Argh.. you do the right thing.. and then...

Kim

Well-known member
I am getting so sick of this... second time in a few months we have received a notice from our ISP that Activision USA has clocked our IP downloading an illegal copy of one of their games...

Title: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Notice ID: 290-14155751
Infringement Source: BitTorrent
Infringement Timestamp: 6 Oct 2011 12:38:00 GMT
Infringement Last Documented: 6 Oct 2011 12:38:00 GMT
Infringer Username:
Infringing Filename: MW2-MPAI-new-clean-noupdate.
rar​

What is so annoying is that we are probably the most Intellectual Property rights respecting family in the freakin world, we NEVER visit Torrents sites, never download movies, music, games etc illegally.. it just doesn't happen in this household.

My son has owned COD: MW2 since the day it was released here, a real physical copy.. we just last week pre-ordered and paid for COD: MW3 and Battlefield 3 at over $200 AUD, and months to wait until the release day.. this is how we always do it for him.

What really gets me is how someone is doing this? Can you easily fake an IP?
 
There was one torrent site, I forget which (Pirate bay perhaps?) which was claiming to purposely spoof, or change IP's that were downloading content using their trackers

Not sure if it's true, but if it is, it would explain why so many people seem to get letters when they haven't done anything wrong.

On the other hand though, is your wireless network (if you have one) secure, Kim?

I had an instance when a neighbour broke into our wireless router and was downloading stuff through our internet connection, they even had the nerve to change the wireless password lol
 
Yeah, WIFI would be the obvious thing to check first, disable it if its not used, even with a password it can be easily cracked.
 
There was one torrent site, I forget which (Pirate bay perhaps?) which was claiming to purposely spoof, or change IP's that were downloading content using their trackers

Not sure if it's true, but if it is, it would explain why so many people seem to get letters when they haven't done anything wrong.

On the other hand though, is your wireless network (if you have one) secure, Kim?

I had an instance when a neighbour broke into our wireless router and was downloading stuff through our internet connection, they even had the nerve to change the wireless password lol

Hmmm If it is true that could explain it.

Well.. with the wireless network, we never actually had one, as we wanted to be able to physically "pull the pin" on the kid if there was any non compliance with getting off the net at night, or whatever... so we never set it up... BUT...

Not that long ago my son really wanted to go wireless, and without our permission he set our modem router thing to be wireless (without of course securing it in any way >_< ) The very next morning I got the first of these Activision notifications! We did re-secure it, or thought we had.. perhaps it is not, I dunno anything about networking/security stuff at all.

My husband is the technical one, and unfortunately he has a big new job that means he is not here during the week, not that he is a networking/security person either, but I will get him to have a look at it on the weekend.
 
Yeah, even the more secure WPA keys can be cracked with the right kit. WEP keys are very easy to break.

May be worth having a peek at the logs on the router, if there are any, late at night to see what devices are attached.

Short term, just wrap some aluminium foil around the aerial on the router, that should reduce the range and stop him getting on! - I think that should work, don't quote me if it doesn't!
 
Thanks guys, but I wouldn't have any idea where to begin to securing the WiFi.

It does sound like this is a possibility though.
 
Is your network secure or could it be that someone is leaching off your WiFi? Is your IP address static or have you perhaps inherited a tainted IP?

Also I wouldn't assume that anyone has done anything to warrant the claim. This should explain why better than I can: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACS:Law

My advice would be to try and get more information out of your ISP.

[EDIT] In view of what's been said since I made my reply, at the very least I'd ensure your WiFi has a very strong password which can be set in your router :)
 
Yeah, even the more secure WPA keys can be cracked with the right kit. WEP keys are very easy to break.

May be worth having a peek at the logs on the router, if there are any, late at night to see what devices are attached.

Short term, just wrap some aluminium foil around the aerial on the router, that should reduce the range and stop him getting on! - I think that should work, don't quote me if it doesn't!

Hmmm, the aerial is removed from the router, not sure what else to do tbh.

As for log checking.. where would I see that?
 
Perhaps if he wants to pirate (which clearly you don't and shouldn't support) let him do it properly by using decentralized trackers, ipv6, and SSL. Go through a private and anonymous vpn after tunneling the ipv6 traffic.

Or just use Usenet with SSL.

Using public trackers that can easily be interjected into and share all the public info is a goldmine for the MAFIAA.

Anyway, best of luck and it sucks to get these notifications. I hope AU doesn't have 3-strike law like some of the EU countries.

Australia signed ACTA, moving bits and bytes is now basically considered to be counterfeiting or nonsense like that.
 
Perhaps if he wants to pirate (which clearly you don't and shouldn't support) let him do it properly by using decentralized trackers, ipv6, and SSL. Go through a private and anonymous vpn after tunneling the ipv6 traffic.

Or just use Usenet with SSL.

Using public trackers that can easily be interjected into and share all the public info is a goldmine for the MAFIAA.

Anyway, best of luck and it sucks to get these notifications. I hope AU doesn't have 3-strike law like some of the EU countries.

Australia signed ACTA, moving bits and bytes is now basically considered to be counterfeiting or nonsense like that.

My son doesn't pirate, at all ever.
 
Yeah, even the more secure WPA keys can be cracked with the right kit. WEP keys are very easy to break.

May be worth having a peek at the logs on the router, if there are any, late at night to see what devices are attached.

Short term, just wrap some aluminium foil around the aerial on the router, that should reduce the range and stop him getting on! - I think that should work, don't quote me if it doesn't!

Just going into the router, setting it up :

require https
require ethernet (no wifi)
set a strong password for administrating the modem/router
use wpa2 at least, and use a strong password, if you require wifi
don't need wifi? turn it off within the router.
Perhaps add a block to the torrent ports, though he could easily change it to a unique new port that isn't blocked.

Tell him his dad has a belt hehe.
 
NIC-MAC addresses can be sniffed out from the packets, and they can be spoofed remotely. It is an extra layer to help block anybody, but it doesn't prevent access at all.
 
second time in a few months we have received a notice from our ISP that Activision USA has clocked our IP downloading an illegal copy of one of their games...

Make sure to contact your ISP and let them know your wifi was illegally accessed and get them to advise you how to secure it.
If you own a copy of Modern Warfare 2 and you can find the receipt then give your ISP a copy and ask for the strike to be removed.
Ask that they relay the info to Activision USA.
 
Just going into the router, setting it up :

require https
require ethernet (no wifi)
set a strong password for administrating the modem/router
use wpa2 at least, and use a strong password, if you require wifi
don't need wifi? turn it off within the router.
Perhaps add a block to the torrent ports, though he could easily change it to a unique new port that isn't blocked.

Thanks will have a look at doing that. *fumbles around computer*

Make sure to contact your ISP and let them know your wifi was illegally accessed and get them to advise you how to secure it.
If you own a copy of Modern Warfare 2 and you can find the receipt then give your ISP a copy and ask for the strike to be removed.
Ask that they relay the info to Activision USA.

I did email them straight back, CCing Activision, I hope there is not some three strikes thing :unsure:

Will see if we still have the receipt and email that too... good idea.
 
It is in your interest, and you show good intention, by contacting them indicating you are against piracy and that you're not completely aware what is going on. But because your household doesn't support it you actually invest in buying the license to run the game; and the receipt will clearly show that.

Best of luck.
 
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