Re: Killing Napster and beyond...

[Chris Cappuccio <chris () empnet com>]

On 16 Oct 2000, Todd Schroeder wrote:

 | Back in February there was some discussion on killing Napster.  Time has 
 | passed and now there are several other products that present similar 
 | problems.  Mojo Nation, Scour, and Gnutella to name a few.  
 | 

I am opposed to this sort of blocking as a policy for several reasons, so let
me spill some poison as to why it ain't gonna happen in any comprehensive way
that keeps you happy.

So far, most of the blocking works by what we can already do easily...

1. Block packets to/from IP address ranges of known servers

2. Block packets to TCP/UDP ports which are known as servers for these
services

Problems with

1.

- What else are you blocking ??

2. 

- Any other service that uses the same port will not work

Both.

- IPs can change, if the client points to a DNS name then it can change as
often as it wants to

- Ports can change, especially if the service is designed to work around
port-based limitations

Solution ? Subscription-based blocking service.  This is a kludge, requires
frequent changes to your router/firewall, and is basically ugly.

Solution ? NFR type filter which can recognize this kind of traffic and block
it off ? High overhead, requires frequent updates on router/firewall, and is
basically ugly.

 | I was curious how others are handling these.  Has anyone been successful 
 | in blocking these programs?  Is anyone else concerned about them?
 | 

Maybe a couple of universities who see Napster-type services as a large
percentage of their traffic... For the most part, the only people I can
imagine who would be concerned about this are the same people who are
concerned about blocking porn on the web and that sort of stuff.

IP was designed to work around these sorts of limitations, not with them.

--
Chris Cappuccio         920 SW Emkay Dr.        Direct  +1 541-330-4345
Network Engineer        Suite C-104             Corp    +1 541-317-3437
Empire Net, Inc.        Bend, OR 97702 USA      Fax     +1 541-317-3402

"If you don't turn on to politics, politics will turn on you"
       - Ralph Nader


_______________________________________________
firewall-wizards mailing list
firewall-wizards () nfr com
http://www.nfr.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards