After Napster: the Inevitable Ascent of Peer-to-Peer Networks

Architecture and Background

Leia Amidon & Panel - After Napster: The Inevitable Ascent of Peer-to-Peer Networks, LiveHives, Smart Mobs and Massive Subscription File-Sharing Services After Napster: The Inevitable Ascent of Peer-to-Peer Networks, LiveHives, Smart Mobs and Massive Subscription File-Sharing Services From Napster to the current emerging techno-social phenomena of livehives and smart mobs, the evolution of peer-to-peer networks is exhibiting an exponential profligacy both in use and popularity, and actually influencing the evolution of human social interaction on both a local and a global scale. Beginning with Napster, the popular Internet file sharing software created in 1999 by Shawn Fanning, arguably a revolution has taken place. Napster was at the forefront of the one of the most important electronic debates of the 20th century's fin-de-siecle: DMCA and various attendant copyright debates. However, the perhaps the most important role that Napster played was as a "proof of concept" on a grand scale (98 million globally at it's peak) of the power of peer-to-peer communications. Wireless data communication devices have screamed onto the networking scene in and may be poised to revolutionize social intercourse. Blogger journos can instantly upload text, audio, and video to their weblogs from the scene of breaking news events. With conventional cellular telephones tactical organization of crowds, "smart mobs," can be coordinated in political actions..

Vulnerability Analysis

The newest breed of communication technologies can document in real-time documentation of an event without the need to rely on traditional media reports. In "proof of concept" exercises, recent anti-war protests have utilized "livehive" and "smart mob" technologies to out flank police actions and effectively shut down city centers and targeted economic targets. "After Napster" will follow the evolution of peer-to-peer networks and their evolution as social communities of affording a new level of global awareness and action. Panel Lead: Leia Amidon is currently Partner and Principal Security Technologist for SunStorm Security Group located in the Washington D.C. area. Ms. Amidon lives and works from her west cost office in San Francisco.

Exploitation and Demonstrations

Ms. Amidon's has served as Principal, Security Technologies for Napster, Inc., and Principal Security Technologist at Logictier, an Internet infrastructure company, and the Official Internet Operations Sponsors and Supplier for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games. Her responsibilities have included security architecture analysis and development, and evaluation and deployment of emerging security technologies and strategies. Ms. Amidon has accrued over 10 years of expertise in consultancy, architecture, audit, intrusion detection, penetration testing, and vulnerability analysis. Other related skills include knowledgeable and adept public speaker and corporate presenter, curricula developer, and classroom trainer in subject matter specific to information security. She has acted as a Senior Consultant at GTEI/BBN, a Principal Security Architect at Axent Technologies, and as a Senior Engineer at Barclays Global Investors.

Remediation and Defensive Strategies

Ms. Amidon was also a founding partner in several Bay Area Internet businesses. In her career prior to information security practice, Ms. Amidon taught curricula at the Aspen Leaves Foundation, and worked in Television Production for Grass Roots Network, both located in Aspen, Colorado. She has also worked as a Recording Studio Manager, at Golden Sound Studios, in Hollywood, California. Ms. Amidon began her professional career in radio, as a talk show host and Director of Public Affairs of WIBM/WHFI. She held her first position, at the age of 14, as a radio talk show host in Jackson, Michigan.