[2016-04-11] AT&T Mistakes Bitcoin Node Traffic for Malware

[jdebunt]

What are your thoughts on this story? Good or bad for Bitcoin?

It comes as no surprise to see ISPs monitoring this port in particular, though, as various users run a Bitcoin Node at home. These nodes are [usually] always connected to the Internet, constantly sending data through this port. In some cases, the bandwidth usage can exceed 200GB per month, which warrants providers such as AT&T to send out an alert to its users.

https://news.bitcoin.com/att-mistakes-bitcoin-node-malware/

[Slowturtleinc]

Where they hoping this would go unnoticed or the people that noticed would not say anything!
Seems like a very select target that they planned to hit,otherwise the randomness would not be so specific.

This is the kind of manipulative tactics that are used to make people think something is being shady.

[a7mos]

If the node owner has an unlimited bandwidth connection, why would AT&T alert him against the high usage ? he already paid his subscription. no matter how much he uses,

[richardsNY]

It's another way to possibly hold back Bitcoin if all ISP's follow this path, but they won't as no policies are violated by running a full node. It's just nonsense as they can easily figure out what kind of data it is and to where it is pointing. Malware is just an excuse.

[cr1776]

There are also some other options, limiting the bandwidth that Bitcoin Core uses and also considering running over Tor.

[notthematrix]

It's another way to possibly hold back Bitcoin if all ISP's follow this path, but they won't as no policies are violated by running a full node. It's just nonsense as they can easily figure out what kind of data it is and to where it is pointing. Malware is just an excuse.

its easy to setup a ssh tunnel for this or a vpn or use tor / blocking does not make any sense.
probaly any data on 247 streaming will be detected.
so its not bitcoin specific.