File sharing is the practice of making files available for other users to download over the Internet and smaller networks. The majority of users of such networks are the people from academic circles, open source communities’ members or the freelance users hunting for media.Usually file sharing follows the peer-to-peer (P2P) model, where the files are stored on and served by personal computers of the users. Most people who engage in file sharing are also downloading files that other users share. Sometimes these two activities are linked together. P2P file sharing is distinct from file trading in that downloading files from a P2P network does not require uploading, although some networks either provide incentives for uploading such as credits or force the sharing of files being currently downloaded.
The earliest and popular most network which came into being was Napster, although it was soon sacked for copy-right violations, it left behind a rage for free music exchange. Soon a number of new networks sprouted up one by one. Better than ever before, faster protocols for sharing, improved protection against copyright violations, even basis for file distribution, they are simply getting better and better. But a common problem which is faced by each of them is- Safe Distribution Of Copyrighted Material. Although illegal but the people on such networks strive for them and needless to say that advocate such kind of distribution. A new approach which is being taken up quickly, to answer the stated need, is Anonymous File Sharing.
The term 'Anonymous P2P' is somewhat of a misnomer. This is because by design, a network node must be pseudonymous since it must have an "address" at which it can be reached by other peer nodes in order to exchange data. However, usually this address, especially on anonymous networks, does not contain any directly identifiable information. Thus a user is highly, but not completely, anonymous. (In friend-to-friend networks, only your friends can know that your address is used to exchange files.)When receiving data on any network it must come from somewhere and data must have been requested by someone. The anonymity comes from the idea that no one knows who requested the information as it is difficult - if not impossible - to determine if a user requested the data for himself or simply requested the data on behalf of another user. The end result is that everyone on an anonymous network acts as a universal sender and universal receiver to maintain anonymity.
If people are only universal receivers and do not send, then one would know that the information they were requesting was for themselves only, removing any plausible deniability that they were the recipients (and consumers) of the information. Thus, in order to remain anonymous, one must ferry information for others on the network.Thus Anonymous file sharing networks relies on two important things - Encrypting the data being transferred and Providing means to hide the identification of sender as well as receiver, basically, somehow masking the IP addresses of the computers on the network. When talking about anonymous systems it is vital to be precise about what is anonymous, from whom, under what conditions, and exactly how anonymous. The majority of anonymous peer-to-peer Systems are “friend-to-friend” networks. These are peer-to-peer networks in which each peer (node) only connects to a small number of other, known nodes. Only the direct neighbors of a node know its IP address. Communication with remote nodes is provided by sending messages hop-to-hop across this overlay network.
Such technology is desirable and in some cases necessary to ensure freedom of speech and the free flow of information. The claim is that true freedom of speech, especially on controversial subjects, is difficult or impossible unless individuals can speak anonymously. If anonymity is not possible, one could be subjected to threats or reprisals for voicing an unpopular view. This is one reason why voting is done by secret ballot in many democracies.Anonymous P2P also has value in normal daily communication. When communication is anonymous, the decision to reveal the identity of the communicating parties is left up to the parties involved and is not available to a third party. Often there is no need or desire by the communicating party to be forced to reveal their identity. As a matter of personal freedom, many people do not want processes in place by default which supplies unnecessary data. Such data, could also be complied into histories of their activities, and which in their opinion, should be inherently controlled by the caller, not the called.
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