Subject: EFF Releases Reports and Software to Spot Interference with Internet Traffic
> Press release below, but the short version is that EFF released 3 things > today: > > 1. a white paper detailing what we know about Comcast's interference > activities; > 2. a white paper describing how (technically savvy) people can replicate > our tests; > 3. a piece of software that makes testing a bit easier. > > We're considering building additional "test your ISP" facilities that > will make the testing process easier, although it'll always require users > who at least know how to configure their firewalls (i.e., I can do it, > but my Dad can't). Let me know if people think that would be worthwhile. > > Begin forwarded message: > >> Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Release >> >> For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 >> >> Contact: >> >> Fred von Lohmann >> Senior Intellectual Property Attorney >> Electronic Frontier Foundation >> fred at eff.org >> +1 415 436-9333 x123 (office), +1 415 215-6087 (cell) >> >> Peter Eckersley >> Staff Technologist >> Electronic Frontier Foundation >> pde at eff.org >> +1 415 436 9333 x131 >> >> Seth Schoen >> Staff Technologist >> Electronic Frontier Foundation >> seth at eff.org >> +1 415 436-9333 x107 >> >> >> EFF Releases Reports and Software to Spot Interference with >> Internet Traffic >> >> Technology Rights Group Addresses the Comcast Controversy >> >> San Francisco - In the wake of the detection and reporting >> of Comcast Corporation's controversial interference with >> Internet traffic, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) >> has published a comprehensive account of Comcast's >> packet-forging activities and has released software and >> documentation instructing Internet users on how to test for >> packet forgery or other forms of interference by their own >> ISPs. >> >> Separate tests in October from EFF, the Associated Press, >> and others showed that Comcast was forging small parcels of >> digital data, known as packets, in order to interfere with >> its subscribers' and other Internet users' ability to use >> file-sharing applications, like BitTorrent and Gnutella. >> Despite having been confronted by this evidence, Comcast >> continues to issue incomplete and misleading statements >> about their practices and their impact on its customers. >> >> "Comcast is discriminating among different kinds of >> Internet traffic based on the protocols being used by its >> customers," said EFF Senior Intellectual Property Attorney >> Fred von Lohmann. "When confronted, Comcast has been >> evasive and misleading in its responses, so we decided to >> start gathering the facts ourselves." >> >> Protocol-specific discrimination gives ISPs a tremendous >> amount of power over the kinds of new applications and >> services that can be deployed by innovators and >> competitors. To the extent that practices like those >> employed by Comcast change the "end-to-end" architecture of >> the Internet, those practices jeopardize the Internet's >> vibrant innovation economy. >> >> "This recent interference by Comcast in their subscribers' >> Internet communications is a cause for grave concern," said >> EFF Staff Technologist Peter Eckersley. "It threatens the >> open Internet standards and architecture that have made the >> network such an engine of technical and economic >> innovation." >> >> In addition to an account of the results of EFF's >> independent testing of Comcast's packet forging activities, >> EFF has also issued a detailed document and software to >> assist other networking experts in conducting their own >> testing. >> >> "If ISPs won't give their customers accurate information >> about their Internet traffic controls, we have to detect >> and document them for ourselves," said EFF Staff >> Technologist Seth Schoen. >> >> For "Packet Forgery by ISPs: A Report on the Comcast >> Affair": >> http://www.eff.org/wp/packet-forgery-isps-report-comcast-affair >> >> For "Detecting Packet Injection: A Guide to Packet Spoofing >> by ISPs" >> http://www.eff.org/wp/detecting-packet-injection >> >> For more on EFF's research into Comcast's packet >> monitoring: >> http://www.eff.org/testyourisp >> >> For this release: >> http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2007/11/28 >> >> About EFF >> >> The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading civil >> liberties organization working to protect rights in the >> digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF actively encourages and >> challenges industry and government to support free >> expression and privacy online. EFF is a member-supported >> organization and maintains one of the most linked-to >> websites in the world at http://www.eff.org/ >>
