ACS:Law copyright file sharing claims, Gallant Macmillan - and probably some others along the way...

[acshunter]

On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 6:16 PM, name wihtheld wrote:

>

> Alireza Torabi wrote:

> > On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 6:35 AM,

> > name wihtheld wrote:

> >> On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 11:27:53AM +0000, Alireza Torabi wrote:

> >> >Imagine this:

> >> >

> >> > | (1)

> >> > packets

> >> > | | (4)

> >> > [nic1] [nic2]

> >> > bpf SOCK_STREAM

> >> > | (2) |

> >> > ---------------------------------------

> >> > [FreeBSD] (3)

> >> >

> >> >1) all user traffic are being monitored

> >> >2) bpf on [nic] is capturing these packets

> >> >3) after processing we know a connection is about to be

established from A to B

> >> >

> >> >NOW:

> >> >4) I want to deliver this packet to the socket on [nic2]

> >> >and as this is a tcp socket it'll take care of it from there

> >> >(my code here for this sockets sends and arbitary data to A making it

> >> >think it came from B)

> >>

> >> Have a look at divert(4). I suspect it comes closest to what you want.

> >>

> >> --

> >> name wihtheld

> >> Please excuse any delays as the result of my ISP's inability

to implement

> >> an MTA that is either RFC2821-compliant or matches their

claimed behaviour.

> >>

> >

> > Yes. It sounds promising. I was reading natd and planning to read ipfw

> > source interestingly!

>

> also I think you may want the 'fwd' call in ipfw...

>

I won't be using ipfw(8) at all as this is monitoring a copy of all

the packets flowing through a core switch on a span/rmon 'ed switch

port.

 

> I don't quite understand your question..

> (despite the picture)

> where ia A and where is B?

>

As I say I can only they a copy of these hosts' traffic over an

rmon/span 'ed (Cisco terms) switch port.

> and why 2 nics?

[nic1] is connected to above switch port and and is bpf ing all the

the packets (promisc) and [nic2] has it's own ip address and connected

to a normal switch port, hence can send and receive data. ie talk to A

or B

 

>

> User traffic where?

> on a switch?

> coming in and out of this machine?

bpf is reading all the incoming packets coming to [nic1] off.

[wakaday]

Does anyone know how safe VPN tuneling software is for P2P file sharing, such Torrent Privacy, would is protect you from ‘digiprotect’. When you down load a file you never know what it really is, or if it’s copyrighted until it’s too late. Has anyone received an invoice from ACS-Law when using VPN software?

[Scooby Doo69]

Does anyone know how safe VPN tuneling software is for P2P file sharing, such Torrent Privacy, would is protect you from ‘digiprotect’. When you down load a file you never know what it really is, or if it’s copyrighted until it’s too late. Has anyone received an invoice from ACS-Law when using VPN software?

 

This forum is for people who are innocent of being invoiced for file sharing. Please do not post on here asking on reassurances on how to circumvent copyright infringement.

[wakaday]

This forum is for people who are innocent of being invoiced for file sharing. Please do not post on here asking on reassurances on how to circumvent copyright infringement.

 

File sharing is not illegal, unless your're downloading copyrighted materail. Much of the P2P material is not copyrighted. My point is how do you protect yourself from accidently downloading copyrighted material? For the record I'm would never condone breaking copyright infringment, and indeed I am falsely accused of this activity, most probably because my IP address has been exposed in legal activities on P2P sites.

[Scooby Doo69]

Good point and apologies for jumping to conclusions :-|

 

The best rule of thumb I guess is if you are in doubt, don't download until you are 100% sure.

 

Most of the torrent sites carry non-copyrighted material as the copyright has expired (Laurel & Hardy, three Stooges, Living Doll by Cliff Richard for example) and it's safe to download these items.

 

ACS aren't in that arena though and appear to be concentrating on porn and obscure acts such as Scooter.

 

VPN is a good way to go as the VPN IP address is targeted in the event of a claim by ACS and not your personal one. In the unlikely event of ACS or others wanting to make a claim, the VPN gets targeted and not you.

 

Most VPNs encrypt their traffic and do not keep logs anyway.

Edited April 26, 2010 by Scooby Doo69

[wakaday]

Thanks for these comments, I really should have explained my position more clearly. My P2P activity is very careful , legal & limited, and I can't understand how I recieved a 2nd invoice. ACS must have linked my IP address by error. The only safe way is not to be in the P2P environent.

[Scooby Doo69]

Wakaday,

 

There are many ways that you have received an invoice claim and it most likely has nothing to do with your legal P2P activities.

 

IP addresses are recycled by ISPs, illegal downloaders spoof their IPs so innocent people carry the can, the ISP or ACS may have made an error, someone may have hacked your internet connection, etc, etc.

 

Carry on legally downloading and don't give into the bullies.

[BARFLY]

Does ACS's activity concern only P2P sites? Or could it concern streaming sites also?

[Scooby Doo69]

They appear to only be concerned with P2P so far, but who knows. It's a lucrative business for them (£1,000,000 monies claimed in 12 Months for which they will probably take the lions share of).

 

Others will surely jump on the bandwagon soon (TBI tried) where the rewards outweigh the negative publicity.

 

The thing is the first you hear about it is some Months are the alledged offence, so where as streaming in the UK appears to be untouched someone could be looking at it right now.

[tp123]

Ref: acshunter's post above,

 

Their "forensic experts" dont look too professional do they?! More to the point when did they stop using logistep and why?

 

wakaday,

 

I don't think it matters what you do, the deciding factor on if you get a letter or not seems to be based on not much more than luck!

[Kryeten2x4b]

Hi All ,

 

While i was at work last week werecived our first suggesting that a pornographic film had been d/loaded using our connection in her panic my wife emailed acs law and offered a repayment plan to them. Upon returning from work and reading up on Acs Law i fired off a LOD safe in the knowledge i had done nothing of the sort. Today i have recived another letter accepting the repayment plan. What are my options now as i tend to belive that they will accept this plan as a addmission of guilt :-|

[Time on my hands]

Does ACS's activity concern only P2P sites? Or could it concern streaming sites also?

 

P2P is being targetted because they can try to claim that uploading took place. Therefore you can probably assume that DigiDodgy and their ilk may begin to see any website that allows uploads to take place to be an easy target for monitoring and IP harvesting.

[Kryeten2x4b]

We reciived a letter from Acs:Law suggesting that a pornagraphic movie had been d/loaded on our connection last week and in a panic while i was at work my wife responed by email asking if we could repay the amount they were asking in installments. I fired of a LOD not knowing she had done this and have today recived an letter accepting the plan she offered. Will that now be taken as an obmission of guilt and im pretty much stuck in having to pay it ?

[tp123]

I've just tried sending a letter to ACS law by recorded delivery to;

 

ACS:Law,

20 Hanover Square,

London, W1S 1JY.

 

The address didn't show up on the Post Office computer?

[devonwoman]

Thats the address i have i sent mine nearly 2 weeks ago and it was ok then,i wonder why you cant send it now.

[Scooby Doo69]

Nothing unusual with our wonderful postal system, but they do exist.

 

No news of the promised massive new office, but the same virtual address.

 

Reminds me of an episode of Minder when Arthur used a virtual address for His betting syndicate.

[tp123]

Lol. I don't think even Arther Daley would stoop this low! He was a "lovable rogue"

 

Well I sent the letter anyway, I'll play the waiting game now.

 

Not heard back from any of the organisations I complained to yet...

[whereswally]

They are very busy dealing with all the complaints they got. Thanks for all the efforts guys, keep reading and learning how to defend yourself.

[Caimbeul]

I have tried to obtain further info on the case but have been told that I do not have any rights to the information.

 

That cannot be correct as there is no criminal investigation in place / someone please correct me if i am wrong.

[zero_flight]

Well that is what they told me when I spoke to them over the telephone a fortnight ago. I have posted my LOD off by registered post, there appears to be no problems with the address. Now going to sit back and wait for their response.

[zero_flight]

Just out of curiosity I went to The Law Society website and looked up ACS:Law and Andrew Crossley and look what results I got back. Strangely enough when this started I did the same and got a different result. Has anyone heard from them recently or is this just a coincidence.

[devonwoman]

Very interesting will just have to wait and see what happens, but if that is the case he will probably just start again under another name and do this all over again .

[whereswally]

Don't get your hopes up guys, I see both ACS:LAW and Andrew Crossley under both types of searchs

[whereswally]

So this is how they started getting IP addresses then.......posted by Terrance Tsang (TT) way back in 2008.

 

 

 

So much for the "evidence" ... I have quoted from their templated letters:

 

 

ACS:LAW's "client" has retained forensic computer analysts (Advert above??) to search for and identify internet addresses from which our clients members' copyright works (including the Work) are being made available on so called "peer to peer" networks which are then able to be downloaded by third parties with out our clients consent or license."

 

"The processes and methods employed by our clients IT experts (Advert above??) to produce the evidence which is then submitted to the ISP's (to get our details), has been the subject of a number of detailed investigations and reports prepared by a qualified information technology consultant including a UK expert (Terrance??)

Edited April 28, 2010 by whereswally

[whereswally]

And once completed for Terrance (UK IT EXPERT!) + ACS:LAW.....

 

Feedback to the guy who conjured up the "evidence"