Anti-Piracy Group Reports Torrent Site Users to the Police
Written by Ernesto on November 08, 2009Lithuanian anti-piracy outfit LANVA has reported the IP-addresses of 106 users of the country’s largest BitTorrent site to the police, on allegations of sharing a copy of Windows 7. The site’s owner has said he will do everything he can to help the users if legal action is taken, and in turn has reported the anti-piracy outfit to the police.
LinkoManija.net is the largest BitTorrent site in Lithuania and one of the prime targets for local anti-piracy outfit LANVA. Last year LANVA was ridiculed by the owner of the site who registered the domain lanva.lt after the group changed its name, something that didn’t do the relationship between the arch rivals any good.
Like all respected anti-piracy organizations, LANVA holds accounts at all the popular private torrent trackers, including LinkoManija. For a long time their account remained inactive, but this week LANVA claimed a small victory as it reported the IP-addresses of 106 users of the site to the police.
According to the anti-piracy outfit, the reported users were caught sharing a copy of the newly released Windows 7 Ultimate operating system. As evidence the self-proclaimed investigators submitted a screenshot of peers listed by uTorrent.
The owner of LinkoManija was not impressed by LANVA’s actions. “Anyone can copy a peer list, but it doesn’t prove that anyone downloaded the full file or actually uploaded anything,” Kestas told TorrentFreak. “It can’t be used as serious evidence,” he added.
LANVA disagrees and hopes that the police will track down the identities of the accused infringers. If this happens the users will face fines of up to several hundred dollars, plus additional damages Microsoft’s lawyers may call for.
In a response the owner of LinkoManija has reported LANVA to the police. People who are affiliated with an anti-piracy group are not allowed to use LinkoManija according to the site’s disclaimer, and Kestas has asked the police find out whether LANVA broke the law.
“We contacted the police and asked them to investigate how LANVA obtained the information, because we did not give them permission,” Kestas told TorrentFreak. The police informed him that they would look into the case.
If any of the reported users faces legal action, Kestas says he will help them out with legal support. “We told our users that we will be fighting for them if they get in trouble, because it’s a fight for the freedom of us all,” he said. “Our users are our strength,” he added.
Previously: COFEE Forensic Tool Leaks To What.cd, Admins Ban It
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108 Responses (Add yours or TrackBack)
I think some police officers will be given bonusses near the end of the year. Recon it’s sort of a freelance job within a full-time job or something, que?
another reason why inactive users should be deleted…
Anti-piracy companies are so desperate for money. They have no mercy for pirates. I remember this one girl who was arrested and put in jail… How old was she? 12 years old?
in America there are tens of thousands of children in jail because they were caught downloading mp3s
in Texa there are 3 little girls on death row, they have been there for 4 years already, the RIAA is waiting until they are 18 when they can then legally execute them
At least this guy stands up for his users, 3 cheers and a thumbs up for him.
download free content
http://www.torrent-eye.co.uk
The great thing is that LinkoManija cares about it’s clients (if it’s not PR only)!
Linkomanija.net LANVA >>>>>
biiiig handshake
in texas they even execute pregnant women if they own a computer,or show signs that they can read!
lol anti piracy bitches have no life
Microsoft should give Windows 7 out for free since Vista straight up sucked. People got ripped off who bought Vista.
5 bucks says the police smile to themselves and chuck both complaints in the trash. :)
Its ok I download through my neighbors wireless connection, come and try that here ass wipes.
All the evidence they have is a screenshot? Isn’t a screenshot, especially one where the essential information is text over a plain background, quite easy to fake?
Just so everyone knows, all the comments here about Texas are lies.
For women on death row info go here…
http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/womenondrow.htm
Just more FUD from the trolls!
@15 Anonymous
Would tags have helped? or are you naturally dumb?
Should Microsoft really care if Windows 7 is posted all across the interwebs? The ISO as it is is completely useless without a legitimate key.
Damn – Sarcasm tags are deleted :(
@18 r3loaded
Are you sure? I’m pretty sure there are a few cracks out there that work – including bypassing WGA and making it look legit!
@#4 I dont know what you have been smokin but obviously you shared it with #9, LMAO!… You dont go to death row for copyright infringement, anywhere in the USA…
Hell, 99.9% of the time you get off with a warning and your stuff confiscated, the rest just get a citation/ticket…
As for this ISP, HELL YEAH!… now thats a perfect example of an awesome ISP! Like I have been telling people for months, ISPs have to act on complaints, do your ISP a favor and hide your activities as much as possible, they really dont care what your DLing, but they have to do something if they get hassled by you know who!
As for MS, LoL, they actually use File-sharing as a testing platform for their OS’s, cuts costs, the pirates find the bugs, quite ingenious actually, I really doubt we’ll hear much from them in the matter, I have suspicions that they leak their own stuff…
@21
Did you read the article before posting?
This isn’t about an ISP.
In uTorrent:
1. Go to Preferences > BitTorrent
2. Set IP to 79.98.28.9 (lanva.org)
3. Disable DHT, PEX, LPD or go for a private tracker
4. Set your firewall to block uTorrent
5. Ask someone to report you or wait for fags to
6. ?????
7. FREEDOM
@rabid80
WTF are you talking about? Tags for what? Get off the wacky weed and speak clearly. Or or you just naturally stoopid!
@23 That only changes the IP that it reports to the tracker – not the IP that peers see you as.
@2 another reason why private trackers are worthless shit.
Always good to see the site owners taking a stand rather than just closing up shop or going underground where most members won’t be able to find them.
The sad part is that the “TOS” trick where you say certain types of people cannot access the site almost never works these days. In a way it’s also kinda hypocritical for some people who are all for “open Internet” and then they use tricks to attempt to limit some people’s access.
I hope #12 is right on this one :-)
Should read “Or are you…
Stoopid no edit thing!
Windows 7 what’s that ???
I still run Win XP SP3 and it is rock solid for me.
Lol at people acting like Windows 7 is different than Vista.
I’ll give you a hint: XP’s kernel was 5.0, Vista’s kernel is 6.0, and Windows “7″ has a kernel version of 6.1.
in america you get more jail time for pirating than if you rape babies
@24 if tracker accepts the hostname field and people can’t connect to you, what you write will be displayed on their peerlist (even text or punctuation).
I couldn’t stop laughing when I first read this!!! A screen capture of IP adresses? ROFL!!! xD
I can easy manipulate a screen capture to make it look like The Pope, President Obama, The Dalilama and even the deceased Mother Theresa all downloaded the secret dinner menu and nude images of President Putin! Just because I can create fake server logs does this mean it is cold hard facts? LOL xD
I wonder how much of those IP adresses are spoofed IP adresses and innocent people unknowingly leaving their wireless routers open for everyone in their neighbourhood to freely share legal and illegal content. I suppose they should jail people whose IP adresses have been spoofed and unknowingly left their wireless open for everyone in the neighbourhood.
I’ve been using Windows for years and I can’t tell you how much times I’ve paid for lisenced legit software where after time I’ve come across CRC errors, and I had no backup copy. I had no choice but to download the disks illegally which I’ve paid for legally. Maybe some of those people own the licences but they don’t have the disks?
xD
@SomeTrollGuy
Did you read the article? It IS about and ISP. An ISP that cares enough about its customers to not put up with crap from your masters!
Crawl back under the rock from whence you came!
Listen people, now webmasters are providing internet service.
This site is funnier every day.
Doh! My bad, not an ISP. It is about a site that cares though. Oh well no harm, no foul. Except from the trolls.
So here’s a question. Why do bit torrent clients need to show ip addresses at all. I don’t care who I connect to, as long as it works. Eliminate that and then what have you got?
@someguy
there you go again accusing a poster of not reading the article.
at least you refrained from name calling this time as this would clearly show improvement on your part. maturing quite nicely you are.
im also surprised to see you on here as its a sunday and a non working day for you and the rest of the trolls.
they lost already……… now they going after the users epic fail 1st asshole company like riaa miaa act trys to sue me just say whats a matter did the piratebay kick you in the NUTS ive recorded all this bullshit going on even got some count documents from piratebay just for this time of thing to show that they already epic faild
Have to remember that this is Lithuania.
I doubt police will give a shit regarding piracy. Even if they have an agenda (which is not likely), they’ll grab the first guy the can find, make spend a night in aquarium, show him on TV and let him go.
However, if LANVA continues to be an ass, somebody will simply order a torch job (or worse) and that would be the end of it.
Justice system is simpler and more effective over there.
why would you pirate an os
it is like the one thing you should never have to pirate
there are 10000 free os’ and windows is free if you faggots went to a decent (american) college
since when does Microsoft go after individual file sharers…?
@ #18
Your completely right. Windows has been proven completely uncrackable in the past.
No proper serial=No Windows 7
Ok, I admit it, #4 also shared with me!..
LoL…
To true, has nothing to do with an “ISP”, perhaps it was the offer of legal aide, or the fact that allot of ISPs are getting into deep crap these days..at anyrate I F’d that one up,,,
@42,
/sarcasm?
No.. you know what actually is how the torrent site owner thinks that there is nothing wrong with what he is doing. I hope his defense goes something like this :
“Well uhm.. nyeh.. getting stuff is hard.. and i.. make it easy for people.”
Vista is a good OS!
@44
Show me one release of a Windows OS that doesn’t require a real serial while installing…
These LANVA guys are crying for a hack attack…
@46 take your pick from the list on TPB, they are cracked VLK versions with no serial needed, or at least not from the user.
Awe hell, I’m an ass aren’t I
yeah @44 hmmm really? they all have been cracked. I didnt need one for this Vista Ultimate.
@46
doh, the whole point of a crack is that it doesnt need a real serial
Trolled
The police? Oh my! The police have no clue as to what to do with something like this. They wouldn’t have the slightest idea. Just shows how stupid these guys are.
How many Lithuanians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
@ #18
Your completely right. Windows has been proven completely uncrackable in the past.
No proper serial=No Windows 7
windows uncrackable? yeah right these
guys must have their head in the sand its going to take me a week
to stop laughing
I think the police will ask themselfs: ‘Gee, should we look into this geekfight or actually try to capture some rapists and murderers? Nah, lets just write parking and speedingtickets for our monthly quota’
Police, additional taxofficers since 1985.
@42:
I got a feeling myself that it’s been M$ itself releasing that torrent to control who’s doing what. I found the same on other torrent websites way before this happened.
This said, I downloaded it, cracked it, and now I’m using it on my laptop. Before I had Vista original and I feel like I’m owed it. Vista was total crap.
7 is better for real. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sysadmin with Linux on my servers, but I still think the M$ OS is easier and quicker to use (and if you run Linux you know it) on a laptop used for working.
@55: lmao!
lol “public sites are for noobs” etc etc. When will you private fanboys realise you are no safer?!
@15, I followed your link to the list of deathrow inmates waiting for execution due to downloading windows 7.
It’s not pretty I must say, several of them are under 14 years old and some of them are even black. Very tragic in some cases where they have been made pregnant by RIAA officers during “interogation”.
It’s a shameful state of the world where rape and execution are legal methods the industry can work with.
Good for them. If they can get just one dirty pirate fined or thrown in jail, then it’s all worth it.
You freeloaders are the scum of the earth, and all of your stupid idealistic talk about it not really being stealing is just plain BS.
I say, I love all this recent anti-piracy action.
““We contacted the police and asked them to investigate how LANVA obtained the information, because we did not give them permission,” Kestas told TorrentFreak.”
Oh, what’s the matter, little baby. Are you upset because someone is moving some of your data in an unauthorized manner? Wow. That’s just terrible.
LOL, you’re so pathetic.
I can feel the fungus in my anus again.
Erm – I think the person who said that Windows 7 was uncrackable was on crack himself…
Anybody reading this and can’t find a working copy of Win 7 in five minutes online is probably working for MRIIA. Or else he’s Hans Pandeya.
@60
you gotta work on that a bit. here’s some help…
http://trolling4dummies.com
@36:
stander:
You really don’t know how p2p or even network communication works, do you? The computers are identified in network (ie. internet) by the IP adresses. And to exhange any information between those computers, both of them need to know their ip adresses. This is how the network works.
In p2p you simply communicate with dozens of peers (computers) and to actually exhange data with them, your computer need to know their ip adresses. That’s where tracker comes in. From a tracker you download the list of computers (and theirs ip’s) that have chunks of file that you want to download.
If you don’t like sharing that ip adresses list, than you shouldn’t communicate at all, because it just doesn’t work that way. Showing that list in the client program is simply a usefull feature. Imagine you know some people (preferably RIAA or MPAA employees or contractors) who you don’t want to connect. You simply find their ip’s on the list and block them.
Business as usual.It`s just how the game is played we try to download free stuff and they try to stop us…..Will some get caught and be fined and improsined?sure.Just like the war on drugs, and the war on terrorism,the war on internet piracy will also be a big fat waste of money and time.But one should be ready to face the consequences of the act if it should come to that
Chuck Norris doesn’t have an IP address ;DD
@NDyA
No doofus, I know how P2P and networking works. My question is WHY DISPLAY said IP addresses. I don’t need to SEE those addresses for the software to work. The software only needs to USE those addresses NOT DISPLAY them.
Do you need to always SEE the IP address of every web page you go to?
Right now there are people connected to this site. What are their IP addresses? I don’t know because they are NOT displayed.
My point is the IP addresses do NOT have to bo DISPLAYED for the software to work.
Learn to read and comprehend before flaming someone.
Side note: You can tell its a working day by the number of trolls on here making asinine comments.
WIN sucks anyways, get on of the big Linux-Distros (f.e. Ubuntu 9.1), it’s free, fast, cool, and very safe…
@65, I believe the poster is talking about displaying the IP address within uTorrent. In other words, they’re suggesting removing that column of data from the client. Nothing about not having the IP addresses internally.
Thank you #70,
I was beginning to think that there are no intelligent people left. Why make it easy for them if this is what they want to use as evidence. Eliminate the evidence, no way to prove anything.
Sheesh, you can lead them to intelligence but you can’t make them drink from the stream.
lol #69
ubu is the OSX of linux
enjoy being a faggot
go with Arch or Slackware or linux from scratch if you want “very safe”
ubu isn’t save and linux on the whole isn’t save
in fact, a good AV and using windows is safer than “security by obscurity” ever will be
it isn’t faster, cooler, or safer (or freer since microsoft gives OS’ to colleges and if you have a job, it is usually free still)
if you cannot discuss what linux’s strengths are against windows you cannot discuss linux
now gb2yourpublictracker p2pkiddie
#68,
Doesn’t make any difference whether the torrent client shows the peerlist or not. You can easily find another piece of software that monitors your network connections and even sort them into what programs they originate from.
If only we, the users of P2P sites, could find a way to report police officers and government officials using our websites.
Then they’d either be forced to two possibilities. Legalize illegal downloading, or throw a ton of officers, judges, and officials in prison.
Who’s financing such organizations?
Microsoft and other companies
Well, a screen shot really means absolutely nothing. If the police has any clue on how networks function (/sarcasm?) then those people are safe.
I have to agree that the ones who bought Vista should get 7 for free. The OS is the soul of the machine, it’s not like you use it rarely like some applications (I won’t buy a software I use once every 6 months…). So yeah, for security reasons, to match the operational system version with the notebooks here at home and because I’m not an hypocrite I bought Windows Vista Home Premium.
But that’s an issue M$ customer service should have addressed (i.e.: home users that bought Vista could have a nice discount on Windows 7 purchase).
In any case, you can’t classify those people. Some might be Linux users that HAVE to use Windows for some applications. Others downloaded because Vista is indeed a crap and they felt like their money was stolen and there’s the ones that think the price is too high for what it offers to the user. I don’t blame them and M$ couldn’t care less for the price.
I know they have (or should have for the size and the knowledge of the company) studies that compare the sales vs the prices and they know the optimal price that gives them the best profit so my guess would be they couldn’t care less about piracy but they don’t want people to think they don’t care.
Maybe the phonographic industry should learn a thing or two with M$ and actually do some market researching to practice prices that are sane enough to give them good profit while keeping piracy at acceptable levels. Then maybe they’ll stop being asses towards the people and stop caring so much about the downloads and start getting the people that sell physical media on the streets…
Wow, long post.
In time: I only bought Vista because I could afford it, I used XP b4 when I were a student and barely had money to buy cup noodles. Still have the pirated XP though for the stuff Vista refuses to run lmao.
@44: you obviously havn’t done a windows isntall in some time, vista and 7 require NO key to do the install, and XP stopped requiring a key with SP3 discs. They all give you 30 days to get a key and activate (90 if you really know what your doing) which is way more time then anyone needs to get a working crack / legitimate key. Thank corps for this one since being able to image installs without sysprep is much nicer.
I like butterflies.
This section of comments is literally proof that TF readers are idiots who don’t know s#it about piracy and lack common sense.
I should say, “are generally idiots”. Not all TF readers are idiots. Just more than enough.
@61: you’re a moron. Fortunately the webmaster is smart. If the anti-piracy wackos can deny access and use the laws to enforce their policies, so can him.
He’s just playing their game. If they hadn’t put restrictions in the first place, he wouldn’t have either.
I know deep down you actually are annoyed that he can use this trick just as well as the MAFIAA.
“in fact, a good AV and using windows is safer than “security by obscurity” ever will be”
Ya but tests have shown over and over again how hard it is to crack Linux.
The only way to crack it is to log in as admin. Good luck with that!
Now the draw back I see with Linux is that I am not as familiar with security tools for linux as I am for windows and I don’t know to well what process is supposed to run in order to detect unauthorized process. I agree though that security by obscurity is not enough and that will apply for OSX who is actually less defended than windows and easier to crack.
It looks like a lot of people are posting here when they are high or very drunk :)
Will try that too someday
Anyway whats with the screenshot as evidence maybe they will try to give a painting next
If it’s in the EULA and they abused the EULA then the “e\/idence” is thrown in the garbage and the reporting party is fined for misuse. Any other form of action is in \/iolation of the law.
For Windows 7 you just need an activator of which there are loads of working ones around. Windows 7 has all the crap that vista had removed with a mix of all the decent working parts of vista Windows 7 is better and more stable than vista. Who cares about this site they are dumb enough to get caught then tough luck. Wheres your bleeding heart for everyone else who broke Lithuanian laws. Wether you agree with the law or not its still the law
Use PeerBlock to ban MAFIAA from connecting to your computer.
hate lanva using linux :P
As it turns out, Microsoft didn’t knew a shit about the actions of LANVA. Lol.
Read this (Google translated from Lithuanian) http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=en&js=y&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.15min.lt%2Fnaujiena%2Faktualu%2Flietuva%2F56%2F63858%2F%2F&sl=lt&tl=en&history_state0=
Wow, those stupid anti-piracy idiots clearly have WAY too much spare time on their hands.
Jess
privacy-stuff.be.tc
LANVA should get their ar**es spanked. To look at it, even they broke the law by downloading some part of the torrent in question. How come they get to get the slip by just saying they are helping the law? What shit.
Ivanovic,
http://www.rlsking.com
@69:
stander:
Well as #74 mentioned, it really doesn’t matter if they display it or not. The addresses are still there, so with other software you can look it up.
The example you gave about site showing the ip addresses is a different issue. Normal users cannot see those addresses, because they don’t have access to them. So every site should hide those, as it may be harmful to users.
However, every P2P client knows the addresses of peers they are connecting to. So why not showing them? It’s additional information for user, that can help him identify certain clients (for example bots that send broken chunks) and ban them.
The user interface can vary from client to client, so it shouldn’t matter what is seen, and what is not. The protocol and data sent or received is the same. This is not really an evidence in court. They would have to sniff the network packets of every peer, to actually prove something. Most of convictions are proven due to self-conviction or poor defence in court.
And by the way, I didn’t mean to offend you. I just misinterpreted your comment. I thought you meant to not use ip addresses lists on p2p clients (which would mean you didn’t understand how p2p and networking works).
well also remember ip addresses can change. For me my ip changes every week or every two weeks and as other have said many use other peoples internet. There are also proxies, vpns, PeerGuardian (to block known ips), and many other precautions that people can take.
@14,
“All the evidence they have is a screenshot? Isn’t a screenshot, especially one where the essential information is text over a plain background, quite easy to fake?”
Extremely easy. Even if there’s a background texture or image, you just do a screenshot with no torrents active so you have a perfect copy of the background, then put the new text over it. or you can use the clean copy of the background to cut and paste just the parts under the text you need to erase. You just have to be careful to match the font size and spacing. Anyone who is halfway decent at using a graphics program can do it easily.
@ NDyA and eakxxx
So what you guys are saying is that there is software that you have or know about that can read what software (some bittorrent client lets say or any software for that matter) I have running on my computer from your REMOTE location? Because if that’s so then what privacy do we have anyway?
And if its simply I don’t know anything about this apparent complete lack of security please try to be nice and help a poor stoopid soul out.
I made the comment #42…
Apparently I should of ended it with /sarcasm… I just figured that most people would of assumed it by how ridicules the statement was.
@75 You dont arrest law enforcement for conducting an investigation.Officers dont write the laws only enforce them.The arguments people are using to justify what we do are getting more foolish by the day IMO.Most of us DL&UL copyrighted media for free every day. most people i know have not bought a cd,dvd,or software in a very long time.Why?
Because free stuff just feels better..Are we as bad as the guy who beats up the old lady for $1.37? I dont think so but stealing is stealing
97@:
What I am saying is that, the p2p software knows the ip addresses of peers it connects to. Sometimes it does know what kind of clients (uTorrent, Transmition, Vuze, ect.) they are (clients usually share that information).
By learning your ip address nobody can know what software you are using unless your computer is poorly secured (but still, not all information might be seen).
The whole discussion was about whether or not to display ip addresses list that your client knows with the user interface. My point was that it doesn’t make any difference in security or strength of evidence in court, so it should be left visible for user. The user might actually benefit form seeing those addresses and act correspondingly if action is needed.
Ok, anyone capable of destroying LANVA web-page, here’s your chance: http://www.lanva.org
U can install any windows os without a key. Without getting into detail, it is when u compile the iso u modify certain files. You have 30 days to crack the wga,yes without a key at all. The other way is to use any key tied to the disk license,normally a single license or volume license, this requires no modification of the disc. Put it in the setup and don’t connect to the internet. You will have 30 days to crack the wga, run a crack before connecting to the net run wga while connected to the net and u will be good to go. Good article btw, good for the site owner, this case will be thrown out just wait legally it is not a viable case.
lanvas boss has the nickname sweater (megztukas) because of this promo photo http://i40.tinypic.com/344w5kj.jpg
infact i think he’s more hated in lithuania than politicians . and everybody REALLY hates politicians in lithuania.
linkomanija is very decent tracker, which i personaly use :] and itsowner really supports his users
cheers from lithuania!
I am LinkoManija.net member, LANVA said that the permission for illegal download for Windows 7 Ultimate version received from the Microsoft offices in Lithuania, however, the newspapers wrote that the Microsoft did not know anything about it
wow, you can take a screenshot, that was really something guys, it really worths keeping up an anti-piracy group
@4
You sir, are an idiot.
The man is so incompetent, that it would be easier for me to grow a pair of wings and fly, than for him to prosecute those 106 people.
But it’s scary how deluded he is, I quote:
“LANVA won’t have to prove that the user downloaded the file, the user will have to prove that the file didn’t travel through his network.”
@103
doesnt he remind you of the how its made host?
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