No internet sharing in iTunes 4.0.1...

[Jay]

This isn't really a big deal to me, I never used the function in iTunes 4.0...  However, looks like someone has made a little work-around.

http://versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19822

Jay  

[swhitset]

If you want this... I would download it  er... yesterday.  I wouldn't count on it being around very long.  It appears to be written by the same guy that wrote iCommune.  Apple made him pull that, and I'm sure they will be all over this one too.

Steve

[CyberPet]

Since this proggie doesn't involve downloading, which was what people did hack iTunes 4.0 to do, I don't see a problem with it. Letting your close friends listen to your music (since iTunes 4.0 only allowed 5 connections, that's a close circle) I think it doesn't break any laws, it's like having a party, just that your friend isn't sitting in the same room as you.

[Jay]

QUOTE

it's like having a party, just that your friend isn't sitting in the same room as you. 

Nice analogy, Petra!

[swhitset]

I agree, but before Apple released iTunes 4.0, This guy put out a program called iCommune.  It basically allowed you to do exactly the same thing---- stream your music library.  Apple made him stop distributing it citing license infringement.  Apparently he had used some of the Apple source code to make the thing work.  Apple used this as its way of making him shut it down.  I don't know how he made this latest program work, but it seems to me, since it allows you to do something with iTunes that Apple has publicly stated it does not want,  That Apple will do everything it legally can to stop it.

Steve

[CyberPet]

The streaming technology is as far as I know not an Apple invention and I remember that this guy at first used iTunes to stream music, but when Apple got on his back he started re-write the program so it wouldn't be part of iTunes in the same way as before.

And in hindsight I think that Apple wanted him to stop because that was their intention with the next version of iTunes, to stream songs, until the music industry got upset because someone smart enough also figured out how to download music from other people's computers while streaming, seeing their iTunes libraries and then use a type of file transfer.

So perhaps if Apple had let this guy do his thing, no one would have come up with the idea to also download from other people's iTunes cataloges. A download that was not approved of the person who was streaming their iTunes library, as long as someone had it turned on anyone could with that software download their songs, without asking first.

[Al]

The one thing that bugs is the fact that I can not allow friends to listen to my music.  Say Petra or Steve, or anyone of you, they can not with this update.  Another legit reason would be if I had a Mac at work (but I don't anyways, some people do thou) and wanted to listen to my own tunes from my home Mac.

What scares me a bit are these programs that will actually allow someone to access your computer, even if it is only to download songs.  The programmer/hacker must also (in due time) be able to code a program that will allow more than just access to your songs through the open port that allows iTunes to internet stream.  If they can port scan computers and IP addresses, they can scan for the open iTunes port and hack in.

The more I think about it, the more I am changing my views to actually applying this update for security reasons.  

[tacit]

"If they can port scan computers and IP addresses, they can scan for the open iTunes port and hack in."

Only if they can find and exploit a bug in iTunes.

Think of it this way:

A port is like a telephone extension in a big office building. If you try to connect to a part that is closed, it's like dialing an extension to an empty office. Nobody is there to pick up the phone. You can't do anything.

If you connect to a port where something is offering some kind of server service, that's like dialing an extension to an office with someone in it--someone picks up the phone.

Now, can you get the office building's bank account number? that depends on the person. if the person is stupid, you might be able to trick the person into telling you the bank account number--if the person is smart, you won't.

Whether you can "hack in" on a part depends on whether the software servicing that port is buggy. if the software is buggy, you might be able to find a way to trick it into giving you access to things you shouldn't have. If the software is not buggy, you won't be able to trick it.

Just because someone picks up the phone doesn't automatically mean you can trick that person into telling you their bank account number. Just because a program is offering a service on a part doesn't automatically mean you can hack in on that port.

[Al]

Hey Tacit,

Thanks for explination.

To clarify thou, say if I open my xxxx port in my OS X firewall and then open the same port to that designated Mac on my router to use iTunes streaming.  But, I don't have iTunes running at the time, it still leaves that port wide open.  Wouldn't that be vulnerable to a hack?

[Al]

Bump for clarification from Tacit.... Or anyone that can shed more light....  

[tacit]

QUOTE(Al @ Jun 8 2003, 9:13 PM)

Hey Tacit,

Thanks for explination.

To clarify thou, say if I open my xxxx port in my OS X firewall and then open the same port to that designated Mac on my router to use iTunes streaming.  But, I don't have iTunes running at the time, it still leaves that port wide open.  Wouldn't that be vulnerable to a hack?

 "To clarify thou, say if I open my xxxx port in my OS X firewall and then open the same port to that designated Mac on my router to use iTunes streaming. But, I don't have iTunes running at the time, it still leaves that port wide open. Wouldn't that be vulnerable to a hack?"

No.

A port that is "stealth" is like an office building telephone extension that gives you a recording "We're sorry, you have reached an extension that does not exist."

A port that is "open" but has no server software running to receive messages on it is like a telephone extension that rings and rings and rings, but nobody picks up the phone.

A port that is "open" and has server software running on it is like a telephone extension where someone answers the phone.

If no service whatsoever is running on a port, the computer can't be hacked on that port.

[Al]

Oh cool... that works for me...thank you Tacit...