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A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

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Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#21

Post by BrindsleyQuives »

I'm publishing a paper soon on "Using the Blockchain as an Infallible Personal Backup Resource" wherein I outline a proposal for embedding the entire contents of a user's computer in the blockchain via a series of micro-transactions.

Because the blockchain is I could have every version of every file I've ever worked on, securely stored in the blockchain, as an infinite and indestructable personal backup.

The only small niggle I've got to iron out is that, owing to the small transaction fee attached to each fragment of data I upload, it is likely to cost me more than the entire GDP of the planet, just to back up my MP3s folder.

However, as I am also currently working on a means of using the blockchain to travel into the past, where I intend to deposit a penny in a high interest savings account in the Middle Ages, I expect to have this wrinkle ironed out pretty soon.

Kickstarter campaign address to follow.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#22

Post by super_sloth »

So something I've been wondering about with all the talk around The Pirate Bay recently is why aren't people using the blockchain to store data needed to bootstrap your joining of a decentralised network.

It could be as simple as storing the magnet links themselves.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#23

Post by alecco »

cplease wrote: post #3
kyrre wrote: post #2

is this a published paper? O_o

No, it's not, and it's a pretty useless idea. An expensive, slow, and extremely CPU and network intensive protocol is not what you want to use for stealthy malware communications. It could be done; you could also hammer a nail with a trout, but you'd look pretty foolish in the process.

Yes. But many botnets nowadays do bitcoin mining, the overhead in those cases might be small.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#24

Post by malgorithms »

giovannibajo1 wrote: post #13

FWIW, keybase.io do the same; they store the root of the merkle tree into the blockchain with a similar principle of throwaway addresses, making it the whole database they handle basically unforkable.

Here's the doc on that: https://keybase.io/docs/server_security/merkle_root_in_bitco... . Since users on Keybase append their "announcements" (proofs, username announcement, etc.) to a public signature chain which is verifiable, the Bitcoin merkle step is designed to prove that Keybase is (a) showing everyone in the world the same thing, and (b) not omitting anything from the ends of people's chains.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#25

Post by semiel »

super_sloth wrote: post #22

So something I've been wondering about with all the talk around The Pirate Bay recently is why aren't people using the blockchain to store data needed to bootstrap your joining of a decentralised network. It could be as simple as storing the magnet links themselves.

On the Bitcoin blockchain, you can't fit a magnet link in the very small amount of data you're allowed to include in a transaction. You could split them across multiple transactions, but that leads into the second problem: It's not entirely clear how you'd make a directory so people could actually find these torrents.

As more general-purpose blockchains come out (Ethereum, for one example), this will get easier.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#26

Post by towelguy »

verroq wrote: post #7

Haha, I had the same idea. The since (valid) transactions are passed freely to all nodes in the Bitcoin network, one can just use the network as a signed messaging platform. You don't need to query blockchain.info, all you need is a Bitcoin client that listens for incoming transactions. I've been writing an implementation on and off for a while now. The general idea is as follows: The botnet client connects to "n" Bi…

> You don't even have to use transactions ("tx" messages), you can use the block messages if you are willing to tolerate an (on average) 10 minute delay

Does this mean you can send messages without transfering bitcoin from one account to another?

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#27

Post by jokoon »

I'm still struggling to fully understand how bitcoin works.

I guess I can understand what the blockchain is, but I struggle to understand how the number of bitcoin can be stable, and how transactions are achieved. I guess I like drawings better.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#28

Post by Buge »

towelguy wrote: post #26
verroq wrote: post #7

Haha, I had the same idea. The since (valid) transactions are passed freely to all nodes in the Bitcoin network, one can just use the network as a signed messaging platform. You don't need to query blockchain.info, all you need is a Bitcoin client that listens for incoming transactions. I've been writing an implementation on and off for a while now. The general idea is as follows: The botnet client connects to "n" Bi…

> You don't even have to use transactions ("tx" messages), you can use the block messages if you are willing to tolerate an (on average) 10 minute delay Does this mean you can send messages without transfering bitcoin from one account to another?

I think the meaning is that you still post messages in transactions, but the difference is how the bots listen. Instead of listening for individual transactions (which would be a huge amount of traffic) only listen when a new block is found, every 10 minutes. The block will contain the transaction.

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#29

Post by [deleted] »

towelguy wrote: post #26
verroq wrote: post #7

Haha, I had the same idea. The since (valid) transactions are passed freely to all nodes in the Bitcoin network, one can just use the network as a signed messaging platform. You don't need to query blockchain.info, all you need is a Bitcoin client that listens for incoming transactions. I've been writing an implementation on and off for a while now. The general idea is as follows: The botnet client connects to "n" Bi…

> You don't even have to use transactions ("tx" messages), you can use the block messages if you are willing to tolerate an (on average) 10 minute delay Does this mean you can send messages without transfering bitcoin from one account to another?

[deleted]

Re: A Novel Approach For Computer Worm Control Using Decentralized Data Structures

#30

Post by Buge »

cplease wrote: post #3
kyrre wrote: post #2

is this a published paper? O_o

No, it's not, and it's a pretty useless idea. An expensive, slow, and extremely CPU and network intensive protocol is not what you want to use for stealthy malware communications. It could be done; you could also hammer a nail with a trout, but you'd look pretty foolish in the process.

It's not expensive because you only need to post a message when you are changing IPs, and it will only cost a fraction of a cent. If botnets used to work with hardcoded IP addresses, it's clear that changing IP addresses does not happen very often, and usually triggered by a government action which is very expensive for the government.

It does not need to be CPU or network intensive because it can basically use a light wallet implementation.

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