ISP traffic shaping - cont.

Thought it might be a good idea to update you regarding latest developments and research results since the previous post.

I've been trying the 1.9 beta of uTorrent (available for Windows, runs perfectly under Wine on Linux), since I heard it supports uTP. The reason uTP is important, is because it is believed that ISPs aren't "shaping" this sort of traffic. The experiment seems to be progressing well, as download speeds increased, but still not perfect - not everyone uses uTP-enabled torrent client. But still, now my computer downloads from other computers accross the world, at high speeds, using the new protocol.

So there are few problems which still keeps me from getting my full bendwidth:

1. No open-source implementation of the protocol - slower adoptation.
2. Few closed clients are implementing the protocol, and are still in beta - slower adoptation.
3. ISP still "shapes" other protocols. Annoying.
4. Future problem: will the ISP "shape" uTP?

Happy passover.

Conficker coming to Linux

I guess that by now you've all read about the latest threat over Windows-running PCs - the Conficker worm. So far Conficker had shown some very impressive capabilities, both in infecting innocent machines, and in evading AV products and other security measures.

Today I found at work a Conficker mutation which affects Linux-running computers. Currently it seems to be targeting only specific, debian-based, distros, such as Ubuntu.

Users of older versions of Ubuntu (7.10 and below) are protected due to usage of older kernel.

Everyone who uses newer versions, hurry up and downgrade, or install a more secure and solid OS such as Windows Millenium Edition.