Theory on How To Avoid Letters from Your ISP

[Arnox]

So I was looking at Lifehacker the other day. Specifically this page and I saw a very interesting comment below. Now keep in mind that this guy could totally be talking nonsense so take it with a grain of salt. However, what he's saying seems to be on the mark from what I can tell. Here you go then:

four1fool Whitson Gordon
12/21/11 2:47pm

After reading this article and http://lifehacker.com/5863380/how-to-completely-anonymize-your-bittorrent-traffic-with-btguard and the associated comments, I am left with a few questions, and would like to contribute my few cents.

I formerly worked for more than one ISP in the United States. One of my job titles at the nation's third largest cable company was Internet Security Liaison. Although some of the job functions were more exciting than others, such as assisting law enforcement in tracking down kidnappers and the like, the day to day drudgery of busy work involved dealing with much of the subject matter I'm reading. Each day I would come in to work and start processing lists and databases. We would receive daily list from companies such as AOL's daily spammer list. AOL collects a list of IP and email addresses that AOL users have reported as spam, and then sends these lists to ISP to process. My job was to go through the list, match up the dynamic IP addresses and emails provided by AOL to the logs to determine the offending customer/account, and then contact that customer and either ask them to stop, or determine if they have spyware or something affecting their systems acting as a relay for spam. Much of the time we will cut off the customer's internet if they're a high offender until we can resolve the situation and try to ensure that the spam coming from the offending address is stopped.

We received many of these lists from many different providers and companies, and the more interesting lists were DMCA, RIAA and MPAA lists that came from companies such as Paramount, Time Warner, etc. These lists would contain the offending torrent being downloaded, time stamps, IP addresses and whatever other information they were able to collect. I would then use the logs again to determine which customer was leasing that IP address at that time, and then send them that exact nastygram that so many of you have received, asking you not to download this content. Repeat offenders get their service cut off until the situation can be resolved. Many times you'll be contacting the parents who's kids are torrenting files without their knowledge. My own name actually came up on these lists from time to time, and it prompted me to try and determine why this happened, and how to stop it.

From this experience I can tell you a number of observations ...

Firstly, Peerblock, PeerGuardian or PeerWhateverTheHellYouWantToCa... is useless along with IP filters and updaters. Unless you're updating your list on a constant basis, shutting down your torrent client to update your blocklist, and using multiple sources for your list, then you're not really doing much. Even at that, it seems to make little difference as most lists aren't updating while the client is running, and even the longest lists will miss far, far too many IPs that you should have blocked. I verified this by using these tools and having colleagues and friends use these tools, and we still showed up on the list. And yes, I made sure my tools were updated each and everytime before I started up my torrent client.

Secondly, the ISP doesn't care. It was company policy to NOT disclose customer information. Unless we were subpoenaed for information or it was a life and death issue, we didn't pass along customer information. The customer that gets sued by Paramount for downloading that new Star Trek movie, not only isn't very much a fan of your company (the ISP) anymore, but may not want to afford to pay that costly bill they have for bundled phone, internet and cable service. ISP have a bad enough rep already, and don't need more by passing along the information of every offender. The people you're 'stealing' from are the ones going after you, not the ISP that sends you the nastygram. We only care that you pay your bill.

Thirdly, and this is probably the most startling discovery ... only seeders are targeted. If you're using a client such as BitThief ([bitthief.ethz.ch]), you're probably never going to be caught. If you download content from a company that would go after you, and immediately after your download completes, you kill your torrent client, move the file you downloaded and don't seed, you're not going to receive that letter.

"5h17h34d 29 Nov 2011 10:13 AM

My theory is use peerblock, although it it mostly useless, and most importantly only seed for 1 minute after the DL is done. Theory based on the IP lawyers having a tough time winning in court versus a person who only uploaded 7-8% of the entire torrent.

Yea, it makes me a leach. Being this is MUCH better than being a client for an attorney."

He's right. These companies target the people distributing the files, just like in the drug world.

Fourthly, what you download and seed makes a difference. The most common offenders are those downloading music, full porn movies and regular movies. I rarely would see a software company going after someone.

I've got to wrap it up here, because I've got to jet from work, but I want to also ask my question...

I noticed a lot of people recommending alternatives to BTGuard in the comments, saying they have had bad experiences. With that in mind, can anyone recommend one of the following over the others?

[hidemyass.com]

https://www.vpnreactor.com/

[torrentprivacy.com]

http://cyberghostvpn.com/

I found all of these linked in the comments on these articles.

http://lifehacker.com/5863380/how-to-completely-anonymize-your-bittorrent-traffic-with-btguard

[Σ]

I think the thing about what type of content you download is a very good point. Its not the software companies that hate torrenting because they can make up what they lose to by investing in it. Its music and film entities. Those are the people who really think they are being wronged therefore they will be the ones to really prosecute people who partake in this activity.

All in all I would say even if this is only 40% accurate as a comment the information is still valid as it is generally telling one to think outside the box in terms of the connections and programs you use and how they will affect your chances of getting a good old nastygram.

[X0MB13]

I have had 3 in past but was gone from home for an extended period and seeding waay too much. I recommend using Private Internet Access for your encryption and the fee is worth it. For those that use VyprVPN and such that's ok I suppose but Private Internet Access allows multiple devices along with your phone to run AES-128 or AES-256

[Arnox]

I think the thing about what type of content you download is a very good point. Its not the software companies that hate torrenting because they can make up what they lose to by investing in it. Its music and film entities. Those are the people who really think they are being wronged therefore they will be the ones to really prosecute people who partake in this activity.

All in all I would say even if this is only 40% accurate as a comment the information is still valid as it is generally telling one to think outside the box in terms of the connections and programs you use and how they will affect your chances of getting a good old nastygram.

Hm. But the question I'm wondering about is, to seed or not to seed?

I have had 3 in past but was gone from home for an extended period and seeding waay too much. I recommend using Private Internet Access for your encryption and the fee is worth it. For those that use VyprVPN and such that's ok I suppose but Private Internet Access allows multiple devices along with your phone to run AES-128 or AES-256

How would VyprVPN work then?

[Σ]

I would say unless you are using VPN or some other worth while method of masking your location and computers physical address I would say seed minimally. I mean you dont have to delete the download as soon as it finishes but I wouldn't leave it for more than three of four hours of seeding.

[Riv3r]

You're making this more  complicated than it needs to be. Change your DNS server in your router to one you choose and trust and not your ISP's. That should improve your speeds anyway. Secondly, Use a trusted VPN or proxy when "pirating". Done. Problem solved. Lifehacker blows.

[X0MB13]

You're making this more  complicated than it needs to be. Change your DNS server in your router to one you choose and trust and not your ISP's. That should improve your speeds anyway. Secondly, Use a trusted VPN or proxy when "pirating". Done. Problem solved. Lifehacker blows.

Yes, a VPN is all you need but I run the encryption to boot and it runs on my cell phone also. If I post to facebook it puts me in London, Germany, Washington, or anywhere  I am not. It is excessive security because I lost my mind over sunspot activity and went over the top on security. Private Internet Access has the lowest fee. VyprVPN comes with a Giganews subscription.