How does this firm (or whatever it is) know I torrented something? My VPN app took a shit in the middle of a download and I think it exposed my IP to some “anti-piracy” bullshit firm that contacted my ISP. ISP emailed to let me know and to “not do it again”. How does this firm know about torrenting? Do they like watch these sites and hope someone’s VPN slips like mine did today?

  • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    2·
    9 months ago

    I’ve heard they monitor the torrents and try downloading from the peers as evidence of them distributing the content.

    Anyway, you could set up firewall rules to only allow connections via VPN interface (and out to the VPN server, of course).

      • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        Oof, sorry. This will depend on OS and the software you use for FW configs. I am too dumb.

        For example, I use UFW on Linux. So for me it’s

        # Deny all incoming and outgoing traffic by default
ufw default deny outgoing
ufw default deny incoming

# Allow connection to VPN server
ufw allow out to <VPN server IP address> [port] <VPN server port number> [proto] <tcp|udp>

# Allow connection via VPN interface
ufw allow out on <interface name> from any to any

# Enable UFW
ufw enable

        That’s just one simple way.

          • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
            1·
            9 months ago

            I am not sure I understand your comment.

            Blocking outgoing traffic blocks all outgoing traffic, thus including traffic outside of VPN.
            Allowing outgoing connections to the VPN server simply makes an exception in that blocking, otherwise you couldn’t even connect to a VPN.