Peer Guardian Useless ???

[ROCKAMANIAC]

Ok the below was written by guestjoe at the slyck forums so i was wondering if what he said is true ? or does he even have a clue about peer-guardian?

I'm not trolling here or dissing anyone, but please don't feel that you're safe using any kind of IP filtering system.

First I will say that PeerGuardian, in itself, is a fantastic piece of software, and full respect goes out to all the hard work the developer dudes do. It is certainly an interesting program and well implemented.

But while the sentiment of PeerGuardian is strong, I'm afraid that it gives absolutely NO protection from any DETERMINED organisation what-so-ever.

Most IPs which get filtered out, won't do you any harm in the first place, and ironically, anyone who wants to, will just see if they're listed there . . if so, they change IP.

Ask yourself this, what's to stop you complaining about something I'm sharing and instigating relevant legal proceedings ? Afterall, is your IP on that list ? erm, no it isn't, so what's stopping you getting my ass kicked ? Nothing !

Trust me (I'm a software & hardware engineer) IPs are ten a penny, even if a valid one finds its way onto a PG list, it won't last long before it's altered.

Seriously, you are simply creating a false sense of security for yourselves AND using up considerable resources. Just think, IP addresses are flying into your PC all the time, it's the nature of being online. Every single IP has to be matched against a huge PG database list, constantly, and this is all done using unoptimized, high level code.

My 2 cents worth dudes - no trolling - just innocent information

[Lion7718]

I only use PG when I am running a P2P..so I could care less how many IPs it looks for..it's really not made to run all the time.

[method]

Call it complacency.. There are still only a tiny fraction of the p2p community who keep up to date or even block threats, plenty of targets for the RIAA and plenty in profits to be made by the companies they hire still exist.

You're right though, IP blocking is skimpy protection at best, I've always agreed with that since day one!!

But.. the amount of research that goes into these lists now do make them more worthwhile than when they were first getting passed around. (with less than 50 ranges on them, half of which were probably inaccurate!)

Blocking does reduce the risk of companies obtaining hard evidence (if they can't DL from you, they have to assume nobody else can.. otherwise you're not "distributing", it just looks like you are!).. anyway.. whether that reduction of risk is by 5% or 50% it's hard to say.

It's a game of cat and mouse ;)

[method]

"huge PG database list, constantly, and this is all done using unoptimized.."

PG users logarithmic searches.

3500 IP ranges require 11 or less comparisons.
10,000 IP ranges require 13-14 at most.

So for paranoid users 13-14 comparisons against IPDB ranges per new connection. It also uses a "whitelist" of recently accepted IPs.. so it knows not to query them again and waste more processor time. ;)

[ROCKAMANIAC]

Thanks for replying guys;) :) i guess im going to continue using Peerguardian...:flush: :coolio: :lamer:

[rastagard]

I guess whether or not it is effective and how much so is debatable. But this I can tell you with absolute certainty, it don't hurt.......................

[Roadblock]

Absolutely old friend. I have said about this subject for many months now:

Is PeerGuardian fool proof? - Absolutely not.

Is it better than nothing? - Absolutely.

Anyone who would get a false sense of security is not well read on the subject. That's why there are sites like UTC, Slyck, ZP, Methlabs, PeerGuardian.com, etc , to help enlighten. ;)

[Nilly_Chipples]

Hey method...........is my IP still on that list ?????? Poor ol FW almost disowned me over that ya know! :P

[Carrie]

yea well, I like to see the list of all the people I have blocked. False sense of security? Not at all.

Condoms are not 100% fool proof either, but you wouldnt decide NOT to use one just because you think theres a chance its going to fail.................

[NitnayLion]

Pardon the pun but I think FW just wrapped it up.
:rotfl:

[Carrie]

I cant pardon that one LMFAO!!!!!:butshake: