DainBramaged
December 2nd, 2003, 03:16 PM
An interesting article from Ars Technica. The implications, frankly, suck.
Anonymous file sharing network not so anonymous after all?
Posted 12/02/2003 @ 10:47 AM, by Eric Bangeman
Two Japanese computer users suspected of trading movies and games were recently arrested according to Japanese police. What makes this case especially interesting is that they were accessing a supposedly-anonymous file-sharing network via a program called "Winny," which purports to hide the user's identity from the rest of the network. The network based on Winny has around 250,000 regular users and is popular because of the anonymity it supposedly offers. Along with the two men arrested, the home of the developer of Winny was raided by police.
Winny is reportedly based on probably the best-known anonymous file-sharing application Freenet. This network provides anonymous untraceable sharing by dividing up files and distributing them across different computers. The network is also cryptographically secured. However, Freenet's creator, Ian Clarke, has questioned any close connection. "From what I have seen of Winny (which isn't much) it is more likely that they have borrowed a few ideas from Freenet," Clarke writes in an online posting. "But it is unclear whether Winny uses a Freenet-style routing algorithm, or implements any of Freenet's crypto."
Since the advent of legal action against file traders, anonymous and other closed networks have become more popular for trading music, movies, and programs. The arrests in Japan mark the first time someone has been nabbed for using one of these networks. As more legal pressure is brought to bear on the practice of file sharing, dedicated traders will look harder for means of obscuring their identity. However, as the arrests in Japan demonstrate, true anonymity on the Internet is difficult - if not impossible - to find.
Anonymous file sharing network not so anonymous after all?
Posted 12/02/2003 @ 10:47 AM, by Eric Bangeman
Two Japanese computer users suspected of trading movies and games were recently arrested according to Japanese police. What makes this case especially interesting is that they were accessing a supposedly-anonymous file-sharing network via a program called "Winny," which purports to hide the user's identity from the rest of the network. The network based on Winny has around 250,000 regular users and is popular because of the anonymity it supposedly offers. Along with the two men arrested, the home of the developer of Winny was raided by police.
Winny is reportedly based on probably the best-known anonymous file-sharing application Freenet. This network provides anonymous untraceable sharing by dividing up files and distributing them across different computers. The network is also cryptographically secured. However, Freenet's creator, Ian Clarke, has questioned any close connection. "From what I have seen of Winny (which isn't much) it is more likely that they have borrowed a few ideas from Freenet," Clarke writes in an online posting. "But it is unclear whether Winny uses a Freenet-style routing algorithm, or implements any of Freenet's crypto."
Since the advent of legal action against file traders, anonymous and other closed networks have become more popular for trading music, movies, and programs. The arrests in Japan mark the first time someone has been nabbed for using one of these networks. As more legal pressure is brought to bear on the practice of file sharing, dedicated traders will look harder for means of obscuring their identity. However, as the arrests in Japan demonstrate, true anonymity on the Internet is difficult - if not impossible - to find.