BitTorrent
Programmer Bram Cohen designed the BitTorrent protocol in April 2001. He released the first available version on the 2nd of July 2001. Cohen was a University at Buffalo alumnus who wanted to speed up download times by enabling files to be downloaded from many sources simultaneously. The initial release had no search engine and no peer exchange functionality. Users could only share files by creating small text files called torrents. These torrent files were uploaded to index sites where they listed available data for transfer. The first uploader acted as a seed while others connected as peers. Those wishing to download would connect to a tracker containing IP addresses of other seeds and peers. Once a peer completed a full file download, it could function as a new seed. This cycle allowed files to spread without relying on a single central server.
BitTorrent divides distributed files into segments known as pieces. Each piece carries a cryptographic hash that protects against accidental or malicious modifications. As peers receive new pieces, they become sources for other users. This process relieves the original seed from sending copies to every computer. A swarm forms when multiple hosts upload and download from each other simultaneously. The protocol allows downloads to halt and resume later without losing previously gathered information. Pieces are typically downloaded non-sequentially and rearranged into correct order by the client software. This approach reduces bandwidth usage compared to traditional HTTP or FTP methods. It also prevents large spikes in internet traffic within specific areas. Distributed downloading protocols provide redundancy against system problems and eliminate single points of failure found in one-way server transfers. BitTorrent makes many small data requests over different IP connections rather than using a single TCP connection to one machine.
Major organizations began adopting BitTorrent to distribute content efficiently. Sub Pop Records released tracks and videos via BitTorrent Inc. to distribute over 1000 albums. Bands like Babyshambles and The Libertines used torrents to share hundreds of demos and live videos. Nine Inch Nails frequently distributed albums through this method. The CBC became the first major broadcaster in North America to distribute shows like Canada's Next Great Prime Minister after airing them. NRK and VPRO also released past shows and documentaries via BitTorrent. Blizzard Entertainment distributed patches for Diablo III, StarCraft II, and World of Warcraft using the protocol. Wargaming utilized it for updates to World of Tanks and other titles. The Internet Archive added BitTorrent support for over 1.3 million files in August 2012. Facebook and Twitter use the technology to distribute server updates. Florida State University shares large scientific datasets with researchers using BitTorrent functionality. Academic Torrents serves as a tracker for researchers needing to share open datasets.
High-profile legal actions targeted websites hosting torrent trackers. On the 31st of May 2006, Swedish police raided The Pirate Bay servers following allegations by the MPAA regarding copyright infringement. The site resumed operations three days later. Suprnova.org, TorrentSpy, LokiTorrent, BTJunkie, Mininova, Oink's Pink Palace, and What.cd all closed due to legal pressure. In the United Kingdom, the High Court ordered five ISPs to block The Pirate Bay on the 30th of April 2012. Over 200,000 lawsuits have been filed for copyright infringement involving BitTorrent since 2010 in the US alone. A study examining NBC Universal's merger with Comcast found that only one swarm out of 10,000 managed by PublicBT offered legitimate content after excluding pornographic material. Copyright holders often launch lawsuits against uploaders or downloaders for infringement. Police may arrest suspects in such cases depending on jurisdiction. Users sometimes run seedboxes or virtual private networks to circumvent these restrictions. The protocol itself remains legal even when used to traffic infringing works.
BitTorrent implementations face risks from malware distribution and denial-of-service attacks. One small sample indicated that 18% of executable programs available for download contained malware. Another study claimed up to 14.5% of downloads contain zero-day malware. BitTorrent served as the distribution mechanism for 47% of all zero-day malware found in certain studies. UDP flood attacks exploit the underlying protocol which allows spoofing of source addresses. To mitigate threats, some clients use Message stream encryption or Protocol encryption features. As of November 2015, Vuze, BitComet, KTorrent, Transmission, Deluge, μTorrent, MooPolice, Halite, qBittorrent, rTorrent, and version six of the official client supported MSE/PE encryption. These methods attempt to make BitTorrent hard to detect and throttle by ISPs. Virtual private networks encrypt transfers and substitute different IP addresses for users. Some clients like Tribler offer Tor-like onion networks to obscure data requests. Despite encryption efforts, BitTorrent remains vulnerable to traffic analysis allowing ISPs to recognize usage patterns.
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Common questions
Who designed the BitTorrent protocol and when was it released?
Programmer Bram Cohen designed the BitTorrent protocol in April 2001. He released the first available version on the 2nd of July 2001.
How does the BitTorrent protocol divide files into segments?
BitTorrent divides distributed files into segments known as pieces. Each piece carries a cryptographic hash that protects against accidental or malicious modifications.
Which major organizations adopted BitTorrent to distribute content efficiently?
Major organizations like Sub Pop Records, Nine Inch Nails, Blizzard Entertainment, and The Internet Archive began adopting BitTorrent to distribute content efficiently. The Internet Archive added BitTorrent support for over 1.3 million files in August 2012.
What legal actions targeted websites hosting torrent trackers in 2006 and 2012?
On the 31st of May 2006, Swedish police raided The Pirate Bay servers following allegations by the MPAA regarding copyright infringement. In the United Kingdom, the High Court ordered five ISPs to block The Pirate Bay on the 30th of April 2012.
What percentage of executable programs contained malware according to studies on BitTorrent implementations?
One small sample indicated that 18% of executable programs available for download contained malware. Another study claimed up to 14.5% of downloads contain zero-day malware.