Volume VIII

Issue : 2: January 21, 2010

• Italian Consumer Group ADOC seeks class action suit against Microsoft
• Bulletproof Servers in China Serve File Sharing Services and Spammers
• Amazon in Danger of Sales Tax Again
• Possible Resolution of Viacom Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against YouTube
• Non Profits Challenge Food Patent
• Kodak Pursues RIM and Apple for Patent Infringement at the ITC
• Twitter Sarcastic Airport Bomb Threat Results in Arrest

Home > Volume VIII > Issue 2: January 21, 2010 > Bulletproof Servers in China Serve File Sharing Services and Spammers

Bulletproof Servers in China Serve File Sharing Services and Spammers

“Bulletproof” servers provide a service that online criminal groups, spammers, and file-sharing services rely upon to function: servers that are guaranteed to never shut down and allow their owners to avoid legal liability. In order to do this, the bulletproof servers take advantage of legal loopholes in various jurisdictions. Sweden was considered such a safe haven until last year when four men were convicted in a Swedish court for copyright infringement in connection with the running of the popular Pirate Bay file-sharing website. After the convictions, the Pirate Bay moved its servers to the Ukraine and then to the Netherlands in order to avoid further legal action. Finding the right location for a bulletproof server is the key to the server’s successful and continued operation.

According to recent research, most bulletproof servers are now located in China because of both low operating costs and the ability to avoid prosecution. Furthermore, Chinese authorities rarely co-operate with other countries that are trying to expose and prosecute criminal groups, spammers, and file-sharing services. The University of Alabama at Birmingham identified six bulletproof servers in China that hosted more than 22,000 websites responsible for sending pharmaceutical spam. Even despite the possibility of a death sentence for being convicted of hacking, low enforcement rates make China a popular location for hosting bulletproof servers.

For additional information, visit :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jan/05/internet-piracy-bulletproof