How to Protect your Privacy when using Torrents

...::::::::::Bit Torrent Protocol Encryption::::::::::...

Protocol encryption (PE) & Message stream encryption (MSE)

PE and MSE are implemented in the BT clients Azureus, µTorrent, BitComet,
KTorrent and Mainline.

PE and MSE are protocol obfuscation methods, they use a D-H key exchange
combined with the info hash of the torrent to establish the key, then it uses
RC4 to encrypt the data.

The D-H key exchange helps to minimize the risk of passive listeners, and the
info hash helps avoid man-in-the-middle attacks. RC4 is chosen for its speed.
The first kilobyte of the RC4 output is discarded to prevent a particular
attack.

The specification allows the users to choose between encrypting the headers only
or the full connection. Encrypting the full connection provides more obfuscation
but uses more CPU time.

However, only Azureus and µTorrent beta 1.4.1 build 413 or older lets the user
choose. All other clients default to full encryption.
To ensure compatibility with other clients that don't support this
specification, users may also choose whether unencrypted incoming or outgoing
connections are still allowed.

All supported clients will enable encryption automatically if they receive an
encrypted incoming connection even if outgoing encryption is disabled.

STEPS YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT YOURSELF WHEN USING TORRENTS

AZEURUS USERS
1 .Go to: Tools > Options > Connection > Transport Encryption
2. Check the ‘require encrypted transport’ box.
3. Choose RC4 in the ‘minimum encryption’ dropdown box
(***RC4 uses more CPU time than the plain encryption or no encryption, but it’s
a lot more effective**)
4. You can choose to tick the ‘Allow non-encrypted outgoing connections if
encrypted connection attempt fails’ box.
This will ensure compatibility with clients that are not using encryption.
However, it makes it easier for your ISP to detect Bit Torrent traffic. Its
recommend that you try to tick this box first. If you are still not getting
proper speeds untick it.
5. Tick the ‘Allow non-encrypted incoming connections’ box
Done.

BITCOMET USERS
1. Go to: Options > Preferences > Advanced > Connection
2 .Go to: ‘Protocol encryption’ You can choose between ‘auto detect’ and
‘always’. Auto detect will give you more connections but offers less protection
against traffic shapers.
Its recommend to try auto detect first, if that doesn’t increase your speeds you
need to switch to always.
Done.

uTORRENT USERS
1. Go to: Options > Preferences > Bittorrent
2. Go to ‘Protocol encryption’, you can choose between ‘enabled’ and ‘forced’.
‘Enabled’ will give you more connections but offers less protection against
traffic shapers... and is NOT THE SAFEST..
I RECOMMEND YOU SET THIS TO "FORCED"
3. Ticking ‘Allow legacy incoming connections’ allows non ecrypted clients to
connect to you. This improves compatibility between clients but makes you more
vulnerable to traffic shapers... and is NOT the safest..
SO I RECOMMEND YOU UNCHECK "allow legacy incoming connections"

* Most of today's users now FORCE encryption so this should no longer slow down your speed *
* I have been testing with this for a few weeks now.. and have not noticed a drop off in speed *
* Infact.. uTorrent 2 now implements UTP which has improved my speed.. even with all of these safely precautions *


ADDITIONAL uTORRENT SAFETY TIP
If you’ve been using uTorrent to download any of the more popular files, such as the latest episode of some major TV show, you may have found yourself receiving lots of “Wasted” data. This is data that has been discarded after being deemed corrupt or invalid by your BitTorrent client. Every so often, you will have received more wasted data than the size of the files you are downloading!

This is happening because Anti-P2P organizations are actively polluting P2P networks with fake peers, which send out fake or corrupt data in order to waste bandwidth and slow down file transfers. At its worst, when downloading major copyrighted torrents, as much as a fourth of the peers you are connected to can be attributed to various Anti-P2P agencies. There is also a much more serious side to this. Once you’ve established a connection to one of these fake “peers”, your IP has been logged and will most likely be sent to the RIAA/MPAA!

But there is a way to fight back! If you are using the latest µTorrent, you can employ a little known feature called IP filtering. The author of µTorrent has gone out of his way to hide it, but it’s there nonetheless. But before we can activate this filter, we need to retrieve a list of currently known Anti-P2P organization IPs.

1. Go to Options > Preferences > Advanced > ensure "ipfilter" is turned on ..
2. Go here to download the latest IP Filter List: (this is updated daily)
3. Extract, rename to "ipfilter.dat"
4. Put in %AppData%\uTorrent (Click Start, Run, and paste "%AppData%\uTorrent" w/out Quotes, press enter)
5. Now when you start uTorrent.. it will automatically use the Filter List
6. Or to reload "ipfilter.dat" without restarting µTorrent, view the Peers tab, right click, and select "Reload IPFilter"

Congratulations! You are now protected against most of the garbage-distributing peers; and the likelyhood of the RIAA or MPAA knocking at your door has been substantially reduced! I’d go as far as to say that you shouldn’t be using µTorrent at all without this feature turned on!








In addition to the precautions above.. i also recommend using PeerBlock!

PeerBlock is better than PeerGuardian and is still being developed/supported.
Unlike PeerGuardian where development has ceased to a halt and is incompatible
with x64Bit computers which requires additional steps before use and additional software..
which is inconvenient, annoying, and in the end.. does not work !

PeerBlock is absolutely FREE .. you can get it here
* Remember.. keep PeerBlock updated !

F.Y.I
You may want to take a look at Easy-Hide-IP for everyday Web Surfing .. i have it posted here: