ZapShares, PeerMatrix, PeerSentry, anyone?
p2pnet news view Advertising | P2P:- ZapShares gets interestinger and interestinger.
The company’s Bernard Trest spammed p2pnet with a puff-release extolling the supposed virtues of its ZapShares Media Network, “which for the first time allows advertisers to target 200 million people who use file sharing software (also known as ‘Peer-To-Peer’ or ‘P2P’ software) like LimeWire and BitTorrent”.
Then yesterday we revealed ZapShares and another app, PeerMatrix, are also run by Trest, with the same logo and same basic fluff.
In this second post, “It keeps its promise to advertisers by persuading reality challenged users allow it to plant a spyware application on their computers for `monitoring` purposes,” we said, going on:
“It goes without saying that anyone who allows any commercial company in any way attached to the advertising community to embed software in their computer needs serious professional help.
“In emails and Reader`s Writes, Zapster boss Bernard Trest claims his product is a genuine innovation.”
Now, we learn, there’s a third ZapFester product.
PeerSentry.
‘Revolutionary technology that morphs the name’
Before we get to that, “When I read the first paragraph, the name ‘Bernard Trest’ jumped immediately to my mind,” said Efreeclub or Ifreeclub, anyone? in a Reader’s Write, continuing »»»
Read this patent application: http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?wo=2006081663
This person is the ultimate parasite and leech of P2P file-sharing. He is trying to take advantage of file-sharers and copyright owners at the same time. This is the guy behind the efreeclub and ifreeclub spam, the fake Bill Clinton MP3 spam.
After reading nonsense like revolutionary technology that morphs the name I literally had to puke before I could read on. This is spamming first degree.
Do you have an idea how I got to know his name in the first place?
Well, I looked at the spam files and some of the QuickTime MOVs had his name inside as part of a Windows directory path.
p2pnet headline news compiler Marc had made the same connection, saying in an email, yesterday, with ‘Holy Crap!’ as the subject, “Check this out — http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?wo=2006081663.”
It reads »»»
Title: METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR INTERFERING WITH DISTRIBUTION OF PROTECTED CONTENT
Abstract: A method of interfering with unauthorized distribution of protected content via a computer network comprises receiving a query for content from a requesting device connected to the network; determining whether the query relates to the protected content; and in the event that the query relates to the protected content, automatically taking an interfering action in respect of the requesting device. An apparatus, computer program and system of network sentries is also provided.
Same same http://brevets-patents.ic.gc.ca/opic-cipo/cpd/eng/patent/2601471/summary.html.
In short, says Marc, “PeerMatrix loads a P2P search result with fakes.
“It even shows EXE files from ‘advertisers’ to fool people. There are some p2p forums out there talking about fake MP3’s being sent. It’s apparently being sent by peermatrix advertisers.”
And, “Check this out too, he suggests, to wit, (WO/2006/081663) METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR INTERFERING WITH DISTRIBUTION OF PROTECTED CONTENT which says among other things »»»
[0046] The role of the portion of the entry is for charging a fee to the content owner upon interference with a transfer of content matching the corresponding.
So, Marc observes, “every time they fuck you over with a fake result, they’ll charge the RIAA.”
Buttering your bread on both sides
“The popularity of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing networks has led to the proliferation of intellectual property piracy on the Internet,” says the wafflegab for this latest ZapShares ‘product’, stating:
“Every day, millions of people use P2P networks to illegally obtain music, movies, software, games, and other valuable intellectual property.
“Until now, P2P anti-piracy solutions have only provided limited protection against P2P piracy by either spoofing a small number of files or tracking and reporting illegal P2P activity. PeerSentry goes beyond these limited solutions to finally provide copyright owners with an effective method of preventing the spread of their valuable property over P2P networks. Unlike other anti-piracy solutions which are often based on existing software, PeerSentry is a fully customized, highly distributed, client-server system, developed from the ground up to counter the illegal distribution of copyrighted content over P2P networks. PeerSentry uses our proprietary, patent-pending technology to provide copyright owners with the first truly effective method of preventing the illegal distribution of their valuable intellectual property over P2P networks.”"
Must be good stuff, eh?
But, “Due to the proprietary nature of our service, we only make details of the PeerSentry system available to recognized owners of copyrighted content. If you have copyrighted content you wish to protect please contact us, and we will provide you with further information about how PeerSentry can protect your valuable intellectual property against unauthorized distribution.”
A fine demonstration of buttering your bread on both sides —- and around the edges as well.
Screw the P2P community. And then screw the copyright holders.
“See the logo?” Marc asks. ” Same as PeerMatrix, same logo as ZapShares.
‘Manipulating the search results’
Says (WO/2006/081663) »»»
[0065] An additional alternative for working around a TigerTree hash is for network sentry 12 to, for each QUERY with matching Search Criteria andor corresponding download, generate an entire file filled with random data, along with valid SHA-I and TigerTree hashes for that data. Requesting Gnutella client device 22a will have downloaded the entire file without knowing from the hashes that it contains “garbage” data. *The user’s time and network bandwidth will therefore already have been wasted.*
And »»»
[0074] Yet another reason network sentry 12 operating as described is more effective is that it is capable of manipulating the search results sent to requesting Gnutella client device 22a so as to spoof the search results display with the false search results that are generated. This increases the chances that a user will select a false search result and further be inconvenienced by unwittingly downloading a false file.
And »»»
[0080] In order to continue being able to transfer usable content false files, random modifications to the usable content files may be made in a manner that does not render them unusable, but that enables generation of a new hash so that bad comments associated with an old hash are no longer related to the usable content false file.
And »»»
This enables false search results produced by network sentry 12 to be listed more favorably in a search results display of requesting client device 22a. The comments may be randomly selected from a list of comments, randomly generated, andor produced by some other means. [0082] Network sentry 12 may encode information within the false file it transfers, andor make modifications to the content.
Enter PeerSentry, anyone?
Back to PeerSentry, “When we look up the domain info we find a couple of popular scam sites sharing the same domainserver and mailservers, Efreeclub and ifreeclub, Marc says, going on »»»
These scam sites have been around a while. They also just happen to spam themselves on P2P networks.
It should also be noted that these two scam website “companies” also have no privacy policy, yet they’re registered by a Canadian.
Both ifreeclub and Efreeclub.com both make the same promise:
“iFree Club offers hundreds of the most popular products to our Club Members at no cost to you. We’ve partnered with media companies, market research firms, promotional companies, and other sources to bring you the best free merchandise offers on the Internet.” … For $19.95 that is, payable only by Paypal and both have no contact info.”
What a coincidence!
See, http://www.robtex.com/dns/peersentry.com.html
Aside from gathering, spamming and interfering with all your communications, and sending it off for storage on one of their servers, this thing also charges the “advertiser” based on what you search for and/or what it interfered with.
Per, http://brevets-patents.ic.gc.ca/opic-cipo/cpd/eng/patent/2601471/images.html?page=13§ion=description&modificationDate=20071220&scale=25&rotation=0&type= we see a chart at the bottom of the page with a price next to it, ie »»»
[0044] Network sentry 12 stores a list of protected content in a text file as a set of entries separated by carriage returns/linefeed combination. Each entry in the list is a <PHRASE>,<FEE> combination, an example of which is shown as follows:
Britney Spears, 0.20
Elton John, 0.20
Electric Light Orchestra, 0.10
Star Wars Sith, 0.85
Wedding Crashers, 0.85
According to the patent explanation, they only put a key phrase or keyword to interfere with. So if an author of an Ebook puts his content online for everyone to read (as more and more are doing), and if the title has a key phrase or key word in the title, then this “technology” would interfere with that communication, charge some big media company, and log all your info as a copyright infringer.
Lots of potential for false positives here.
Lots.
And it also interferes with legitimate communications since more and more free, freely distributed, and Creative Commons works finds itself being distributed on P2P networks by their creators.
Why are there no policies on Trest’s websites describing exactly what’s done and what data are gathered?
Based on his submission to the US congress, it appears he’s gathering people’s private information.
Isn’t it a crime in Canada to tamper with peoples’ private communications and corrupt them?
Not all “key words” are copyrighted content in this day and age. Yet here we have content corruption of communications based on a “key word” for money.
Is Trest prepared to pay for the Gigs of B/W he’s wasting for unsuspecting users of his software?
People who are charged high fee’s via Usage Based Billing in Canada!
Bottom line: These crapware applications need to be avoided by everyone and this person ignored for this half-baked money scheme that will cost the unsuspecting person (legit or not).
Spread the word.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
spammed p2pnet – ZapShares `revolutionary` anti-lawsuits app, August 31, 2009
same basic fluff – ZapShares or PeerMatrix, anyone?, September 1, 2009
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September 2nd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I am ashamed that a Canadian is pulling this scam. Even going to US congress with the fabricated crap and scare tactic.
The American users have every right to be Canada bashing now.
/me hangs head in shame.
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:25 pm
We offer three DISTINCT P2P solutions, at you noted in this article. PeerSentry is an anti-piracy solution. PeerMatirx is a P2P advertising solution, and ZapShares is our solution to protect P2P users from identity theft and lawsuits. This is not news. Google has their hands in what is possibly HUNDREDS of different companies under their brand, some of which offer similar solutions or even compete in some ways with each other. Again, how is this news worthy? Our companies offer DISTINCT solutions. In fact as you pointed out, our companies offer a complete P2P solution, ranging from advertising to anti-piracy.
We do in fact work with some companies that use the PeerMatrix advertising solution, providing them with assistance creating ad files, and in some cases hosting websites on our servers for their advertising campaigns. We have many servers and if you examine other advertising that is being distributed over P2P networks you will indeed find mention of the names of our employees and PeerMatrix. Again, this is not news and many advertising related corporations use this business model.
ZapShares is a very valuable solution that DOES protect P2P users from identity theft and lawsuits. The fact that we also offer an anti-piracy solution and advertising solution is the only reason as to why you are keeping up your smear campaign against our companies. As mentioned, one of P2PNetâs biggest financial contributors is MP3 Rocket, and the fact that identity theft and lawsuits occur due to the use of P2P software shines a very negative light on MP3 Rocket.
The fact is that you cannot deny that hundreds of thousands of people have had their identity compromised due to the use of P2P networks, nor can you deny that tens of thousands of people have been sued by copyright holders. Using P2P networks DOES expose users to identity theft and lawsuits, and ZapShares solves this problem.
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:43 pm
You know, Trest, you remind of a weapons dealer – selling your “solutions” to each element of the war, hoping to collect from all.
What makes you think the file sharers in question – those concerned with getting “inadvertently” (as you say) nailed downloading the wrong file – would trust connecting to your networks, knowing you propose not only enabling the advertisers, but possibly serving up the users to groups like the RIAA.
You’re obviously a parasite.
September 2nd, 2009 at 6:57 pm
No Trest. The FACT is that you are selling off people. Selling off these fake security apps to put your real focus, peersentry crap, onto people and fucking their communications.
With what we see in that patent filing, you are the same as an ID fraudster.
Ultimate parasite.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:03 pm
If it was that good everyone would be using it.
‘nuf said.
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 am
Don’t forget ZapMatrix, PeerShares, ZapSentry, and PeerPeer.
BTW, it isn’t an advertising “solution” if the customer is still subject to it.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Only douchebag companies selling porn or penis enlargement products would advertise with a spammer/scammer like Bernard Trest.