18 replies to this topic

[thefuse]

File Name: PeerBlock
File Submitter: thefuse
File Submitted: 28 Sep 2011
File Updated: 29 Sep 2011
File Category: App scripts

This Peerblock 1.1 is a tool to be used in conjunction with bittorrent applications such as uTorrent,Azure,Bitcomet etc to "Ban" connections to KNOWN Government,Malicious,legal corporations,spamming,police,education facilities and corporate I.P. ranges while downloading bittorrent files.Peerblock will download and update default lists of known ip ranges on startup,You can customize specific I.P ranges or single I.P numbers,also there are more specific country based and organization(Microsoft IPs for example) blocklists downloadable from iblocklist.com.you can also allow/block HTTP connections.if you are using utorrent or a simillar in PE this makes it much safer.IF you would like to update the program with new lists for your PE build so you dont have to add your custom lists on every boot?simply update Peerblock install on your host computer,then run this script to add it to your next build:-) enjoy!...............TheFuse script Adds Peerblock1.1 to the build.You must have Peerblock installed on the host system.works well on Win7PE_SE,Untried on other projects but should suit all builds..updates when run in PE,Enjoy!

Click here to download this file

[Brito]

Hello,

Would you mind adding a small description explaining what peerblock is about? Users (like myself) might not know what is the purpose of this tool and this will help quite a lot.

Thanks for sharing the script.

[thefuse]

Sure nuno!:-) Peerblock 1.1 is a tool to be used in conjunction with bittorrent applications such as uTorrent,Azure,Bitcomet etc to "Ban" connections to KNOWN Government,Malicious,legal corporations,spamming,police,education facilities and corporate I.P. ranges while downloading bittorrent files.Peerblock will download and update default lists of known ip ranges on startup,You can customize specific I.P ranges or single I.P numbers,also there are more specific country based and organization(Microsoft IPs for example) blocklists downloadable from iblocklist.com.you can also allow/block HTTP connections.if you are using utorrent or a simillar in PE this makes it much safer.IF you would like to update the program with new lists for your PE build so you dont have to add your custom lists on every boot?simply update Peerblock install on your host computer,then run this script to add it to your next build:-) enjoy!...............TheFuse

[Wonko the Sane]

I simply love FAQ #7
http://www.peerblock.com/
http://www.peerblock.com/docs/faq
http://www.peerblock...at_is_peerblock

7. Does this mean my P2P downloading is completely safe now?



Not necessarily. While many people do use IP Filtering software like PeerBlock to help "protect" themselves from being sued for copyright infringement, it is not 100% protection. In fact some people believe that using blocklists like this are completely useless. Others disagree, and believe that even if it's not 100% safe, it still lets them download files more safely. Sometimes they invoke the "Bear Principle": when running away from an angry bear you don't need to be faster than that bear . . . you only need to be faster than the guy next to you. However, as I seem to remember seeing on the old Peer Guardian site at one point:

The only way to be "safe" with P2P downloading is to not share copyrighted content!

PeerBlock is good at what it does - keeping your computer from "talking" with ip addresses on your configured blocklists. Everything else is up to those blocklists themselves. And heck, even if the blocklists provided 100% coverage of "bad" ip-addresses, and if blocklists were 100% proven to work, there could still be some bugs in the PeerBlock software that may prevent it from working correctly on your machine; we offer no guarantees that it works, and disclaim any and all responsibility for the consequences of your own actions online. If you're sharing copyrighted music/video files and get sued by the relevant organizations, it's not our fault. If you're stuck in a country with an oppressive government and are trying to get out your plans regarding the upcoming revolution, and those in power break down your door and haul you away, it's not our fault. If you're sharing some secret footage of Area 51 and the "Men in Black" come knocking on your door, it's not our fault!

If you choose to download copyrighted material from the Internet, be aware that you may be breaking the law.

The "Bear principle" is a RARE example of "common sense"


Wonko

[Brito]

Hi Thefuse,

Thanks for the description, I forgot mentioning but the intention is adding this description to the download page of your script so that users can read about it when looking around for scripts in the download portal.

[thefuse]

done Nuno!,,...download page now has updated discription:-)

[thefuse]

<p class="author_info">

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Posted An hour ago
I simply love FAQ #7 ../public/style_emoticons/default/wub.png
http://www.peerblock.com/
http://www.peerblock.com/docs/faq
http://www.peerblock...at_is_peerblock
Quote

7. Does this mean my P2P downloading is completely safe now?



Not necessarily. While many people do use IP Filtering software like PeerBlock to help "protect" themselves from being sued for copyright infringement, it is not 100% protection. In fact some people believe that using blocklists like this are completely useless. Others disagree, and believe that even if it's not 100% safe, it still lets them download files more safely. Sometimes they invoke the "Bear Principle": when running away from an angry bear you don't need to be faster than that bear . . . you only need to be faster than the guy next to you. However, as I seem to remember seeing on the old Peer Guardian site at one point:

The only way to be "safe" with P2P downloading is to not share copyrighted content!

PeerBlock is good at what it does - keeping your computer from "talking" with ip addresses on your configured blocklists. Everything else is up to those blocklists themselves. And heck, even if the blocklists provided 100% coverage of "bad" ip-addresses, and if blocklists were 100% proven to work, there could still be some bugs in the PeerBlock software that may prevent it from working correctly on your machine; we offer no guarantees that it works, and disclaim any and all responsibility for the consequences of your own actions online. If you're sharing copyrighted music/video files and get sued by the relevant organizations, it's not our fault. If you're stuck in a country with an oppressive government and are trying to get out your plans regarding the upcoming revolution, and those in power break down your door and haul you away, it's not our fault. If you're sharing some secret footage of Area 51 and the "Men in Black" come knocking on your door, it's not our fault!

If you choose to download copyrighted material from the Internet, be aware that you may be breaking the law.


The "Bear principle" is a RARE example of "common sense" ../public/style_emoticons/default/smiling9.gif

../public/style_emoticons/default/cheers.gif
Wonko




Wonko is correct.Bittorrenting copyrighted material is against the law.i would never argue that.....and it is debatable as to how effective blocklists are too...however it may afford users some protection from malicious people doing malicious things......i have found it effective in the past so i thought to share the app:-)

[MedEvil]

The bear principle does not apply in this case.
The bear would need to see both opportunities to decide for the easier one. Since 'the bear' does not see who blocks IPs and who doesn't, he can't decide.
It's more like the hunt is happening in dense fog. The bear doesn't know, where the people are, he only assumes that there should be some in the fog. The people don't know, where the bear is, they only assume, he is somewhere in the fog.
So both parties keep running around in the fog blindly, until some chance encounter happens.
And the only protection against chance is a good luck charm!
Like PeerBlock?

[thefuse]

Perfect?......probably not......any program is only as good as its input parametrers,in this case blocklists.I have used it for years and even if the "protection" side may be debatable?....i do get better speeds due to not connecting to peers i dont want to be connected to for varying reasons,Let the user decide i say...:-)

[Wonko the Sane]

The bear principle does not apply in this case.
The bear would need to see both opportunities to decide for the easier one. Since 'the bear' does not see who blocks IPs and who doesn't, he can't decide.
It's more like the hunt is happening in dense fog. The bear doesn't know, where the people are, he only assumes that there should be some in the fog. The people don't know, where the bear is, they only assume, he is somewhere in the fog.
So both parties keep running around in the fog blindly, until some chance encounter happens.

Not really/exactly, the idea of the strategy is good also for a completely blind bear.
As long as you can see the bear (through radar, microwaves, thermal or night vision or whatever) AND you can see at least one of the other guys, all you have to do is to keep further than the other guy relatively to the blind bear reach.
But you are right, this is a game based on three factors:

• luck (your own, highly volatile)
• dependability (of the block lists)
• stupidity (of the Government Agencies or whomever that is wanting to check what you do AND use a listed address)

Assuming that you have #1 (by sheer luck ) and #2 is actually perfectly updated by "good guys", you have in IPV4 2^32 available addresses and in IPV6 are 2^128, i.e. more or less, respectively 4.3x10^9 and 3.4×10^38.


In such a system you should have the WHOLE set mapped to someone, and then decide among these WHICH ones are the "bad, nosy guys".
Even if you had an online, very fast and responsive database system, and (say) a T1 connection to interrogate it, file by the time you accessed the last record of IPV4 (let alone IPV6), there is time enough to "inject" a few (several) thousands "previously checked" records with new data.

• So is something like Peerblock a nice tool?
  
  Yes.
• Can it help with getting rid of mostly "static" in nature "unwanted IP's"?
  
  Yes.
• So is it good to get rid of some IP generated Ads and Malware?
  
  Yes. (IF you are lucky AND if the blocklist is good)
• So is it good to prevent any Government Agency to "watch" your online activities?
  
  No, unless the said Government Agencies have completely demented technicians and management and very limited control on the Internet (both quite UNprobable IMHO)

All in all:

• "They" are NOT after you.
• IF "they" were after you , you would have NO chance.
• A good idea is NOT to trigger "their" interest.

Wonko

[MedEvil]

All in all:

• "They" are NOT after you.
• IF "they" were after you , you would have NO chance.
• A good idea is NOT to trigger "their" interest.

</p>

Or....
'They' are trying to get you, but due, to you using swarm tactics, they have a hard time getting you.

Swarm tactics are employed by for instance fish. They flock together in huge numbers to hide between simlars and are constantly not only in motion, but also keep changing direction.
This makes it almost impossible for any predator to follow a specific individual.
If the predator 'switches' prey too often, he will run out of power before the prey does.

[Wonko the Sane]

Swarm tactics ....

Yep , but they are very similar to the bear principle, only you have more mates to sacrify to the predator......
Sheep/cattle tend to adopt a similar approach when attacked.

Back to the specific, what if "they" can tell that you are using a blocking software?
Like having access to three hundred thousand concurrent connections BUT one as it is blocked by peerblock.
Which triage approach would "they" use to choose which connection needs to be investigated upon?


Wonko

[MedEvil]

Yep , but they are very similar to the bear principle, only you have more mates to sacrify to the predator......

Not really. Like i said, swarm tactics don't work on the prinziple to sacrifice another in your place, but to make it as hard as possible for the predator to get you or anyone else. So swarm tactics, are not just good for the fast ones, but also for the slow ones. If this wasn't a win-win for all, it wouldn't work.

Back to the specific, what if "they" can tell that you are using a blocking software?</p>
Like having access to three hundred thousand concurrent connections BUT one as it is blocked by peerblock.
Which triage approach would "they" use to choose which connection needs to be investigated upon?

If "they" had unlimited resources, they would do what every good villian does.Going way, way out of their way and waste any resources, just to stick it to the nemesis.Luckily "they" are hunting "us", because they wanna stop the hypothetical drain on their income. So by definition, they will not spend more money hunting, than they can make catching.And since the amount of money, that can be made from a catch, is pretty limited to begin with, hunting has to be very efficient. In fact, it has to be so efficient, that already the slightest resistance by a sheep, turns the whole thing into a loosing game for "them".

[MedEvil]

This stupid build in editor, looses formatting of newly entered text as soon as there is any quoting. Grrrn!

[Wonko the Sane]

Not really. Like i said, swarm tactics don't work on the prinziple to sacrifice another in your place, but to make it as hard as possible for the predator to get you or anyone else. So swarm tactics, are not just good for the fast ones, but also for the slow ones. If this wasn't a win-win for all, it wouldn't work.

Well, since quite a few million years, ALL sharks seem like having "gone to bed" every single day with their stomach full enough, so the final result of the swarm tactic still makes for some martyrs....
http://www.elasmo-re..._s_predator.htm


Wonko

[homes32]

why would anyone be downloading a torrent from within a PE?

[MedEvil]

Because driverpacks are distributed as torrent only?
Or because

[MedEvil]

Well, since quite a few million years, ALL sharks seem like having "gone to bed" every single day with their stomach full enough, so the final result of the swarm tactic still makes for some martyrs....

Wrong point of view.
The fact, that the sharks didn't starve to death long ago, isn't proof that swarm tactics don't work.
But the fact, that swarm tactics are employed by all members of a species today, is proof that those, who didn't employ it in the past, apparently did way worst with the sharks.

[Wonko the Sane]

Wrong point of view.
The fact, that the sharks didn't starve to death long ago, isn't proof that swarm tactics don't work.
But the fact, that swarm tactics are employed by all members of a species today, is proof that those, who didn't employ it in the past, apparently did way worst with the sharks.

No, you got me wrong, I am not saying that it isn't a very efficient tactic , only that it is not without some victims.
If you prefer, it contributes to verify the truism that TANSTAAFL , as if the tactic was not used we would have very FAT sharks , as they could get their meal with no effort whatsoever.

Remember that sharks together with turtles and a few other animals are among those that "decided" they were "evoluted enough" a long time ago, as they felt "efficient enough".
To this day it seems like they were right.
If you prefer, notwithstanding the cleverness of swarm tactics , the sharks ate today, as well as yesterday and all the days before since the dawn of time (with a lot of effort, but they did) and they will eat tomorrow.



Wonko