Anti-piracy Vigilantes Tracking P2P Users

brevard writes "From SecurityFocus comes news that a pair of coders with a deep hatred of software pirates have gone public with a months-old experiment to trick file sharers into running custom spyware they wrote that scolds users and phones home to a server. They circulated the program disguised as sought-after downloads like Unreal Tournament 2004 and Microsoft source code, and they have a website that updates in real time whever someone executes it. They've logged IP addresses for over 12,000 'pirates' since January. The EFF says the vigilantes may be committing a crime."

Comments

Well, their server *did* update in realtime...

[purduephotog]

... until about 30 seconds ago. Now it just sorta smokes.

I guess what they say about examining the hex code for any file you download to look for suspicious strings seems really valid now.

And if you don't see any, run an unpacker and see if there is anything embeded.

Of course, you could just avoid running software someone else gives you....

Re:Well, their server *did* update in realtime...

[r00zky]

Actually some of their logs are truly inspiring:

Mar 18 2004 10:01:42PM
192.168.1.1
DustBunny.exe

All that 192.168.x.x are a bunch of pirates! All to jail!!

This one is better:

Mar 18 2004 02:17:01PM
xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
United States
malware.exe

Only in the US can someone run a file called malware.exe downloaded from a p2p network *sigh*

Obligatory /. effect comment

[tweakt]

"...and they have a website that updates in real time whever someone executes it."

Yeah, not for long...

Re:Obligatory /. effect comment

[frs_rbl]

A mirror here

Where's the Mac version???

[Mononoke]

Once again, Mac users are left out of all the fun.

Dang it!

Re:which crime?

[Anonymous Coward]

Out of curiosity, which crime would they be committing?

The same crime we commit every night, Pinky...

TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!

Re:Trojans

[negacao]

Can anybody point me to the proper network [e.g. kazaa, gnutella, etc] and maybe one or two of the filenames?

I'd like to get it, and examine it. Wouldn't it be hilarious if their own trojan DDOS'd thier own site? ;)

[I'd look on thier site, but it's already smoking.]

Re:Trojans

[TykeClone]

Then please (oh please!) let them be illegal!

Whoa, we just Slashdotted a cablemodem!!

[reality-bytes]

That link http://walktheplank.ath.cx is a dynamic DNS re-router for people on Cablemodems / DSL etc.

Ouch, I almost feel sorry for them :D

Last night on Slashdot IRC

[bonch]

<CmdrTaco> CD sales went up in Australia
<Hemos> cool lets get an article up
<Hemos> we'll call it "File-Sharing Increases CD Sales"
<CmdrTaco> lol
<Hemos> seriously. file-sharing is good. distributing someone's intellectual property is good
<CmdrTaco> hey, did we ever get dailyslash shut down?
<Hemos> not yet. you know some people actually think we have a double-standard for declaring them illegal?
<CmdrTaco> rofl
<CowboyNeal> hey guys
<CmdrTaco> hey
<Hemos> hi
<CowboyNeal> some guys ar posting information on pirates
<CmdrTaco> fuckers
<Hemos> yeah, nobody should post information on people breaking the law
<CmdrTaco> dude nobody's breaking the law
<CmdrTaco> they're INCREASING CD SALES
<Hemos> oh yeah
<CowboyNeal> i'll get an article up and call them "vigilantes"
<CmdrTaco> lol
<Hemos> that'll get the discussions going...more page hits
<CowboyNeal> ya
<CmdrTaco> it sucks that people can't participate in the mp3 culture movement by illegally distributing other people's product
<Hemos> i know
<Hemos> hmm
<CowboyNeal> ?
<Hemos> isn't that a contradiction, since we expect everybody to follow the licensing restrictions of a GPL.TXT file and raise a piss if they don't?
<CmdrTaco> rofl
<CowboyNeal> haha
<CmdrTaco> yeah expect everyone to follow the GPL...
<Hemos> ya, i know..oh well, nobody said we were perfect
<CmdrTaco> whatever gets page hits
<michael> i'm perfect
<CmdrTaco> you scare me