Tired of fake torrents? Block the source
Fake torrents are distributed for two core reasons. First, to make it more difficult for downloaders to find legit downloads, and second in an effort to spread malware around.
The Torrentfreak blog reports that some torrent admins identified IP ranges that upload and spread fake torrents, and also the company that is behind the spreading.
So what can you do to protect yourself and your downloads from these fake downloads? The easiest way to cope with the situation would be to block the IP ranges either in your firewall, your system's hosts file, or in a utility such as Peer Guardian.Below are the information for Peer Guardian 2, simply use the IP ranges if you want to block the IPs in your firewall instead.
- MPAA Tracker:66.172.60.1-66.172.60.255
- MPAA Tracker:66.177.58.1-66.177.58.255
- MPAA Tracker:66.180.205.1-66.180.205.255
- MPAA Tracker:209.204.61.1-209.204.61.255
- MPAA Tracker:216.151.155.1-216.151.155.255
The fake torrents look like real torrents on first glance and are disguised as valid group releases such as Battlestar Galactica S03E07 REPACK DSR XviD-ORENJi. According to nforce.nl, Orenji is the group that is releasing Battlestar Galactica episodes.
It is very likely that the company that is running those services are not only spreading the files around, but also recording IP addresses of users who start to download those files. It may lead to legal consequences even though I'm not entirely sure how this would play out in court, considering that you have downloaded a non-working file that was offered to you by a company that is cooperating with rights holders.
While they may be able to prove intent, it is hard to argue that the download caused any damage. Quite the contrary. Since you are also seeding files you download, you actually helped distribute the fake torrents to even more users.
Update: Please note that these IP ranges may or may not be associated with the MPAA anymore. I guess there is no harm in blocking the IP ranges even if they are not used anymore for the purpose.
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I use safepeer plugin for azureus, I think it does the same due the updates every day of ipranges.
Download illegal file is not an infringement, because i can download a file just for check if the file itsel is illegal, and THEN call the police (NOT the Major, Major are not police).
On other hand, UPLOAD and SHARE as a SOURCE illegal file IS an infringement.
As as matter of fact, those who “lure” downloader using illegal file (except the AUTORIZED police force) commit an illegal act, and can be processed ;)
So, at least the only reason to block the fake server is to avoid bandwidth loss for fake/tampered file.
Wrong Leo!
Downloading a file known to be a commercial venture (movie, music album, software program, etc.) is illegal in most, if not all, countries. Ignorance maybe bliss, but in a court of law it is not a usable excuse. You are not entitled to sample/test/share commercial material unless it is provided directly by the person/company who owns the copyright to it and in accordance to their terms and conditions.
Owners of copyrighted material are perfectly within their rights to try to catch people stealing their material. The authorities (law enforcement) rarely get involved on an individual level as they simply do not have the financial resources to do so. It is the owners (or those they have hired) of this material who are the ones that initially track down those doing it.
Either way, only a fool would not block fake torrents known to be owned by people wishing to stop illegal activities. Again, only a fool, would be willing to take the chance of going through unnecessary legal hassles if they could simply avoid some those potential risks by block a few IP ranges.
its a matter of fair use. if i purchase a copy, im not a criminal for lending it or giving a copy to a friend of mine.
what am i paying for anyway? to have a plastic version without any possibilities or fields of use? (mp3 players etc).
of course, if i were making major bucks by mass-producing, THAT would be illegal. but giving a copy or two to friends of mine? if thats illegal, the system of law has gone too far. it shouldnt invade our private lives to protect companies. it should be fair and reasonable!
its a matter of fair use. theres nothing black or white about this.
ive paid for it, i get to give a copy to a friend, even 3, but mass producing, that should be illegal. its illegal to make money out of somebody elses work without a prior contract.
ITS A MATTER OF FAIR USE! THE RECORD LABELS AND MOVIECOMPANIES GET ENOUGH AS IT IS. ITS OUR RIGHT AS CONSUMERS TO OWN OUR COPY (meaning that we are FREE to do whatever we want with it.. who does the corporations think that they are anyway?)
A tracker is a tracker, right?
What I want to know is how does one UPLOAD bogus info to a bogus tracker? Does this require MAJOR hacking, or is it simple.
“Fair use” is like advocating slavery “without cruelty”. The transition from limited rights to unlimited intellectual property is NOT a given, and NOT finished, any more than the United States having slavery was a permanent condition.
Jeb sez: ive paid for it, i get to give a copy to a friend, even 3
Wrongo. Fantasizing doesn’t make it true. And owning a copy doesn’t get you the freedom to do what you want with it. Read some copyright law instead of whatever you waste your time on…
Obviously nobody knows the difference of what is legal here. Why? Well, that too is obviously an grey area as it’s a condition of what is fair and open and what is a monopoly and controlled.
Ask yourself, why shouldn’t the works of individuals benefit the society rather than only a few who artificially control these works by the society to benefit themselves?
Is this a matter of just making money, or protecting society from using the works of it’s own people?
If you still think all this intellectual property rights is good, then you will not be concerned in how Microsoft, MPAA, RIAA and the sort dictate their terms or use, while denying you the public from sharing with each other the works you created. How is that fair?
The system is set up to make the rich stay richer, with the works of the people.
Just because it’s wrong doesn’t mean that is the law.
i agree, we should be allowed to distribute a few copies of something we own the friends… but we aren’t allowed to.
feel free to try to change the law; currently however, the law is the law.
if you share copyrighted works with anyone, you are breaking the law (in most countries).