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An easy way to share files P2P, and how it works

175 points| shacharz | 12 years ago |torrentfreak.com | reply

98 comments

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[+] StavrosK|12 years ago|reply
I submitted a feature request for encryption over this (it's probably vulnerable to MITM attacks as-is, as you never verify the recipient). My request was:

* Generate the URL like sharefest.me/roomid#randomstring

* Sharefest encrypts the file contents before and after transmission with randomstring as key using the SJCL.

* Send the URL/key out of band, over a secure channel.

* Voila, end-to-end crypto.

I don't know if anything became of it, though.

EDIT: Oh, here it is: https://github.com/Peer5/ShareFest/issues/24

[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
Yea you're right, we just didn't get around to it yet. Thanks for the issue.
[+] kimlelly|12 years ago|reply
The other thing is, as with almost all web-based solutions, you're being tracked by various scripts in the background (Google API/JS, etc.). So, if you're paranoid, you're better off with a client solution.
[+] wslh|12 years ago|reply
Excellent, I was making a list of this kind of service but having the source code available is a must. And this is exactly what we need against NSA...

If someone is interested I share a list of similar approaches:

https://www.getshareapp.com/v2 (from BitTorrent, requires a plugin):

http://www.jetbytes.com/

http://www.filesovermiles.com/

http://host03.pipebytes.com/

[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
Nice, well jetbytes and pipebytes do transfer the file via a server.
[+] kimlelly|12 years ago|reply
Supposing you're ok with using a client (open-source): http://retroshare.sourceforge.net is exploding.

(It's not just file sharing, though: it aims to address your entire encrypted p2p communication needs.)

[+] Xanza|12 years ago|reply
This might be cool in theory, but no way in HELL it's the 'easiest way in the world.' As of right now, only chrome can transfer files to chrome, and firefox to firefox.

As of now, the easiest, best, fastest, and most secure way to transfer files is by using BTSync. (http://labs.bittorrent.com/experiments/sync.html)

Create a shared folder, give out the secret or read only key, done.

[+] StavrosK|12 years ago|reply
You forgot "Install BTSync", which is strictly more work than visiting a webpage.
[+] dombili|12 years ago|reply
Speaking of which, is there a website where people share what they "sync" with BTSync? There was a website called 12char.com, but it's dead now. Are there alternatives to 12char?
[+] rasur|12 years ago|reply
And you know it's "secure" because it's so open-source, right?
[+] jodiug|12 years ago|reply
Recently, I started building a website which does pretty much exactly this. When I had it up and running after a few days (the WebRTC API is relatively simple), I found sharefest and have been using that since.

It's a great way to get files from one place to the other. The (encrypted) data does not go via a server, making this potentially the fastest, most scalable and safest type of file transfer available in a browser. One of the extra perks is that sharing files on a local network becomes really really fast. It's miles ahead

Props to the devs for making this! :)

[+] mtgx|12 years ago|reply
Waiting for the day RIAA will "demand" that browser vendors, such as Google, Microsoft and Apple especially, stop implementing protocols that "make it easy" to pirate files. And the companies might actually listen. So far Google has fulfilled their every request and then some (hello ContentID, mass DMCA automation tool for links, and SEO punishments!), so it wouldn't surprise me if they did this, too.
[+] imissmyjuno|12 years ago|reply
I would hope at least Mozilla would not comply with such a request..
[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
There is no right for such a demand as these protocols are just a technology that is not even necessarily related to the sharing of files.
[+] AndrewDucker|12 years ago|reply
Why can FF and Chrome not share? Is there a major difference in their implementations?
[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
They currently can't interoperate, but it's on their todo's I want to believe Chrome 31 and FF 26 will interoperate
[+] MrJagil|12 years ago|reply
Would it be possible to create a sharefest tracker? I.e. A piratebay with no magnet link or torrent file needed. Just a simple download button.
[+] tommi|12 years ago|reply
Won't work for me. I want to send a file, know when it's done and close my computer. With Dropbox and others I know when it's sent from my perspective. With P2P the whole system becomes unstable. And for all of my file sharing, it is unacceptable. Too much uncertainty.
[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
if you're only sending to one recipient we have that feature in (you get file downloaded green message on the top) if you have multi recipient that's a more complex ui problem that we're thinking of... Thanks for the feedback
[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
If anyone has bitdefender installed, it may block websockets from communicating with the server. If you don't receive a url when adding a file, check your websockets status here: http://websocketstest.com/
[+] PavlovsCat|12 years ago|reply
How about a checkbox for keeping the file in local storage, so when you restart the browser, you can share that file without having to download first? Or is that done already anyway?
[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
Of course we're looking for any feedback that you guys can give for us to improve.
[+] padenot|12 years ago|reply
There are a bunch of js error in Firefox Nightly, you might want to update you code :-).
[+] katzboaz|12 years ago|reply
Nice! Didn't know about it before.
[+] andarianlb|12 years ago|reply
works like magic, how did they not think of it till now?
[+] whadar|12 years ago|reply
WebRTC was not there to help... It's just recently that DataChannels API hit Chrome and FF. Quite experimental stuff
[+] djim|12 years ago|reply
I'll keep using Google Drive.
[+] shacharz|12 years ago|reply
Sharefest and google drive are made for different purposes. Sharefest is a file sharing/transfer platform. When Drive is, well as its name infers...a drive.