Security researchers discovered several serious security and privacy flaws in Skype that even a 'high school-age hacker' could use to track not only users’ locations over time but also their P2P file-sharing activity. The security team warned that this information could easily be used for "stalking, blackmail or fraud."
Submitted by Ms. Smith on Thu, 10/20/11 - 10:46am.
While lurking at Wilders Security Forum, I ran across a link to a research paper filled with terrible news for the half-billion registered Skype users. Security researchers have uncovered some really serious security and privacy flaws in Skype that could reveal the identities, locations over time, digital files, and even P2P activity of hundreds of millions of Skype users. In fact it's bad news for users of any Internet-based phone systems or P2P file sharing services. Read more
FTC said Frostwire default settings in mobile file-sharing app jeopardized personal information
Submitted by Layer 8 on Tue, 10/11/11 - 11:45am.
In an agreement announced today with the Federal Trade Commission, peer-to-peer file-sharing developer Frostwire can no longer use default settings that share consumers' files, provide a free upgrade its software to correct unintended sharing and bars the firm from misrepresenting what files its applications will share. Read more
FTC report says sensitive files exposed through P2P intrusions
Submitted by Robert Mullins on Tue, 02/23/10 - 4:37pm.
The Washington Post published an alarming story today about the risk to company computer networks from employees who visit file sharing sites to acquire music, software or videos for personal use. Read more
Katayanagi Prize recognizes emerging leadership in networking researcher
Submitted by Alpha Doggs on Thu, 01/07/10 - 11:50am.
Jon Kleinberg, a computer science professor at Cornell University, has won the 2009 Katayanagi Emerging Leadership Prize for his research into such network phenomena as how Web pages link, how social media friendships happen and how peer-to-peer file-sharing works. Read more
Submitted by Layer 8 on Tue, 05/05/09 - 5:25pm.
The Federal Trade Commission and Distributed Computing Industry Association locked horns over a proposed law that would govern peer-to-peer networking technology would be used and regulated.
Read more
Submitted by tyson.kopczynski on Thu, 04/09/09 - 7:38am.
Unless you have been in a closet for the past couple of months, one of the new features in Windows 7 is called Branch Cache. For some time now, I've been meaning to test this feature, and over the past couple of weeks I managed to squeeze in time to take a closer look.
First off, for those not familiar with what Branch Cache does here is how Microsoft defines it: Read more
Submitted by Layer 8 on Thu, 08/21/08 - 3:08pm.
Federal investigators targeting the use of peer-to-peer networks for nefarious deeds have charged 52 people with using those networks to exchange graphic images and videos of children.
The charges are the result of a coordinated law enforcement investigation that used sophisticated computer programs to track down computers on which child pornography was being stored and made available to others via peer-to-peer networks, according to the US Department of Justice. Read more
Submitted by NetworkWorld Co... on Fri, 08/15/08 - 9:48am.
Are centralized "clouds" just too risky for your data? Some companies are looking to build similar functionality, but through distributed networks. Read/Write Web lists some P2P startups.
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 8:18am
It would appear to me that Comcast is taking a new tactic. I am a game mod developer and one of the ways I release updates to my games is through bittorrent since the files are usually small and are not illegal for someone to download.
Lately I have noticed when I turn on my bittorrent software within minutes I lose my internet connection through Comcast. I turn off the software, reset my router and everything works fine. I then turn the software back on and once again I lose the connection.
I can go hours with no problems, but the second I try to release the torrent I am booted. I find it difficult to believe this is coincidence.
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/19/2008 - 10:21pm
Some of the most common P2P protocols result in unusual and problematic patterns of network behaviour because the overlay networks they create are at odds with the normal behaviour of Internet traffic. Using a unique, patented approach to monitoring certain statistical properties of each client's network activity--without examining packet headers or content--allows us to accurately detect and measure the intensity of individual user P2P upload activity with no impact on network throughput or end-user privacy. This approach has been successfully used simultaneously and in real-time on hundreds of wired Ethernet links operating at speeds up to 1 Gbps with no ill effect on network performance. http://www.orcaflow.ca
Submitted by Alpha Doggs on Wed, 05/28/08 - 2:21pm.
Yale researchers are leading the way on a system designed to enable ISPs to better handle the crush of peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic increasingly gobbling up network bandwidth. Their P4P scheme will be the subject of a paper to be presented this summer at ACM SIGCOMM 2008 in Seattle. Read more
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 4:09pm
Why not take a normal bittorrent client and have it determine the number of hops between it and the remote systems, then preference taking the nearest ones?
I understand that there are some things that the client would have a very hard time determining (congestion, dis-joint networks that appear local, etc) but this too should give quite a lot to both the consumer and their ISP. The consumer would get faster downloads (assuming people within their same MAN were also seeding the same files), and the ISP would get a lesser ding to their carrier trunk. Read more
Submitted by videonet on Wed, 02/27/08 - 4:36pm.
Hundreds gathered at Harvard’s law school on Thursday for an FCC hearing on net neutrality. At issue is whether all traffic on the internet should be treated equally. The FCC is investigating complaints that Comcast has interfered with certain types of web traffic, specifically peer to peer file-sharing.
Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/20/2008 - 9:12am
I'll be putting a sniffer on the port tonight and start looking for them! If I see them (I don't use P2P apps), they will be hearing from me.
Net neutrality, net neutrality....
Submitted by Paul McNamara on Fri, 10/19/07 - 9:58am.
Comcast can expect a lot more customers to come calling armed with hammers after fans of file-sharing get a gander at this Associated Press report that describes how the service provider is indiscriminately blocking peer-to-peer traffic.
And 'Net neutrality advocates will have a heavy new cudgel at their disposal, too, with which they are certain to pound the desks of lawmakers and regulators. Read more
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/30/2007 - 9:04am
What company needs to allow programs like Limewire, Kazaa, ShareBear, or any of the other P2P programs? Why not just block all P2P traffic and let people infect their systems at home if they want illegal music or file downloads?
Anybody have a legitimate use for P2P in an office environment?
Re: IM attacks up nearly 80%, Akonix says.
Anybody?
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 07/27/2007 - 9:14am
As a CISSP I am not a bit surprised. These are all the result of untrained or inadequately trained users.
Re: Classified U.S. military info available over P2P.
The fact that classified information is on computer systems with unencrypted access to the internet is a breakdown in security procedures. The CISO's for the network have some resposibility however, for failing to have software that checks the security of systems accessing their networks.
Submitted by Layer 8 on Tue, 07/24/07 - 4:29pm.
File sharing proponents were doing the old duck-and-cover drill today as a congressional committee grilled a variety of experts on the subject. Read more
