named SeedFuc*er (though not censored), can be used by a BitTorrent user to fake the IP address of a source where a file could be downloaded, or it could be used to flood a BitTorrent with dozens of fake peers.



The truth is this probably wouldn't help a user to escape identification at all, although it could be used as an annoyance for investigators by flooding them with fake peers and fake data. Tracking companies confirm what material is being shared and from where, so there is no reason to believe the 86 lines of code will make the slightest bit of a difference to a user.

However, changes in legislation or the outcomes of civil cases have had an effect on how some users share files. Napster's downfall was largely the centralized nature of its network and was then replaced with decentralized networks. Warnings and other threats prompted users to stop using public BitTorrent trackers and opt for private trackers instead.

Programs like PeerGuardian (or PeerBlock nowadays) also were developed and used as an attempt literally block investigators and others from making a connection to a computer. One of the biggest driving forces for file sharing technology has been the risks associated with it, and while there is risk (especially when it changes with the introduction of new anti-piracy laws) there will always be claims such as this one, that 86 lines of code is the magic bullet that will make you invisible.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 15 Apr 2010 17:27

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• 5 comments

• GuaGua

  about time someone did something about all you criminal buggers downloading things for free....i need to buy the new Rolls Royce Ghost this year, not to mention the Ferrari Italia. I'm gonna be in London for two weeks in the year so i'm also gonna have to get a house there AND my dog needs a new Hermes bag. My yacht is also almost a year old now and needs replacing. Also you can't expect me to clip my own toenails, gross.
  Get paying peeps!

  15.4.2010 18:14 #1

• beanos66

  Originally posted by GuaGua: about time someone did something about all you criminal buggers downloading things for free....i need to buy the new Rolls Royce Ghost this year, not to mention the Ferrari Italia. I'm gonna be in London for two weeks in the year so i'm also gonna have to get a house there AND my dog needs a new Hermes bag. My yacht is also almost a year old now and needs replacing. Also you can't expect me to clip my own toenails, gross.
  Get paying peeps! "and I need to buy my own Heroin and Cocaine, and those politicians are getting more expensive to buy"
  

  15.4.2010 19:09 #2

• Mez

  The problem with the 86 lines of code are, if it really worked you would not get your data would you? You could REALLY fool them by disconnecting your computer from the internet they surely will not be able to catch you downloading then!

  22.4.2010 13:54 #3

• pmshah

  Before any ISP allows any subscriber to connect to its internet gateway they will require some kind of authentication. It may be via fixed IP or username/password with dynamic IP.
  
  So long as they are required to keep a track of data transfer activity on their network and and the IP associated with it they can always trace the culprit.
  
  Only way to prevent this is to use proxy servers which can not be reached physically. But in this case too they may start blocking such servers, generally located in Russia and Ukraine.

  22.4.2010 23:24 #4

• Mez

  That or IP tunneling. Both cost.

  23.4.2010 08:55 #5