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Anti-piracy Vigilantes Tracking P2P Users

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the trojans-of-a-different-breed dept.

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."

10 of 864 comments (clear)

  1. W00t... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Eff Pee

  2. whever? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Earl Whever??

  3. Re:which crime? by slavemowgli · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Narf! Zonk! :)

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    quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
  4. In other news... by Seoulstriker · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    In other news, the increase in the number of pr0n downloads since the 90s has led to an increase in the number of sales of artificial vaginas.

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    I am defenseless. Use your button. Mod me down with all of your hatred.
  5. I don't see what all the fuss is about... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    In Soviet Russia, dot slashes you .

  6. Re:i hope by macdaddy357 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Hell! I hope somebody busts a cap in their ass! Kapow Kapow.

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    How ya like dat?
  7. Re:why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    WARNING: Parent poster is certainly under the age of 12 and just got his first Internet access last week. Please mod accordingly.

  8. Mod parent up, and grandparent down! by Prune · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    NP

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    "Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason."
  9. MOD HIM DOWN, ANCESTORS UP !!! !!! ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    This fucker has no respect for his forebears !

  10. Re:To me this seems basic... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Because IRC is a client-server protocol, but CTCP is a directive from one client to another (passed through the server, usually in a private message). It is a bit confusing given the existence of DCC (a direct socket connection between port addresses negotiated through the server). Keep in mind that CTCP was around first, though.

    It's not "hidden in the protocol", it's just text in the message (bracketed by a flag character).

    All from memory, anyway - it's been over ten years since I wrote an IRC client. ;)