forum file sharing

[zeocrash]

yesterday i was searching around looking for inspiration for my computing A2 project, when i finally ended up on the ftp thread in forum matters. i noticed that currently there were several FTP servers. suddenly it struck me, i know what i can do, i can make a file sharing network for the forum.
so i've decided to try and make a file sharing setup for the forum for my A2 project
the basic idea is this. to link all the ftp servers together, while also allowing members to host files, this way we can reduce the load on the ftp servers. using a file sharing system will also have legal benefits relating to warez software.

the file system will be private. there will have to be a "server", to store account and logon details and details of who's online.

i'm posting this because i'm wandering what the forum would like from this system, and if anyone has any ideas / thoughts on this matter.

[Nihilist]

It sounds awesome, and if you like, I will help you code it.

[blazter]

Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, why not just use Direct Connect for filesharing? One person could set up a server, put a password on it, and simply rotate the password on say a weekly basis. There is a private direct connect hub at my university, thats ip limited to about 4 other local universities, and its possible to find just about anything on there. DC++ is probably the best client, but I am not too familiar with all the server choices.

[Nihilist]

that sounds good in theory, except that it lacks the wonderful anonymity that P2P provides.

[nbk2000]

www.freenetproject.org

Anonymous, untracable, multi-proxy routing, encrypted, and distributed. :) No central servers to tap into.

Or search google using:

ectp

for encrytped FTP clients and servers.

[zeocrash]

damn, there goes my coursework

blazter, the reason i'm not using a dcc connection is that it would give me nothing to do for my coursework, aslo with a direct connection, everyone connects through the server, whereas with my idea, the server just acts like a phonebook, where clients can get adresses of other machines to connect to.

annonimity seems to be a problem with my idea, but as far as i can see, it would be no less anonymous than the current ftp server. the main problem of having total annonimity on a system like this is that there is no way to regulate who is accessing it.
the ip addresses would be safe as they would be stored in an array rather than a file, so the list would dissapear when the program was closed.

encryption of data, multi - proxy routing, untracable well you've got me there currently, but i'm sure i can work it in somehow, eventually

[megalomania]

Now that sounds like a wonderful idea!

[blazter]

Freenet would probably the best way to remain anonymous, however with freenet there are still "node" servers which cache a good portion of the network's data. These nodes all have IP's that can be discovered, and if enough are shut down then the network goes down. A better solution than a central server to be sure, but not completely bulletproof. Regardless of whatever network you set up there still has to be a way to let clients connect, and this access point will have an ip. If the powers that be want to dismantle the network they just shut down the access points.

Storing ips in an array may help a bit, but remember it is still very possible to find those ips with a packet sniffer, or if you want a challenge, though debugging the program with something like soft ice.

The best route would probably to model your program after what freenet has done, but as things are now, I'll argue that true anonymity with regard to P2P is impossible. Sure it is possible to encrypt and such, but there is still an access point somewhere which has an ip through which the naughty data is publicly accessable. Never the less, encryption and decentralizing the data the way freenet does it is FAR better than most other P2P applications out now.

[A-BOMB]

If anybody has the PMJB (Poor Mans James Bond) set and Kazza or some thing similar that would allow me to download them I would be greatly in your dept. Because my bitch sister just reformated the CD-RW that my set was on so she could put some of her shit music and garbage on :mad:

[zeocrash]

it apears both ideas have their security weaknesses, although the IPs could be discovered in my system by using a packet sniffer. the idea of having a central hub that links everyone together has the fundimental weakness that the hub could be compromised and all trafic passing through the access point could be watched/recorded.
besides it's not as though hiding your ip address is going to stop any law enforcement agency from throwing your ass into camp (insert phonetic letter here).

nihilist, e-mail me about helping with the code,

[nbk2000]

Ah, but with freenet you only need 1 node address to get the whole thing going. How hard would it be to post the node addresses on popular IRC channels or mass e-mail it? Nil.