FastTrack

Fast Track is a semi- decentralized peer-to -peer network protocol that is used by file sharing programs such as Kazaa and MLDonkey. Fast Track was the beginning of 2003 the most popular Exchange Network. Mainly dedicated to the exchange of MP3 files, any other type of file, such as video files, programs and images could be offered. Fast Track entertained at times more sharers as Napster in its heyday. The protocol has the ability to resume broken downloads again, as well as different sections of a file from multiple sources simultaneously download.

History

Fast Track is a joint venture of Sharman Networks, AltNet and Joltid.

The FastTrack protocol and Kazaa are ideas of Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, and were both published in March 2001. Thus, the history of FastTrack and Kazaa is very closely linked. FastTrack community began from the beginning to grow rapidly. From April 20 2001 to 6 June 2001, the number of users increased from about 20,000 to over 150,000. The rapid increase can be explained by the fact that Music City (a former branch of the OpenNap network ) reorganized itself, acquired a license from Kazaa and a private client called Morpheus now participated alongside the Kazaa FastTrack network. February 2002 Morpheus was locked out of the network due to unpaid bills and Fast Track even learned a version update.

At peak times (April 2003) about 4.4 million users were connected to the Fast Track. Presumably through adware, spyware, the ongoing actions of the RIAA against individual sharer and an increasing number of fake files, there was a sharp decline in the number of users.

Technology

Fast Track is a so-called P2P protocol of the second generation. It is based on the Gnutella protocol and extended it to supernodes ( the computer as nodes in the network are used ). Supernodes act as a temporary index server for other slower clients and thus increase the scalability of the network. The supernode functionality is built into the client software and any user can, provided a certain amount of bandwidth and powerful PC to make his computer to a supernode.

To be able to ever successfully connect to the network, a list of IP addresses of some supernodes is programmed into the client. The client first tries to connect to them, and if successful, he gets a list of currently active supernodes from which be shared for future connection attempts. The client chooses a supernode, which he uploads a list of its available files and also provides all the searches now. The supernode communicates with other supernodes to perform search queries of the clients. If a requested file is found, the client establishes a direct connection to the source and the file is transferred over HTTP.

To allow users to download from multiple sources FastTrack uses the hash function UUHash. For very large files with checksums UUHash can be created quickly even on low-performance computers. However, massive distortions / corruptions of a file remain unnoticed. Above all, the RIAA takes advantage of this vulnerability to spread fake or corrupted files on the network.

Clients

The FastTrack protocol uses an undocumented by the creators encryption. The source code of the first clients was not published, however, the initialization data for the encryption of plaintext to be transmitted. A public-key encryption is not used, what reverse engineering comparatively simple design. Open - source programmers were able to determine by " reverse engineering " the section of code for communication between client and supernode successful in 2003. However, the communication protocol between supernode to supernode remains unknown.

The following programs are or were FastTrack clients:

  • Apollon - KDE, open source ( GPL), based on giFT, also supports other networks
  • KCeasy (via giFT plugin), also combines with the networks of Ares Galaxy, Gnutella, and OpenFT
  • Grokster - Development in June 2005 set
  • IMesh - Since October 2005, payment providers
  • Kazaa - official client that contains adware / spyware
  • Kazaa Lite - Kazaa derivatives containing no or less adware / spyware (see also Kazaa Lite versions)
  • Set platform-independent, open source, development, 2004 - Mammoth
  • MLDonkey
  • Morpheus ( file sharing client )
Client (computing) Morpheus (software) Lawsuit Recording Industry Association of America Forgery Supernode (networking)
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