Feature #9277

Research BitTorrent trackers we could use

Added by intrigeri 2015-04-25 04:14:42 . Updated 2015-05-04 04:43:40 .

Status:
Resolved
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
Dr_Whax
Category:
Infrastructure
Target version:
Tails_1.4
Start date:
2015-04-25
Due date:
% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Research
Blueprint:

Starter:
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

It’s unclear if the BitTorrent tracker we’re using will go on providing this service. We should look for alternatives.

Potential criteria:

  • ideally, that would be an open tracker, so it’s a tiny bit harder for network attackers to monitor who’s downloading Tails: they have to get the torrent and connect to the tracker, as opposed to merely doing TCP/IP level passive monitoring; not sure if that’s a hard requirement;
  • decent IP logging policy? iirc I was told that it would be crazy for open trackers to log IPs given the amount of requests they get; it would be good to see this confirmed.

Subtasks

Related issues

Related to Tails - Feature #9335: Add the coppersurfer.tk tracker to our Torrent Resolved 2015-05-04

History

#1 Updated by intrigeri 2015-04-25 04:15:25

  • Assignee set to Dr_Whax
  • QA Check set to Info Needed

DrWhax, iirc you did some research already. May you please post your results here?

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2015-04-25 04:18:08

  • Description updated

#3 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-04-30 07:58:16

I had one with a good logging policy. However, they got taken offline due to a content dispute and more are following it seems in a campaign by the MPAA/BREIN. http://www.golem.de/news/musikindustrie-openbittorrent-publicbittorrent-und-istole-it-abgeschaltet-1504-113767.html

I’ve been told this torrent tracker can be seen in various torrents and has a decent logging policy, or they say, but technically, they’re probably telling the thruth: http://coppersurfer.tk/

In addition, indeed, logging at a torrent tracker isn’t a good idea since it will fill up your harddrive pretty rapidly, in addition I got this as a reply from someone familiar with the opentracker codebase:

> Normally bulk trackers do not support logging, because it is a way too
> easy way to DOS by sending loads of “completed” udp packets and watch
> the hard disc overflow with logs. The feature was built for dedicated
> small sites in mind needing an overview over download stats of their
> podcast episodes.

Building without any logging is enabled by default as well.

#4 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-04-30 08:28:27

  • QA Check deleted (Info Needed)

#5 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-04-30 08:47:44

  • Assignee changed from Dr_Whax to intrigeri

#6 Updated by intrigeri 2015-04-30 08:50:14

  • Assignee deleted (intrigeri)

(I didn’t volunteer to work on this, and FYI I’m not the fallback assignee :)

#7 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-04-30 08:52:57

  • Assignee set to Dr_Whax

#8 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-04-30 08:59:44

  • Type of work changed from Research to Discuss

#9 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-05-03 13:55:46

  • Type of work changed from Discuss to Contributors documentation

The consensus we came up with in the May 3rd is: Add coppersurfer.tk tracker in addition to the tracker we already ship. The work that has to be done is to add it to the documentation for the RM.

#10 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-05-03 13:58:20

  • Target version set to Tails_1.4.1

#11 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-04 04:42:27

  • related to Feature #9335: Add the coppersurfer.tk tracker to our Torrent added

#12 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-04 04:43:40

  • Status changed from Confirmed to Resolved
  • Target version changed from Tails_1.4.1 to Tails_1.4
  • % Done changed from 0 to 100
  • Type of work changed from Contributors documentation to Research

The research was completed, hence closing. Next steps are tracked in Feature #9335. DrWhax: in general, please avoid re-purposing tickets once the work they’re about has been done. Thanks!