Boxopus lets you download torrents to Dropbox anonymously + w/o a Torrent client

http://torrentfreak.com/boxopus-downloads-torrents-to-dropbox-120623/

by kapkapkap • 14 years ago

153 67 14 years ago

kenrikm3• 14 years ago

Wow, in before API access is cut to prevent the mountain of lawsuits that would hit Dropbox if it's not. API cut in 3... 2... 1...

Jach• 14 years ago

Why would Dropbox be hit by lawsuits now due to their API? Amazon's web services and every other cloud storage site has no less risk. I am betting on lawsuits for this Boxopus service since they're actually doing the downloading and distributing, even if it's on a user's behalf.

catch23• 14 years ago

why would they be suing boxopus? that would be like suing the creators of the bittorrent client. boxopus doesn't store any data, nor provide links to torrents for people, it's simply a service like your bt client. If anything, this seems like this would be an easier way to catch the actual users.

statictype• 14 years ago

Maybe they won't be hit by a lawsuit but it would be dumb for them to even risk the possibility. Far better to just cut off API access and be done with. It's not like Dropbox's business model depends on the availability of anonymous torrent downloads and the people who want that. Possibly the opposite, in fact.

chrischen• 14 years ago

This is basically a torrent VPN service that goes through DropBox.

suprgeek• 14 years ago

Excellent innovation. This is like waving a red flag in the face of the MPAA, RIAA, and all the other entrenched monopolies that are seeking to extend their outdated business models by using old-school Mafioso tactics. I would be very surprised if Boxopus, Dropbox (or both) wasn't pressurized to discontinue this service in some way. API changes by Dropbox (or TOS violation based suspension), Lawsuit for BoxOpus, etc to follow...

ethank• 14 years ago

You do realize the trade groups (riaa, mpaa) exist to prevent collusion? Aka mafioso tactics?

Not saying the represent a valid continual business model (currently, we can hope for evolution) but lets leave the hyperbole at the door.

smallegan• 14 years ago

This brings to mind lots of questions like, Does this take advantage of Dropbox's single instance file storage? As in, are they uploading completed files and saving themselves the bandwidth of having to actually do the upload because dropbox likely already has a copy of that file hosted? Also, if multiple users are requesting the same file is Boxopus downloading this more than once?

iandanforth• 14 years ago

Doesn't this make Boxopus a honey pot for MPAA subpoenas?

Estragon• 14 years ago

That hadn't occurred to me until I read your comment, but I came over here to ask a related question: What is the business model? Who is paying for the bandwidth boxopus is using by downloading all these torrents for people?

LocalPCGuy• 14 years ago

Pretty much boilerplate, but don't think this is going to protect you if the torrents being downloaded are illegal:

"Boxopus may disclose Personally Identifiable Information if required to do so by law or in the belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with law or legal process, court order or a subpoena served on Boxopus or the Site to cooperate with law enforcement authorities; (b) investigate, prevent or take action regarding suspected or actual illegal activity or fraud on the Site;"

koala_advert• 14 years ago

And even if Boxopus claimed to protect you like some VPNs do, unless they also encrypt the files before uploading them to Dropbox, wouldn't you still be at legal risk with Dropbox? Or are Dropbox contents automatically encrypted upon upload so that employees have no way of knowing what they contain?

TylerE• 14 years ago

As long as you're not sharing your Dropbox, it doesn't matter at point. Copyright Infringement is a crime of distribution (or more strictly speaking, reproduction), NOT possession.

joejohnson2• 14 years ago

Torrent Reactor has already added a Boxopus ("Download to Dropbox") option to their torrent pages.

joejohnson2• 14 years ago

Has anyone been able to download through this? I tried about 30 minutes ago and the torrent still says it's waiting in their queue. This seems like a very slow way to download a torrent.

petercooper• 14 years ago

This is relevant but forgetting torrenting for just a moment.. I believe Dropbox uses hashing to identify files in their system, since sometimes you can copy a large file into your Dropbox and it syncs immediately (without an upload).

Given this, rather than using torrents, could there theoretically be a way to tell your Dropbox account you "have" a certain file that, indeed, you do not, merely by using the hash? For example, if I know the hash for the latest episode of a TV show is "ab12de" (gross simplification!) and I can make Dropbox think I "have" that file, if someone else already uploaded that file to their Dropbox, I could grab it too?

bryanh• 14 years ago

This has been done and the exploit has been (mostly?) closed. Google "dropship" for all the details.

gibybo• 14 years ago

How does their dedupe method work now? Shouldn't it still be possible under the same principle?

brooksbp• 14 years ago

Google "dropship dropbox". Googling "dropship" wont get you anywhere.

chacham15• 14 years ago

Im pretty sure that the way this works is by their own server downloading the file into a dropbox folder on the server. Then they use a copy-reference (https://www.dropbox.com/developers/reference/api#copy_ref) and pass that to the user who will then receive the file. So, in essence is the same as what you said, only using the reference instead of the hash. This reference stuff must be the way it works because you cannot upload a file greater than 150mb through the dropbox api. Lastly, the way that dropbox prevents abuse of the copy-ref api is by bandwidth limiting the reference.

forgotusername• 14 years ago

Google App Engine's SDK used to (still does?) use a very similar scheme.

Tichy• 14 years ago

I don't understand it. What is the difference to just configuring a dropbox folder as the download destination in the BitTorrent client of your choice?

fishbacon• 14 years ago

Your connection is not used for torrent packages but Dropbox packages. So it is, in some sense, anonymous.

smashingeeks• 14 years ago

Please vote this http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4153077

icebraining3• 14 years ago

Flagged for spam.

orbitahl• 14 years ago

I have actually had similar service running on my servers for a while now (took me about almost 3 months to design, code and test), though it makes legally no sense to make it available to the public, as you will need a solid ISP that will guarantee you that it won't abandon you as soon as they receive a letter from the Copyright Mafia. The service will eventually resemble a glorified cyber locker, since it makes no sense to delete the most popular files. Secondly, you aren't really protecting your customers unless you can provide payments through bitcoin, but even that wouldn't be safe enough.

leke• 14 years ago

Let's say I'm a copyright holder and I see my content on the bittorent network. Would the IP address of the downloader on the network belong to boxopus? If so, if I then asked boxopus to hand over the all user's details (dropbox accounts and email addresses I guess) that accessed the torrent in question through their service, would they have that data on their servers?

samrat• 14 years ago

Does this have a file size limit? I'm pretty sure dropbox's API has a 300MB limit.

SoftwareMaven• 14 years ago

They undoubtably put the file in their own Dropbox, then copy it into yours. That also allows the dedup algorithm to run to save bandwidth.

And the limit is 150mb otherwise.

SCdF• 14 years ago

So maybe I'm overreacting or misunderstanding, but if this kind of thing became popular (using a service to push torrents, which are by and large used for things lawmen don't like, to your dropbox account) could dropbox face similar issues to those faced by MegaUpload?

I kind of feel like at this point my data should be stored a in a 'RACS' configuration: a Redundant Array of Cloud Storage.

At least with DB you usually also run the d/t client and so have the data 'checked out' in local drives, but I do know people who just use the web client (locked down computers).

benguild• 14 years ago

Can you seed with this?

liammcurry• 14 years ago

I've done something similar with an IFTTT recipe, where I can email the URL of a .torrent file and it will be automatically added to a folder in my Dropbox. Then I have my torrent client setup to watch that folder for .torrent files. This works nicely when I'm not at my computer and want to start downloading something.

Here's the recipe: http://ifttt.com/recipes/100

Boxopus lets you download torrents to Dropbox anonymously + w/o a Torrent client

Related Stories