How To Attain Greater Security With P2P Clients

[BlackIce]

Can an ISP determine the types of files an/or content thereof one is sharing? If so, is there a way of preventing this, or a client available to avoid the snooping of ISPs? Someone has suggested to me that the next generation of P2P clients will have the ability to encrypt the files people share. Don't know how far this is into the future. But what are the practical measures one can take for now?

[Sephiroth]

Originally posted by BlackIce
Can an ISP determine the types of files an/or content thereof one is sharing? If so, is there a way of preventing this, or a client available to avoid the snooping of ISPs? Someone has suggested to me that the next generation of P2P clients will have the ability to encrypt the files people share. Don't know how far this is into the future. But what are the practical measures one can take for now?

If others can view and download files you make avaible then Isps could see it too by using the same means as other users.. However ISPs isnt really a threat at least not yet.. Their only issues with file sharing is the bandwidth useage and thats limited to pretty much cable service providers and some want to try to impose bandwidth limits but i doubt that they will attrach new users to their isp though..

Things like encryption and etc. may go into place becuase of companies hired by the trade groups or content providers are and have been monitoring p2p networks for a while and spamming some networks with fake data like on gnutella.. Where on gnutella programs have blocked these programs ip adresses block but i dont think that will work forever.. Bearshare has gone a step future with its secure channels which works in a multiple number of ways some of which will be turned on over time to stop the malicious programs, the rest of the network there is alot of discussion and a network wide solution will probably happen but that takes time..

What people can do now is realize that using P2P programs for sharing copyrighted things comes with a little risk.. Other than that people could use a program that has protection features built in protections, propierty network programs arent effected with bad data that much since they control the network or a small network program that isnt very popular because they havent been targeted yet..

[BlackIce]

One of the reasons for posing this question is that I have a friend whose Internet activity which is paid by her employer through an ISP is monitored - at least in terms of the websites one visits for which there are restrictions. So I was wondering, although as you indicate an ISP could use a similar program to monitor general activity, without knowing the username one has, is it possible to find out the types of files and content thereof one is sharing with others and if so is there a means of evading this monitoring?

[Sephiroth]

Using p2p in that case at work that person could be risking their job... Which i doubt that would be worth it.. Even if they could see it they would probably notice any large bandwidth useage from that person and get suspicious..

On p2p when you share your making the file avaible to the public so yeah one way or another they could find out.

[BlackIce]

Don't know if this makes any difference to your response but the Internet access I was referring to was from her home.