Torrents Time, using the plugin is risky. Here`s why

In recent days there has been much discussed Torrents Time a plugin that allows you to stream Torrent without having to download a separate client. The operation, in fact, can be accomplished using a browser such as Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer with which the plugin integrates.

 The plug-in itself, is a "neutral" instrument, ie it can be used to play any content, legally or illegally distributed. In fact, however, the plugin has already been used at sites such as Popcorn Time Online, allowing you to stream content posted in violation of the legislation on copyright. Leaving aside the legality profiles (and entrusting them to the individual conscience and possible interventions of authorities responsible for supervising the distribution of copyrighted material), it should be noted that using Torrents Time presents several risks assessed in terms of safety for both end users, both for site managers that integrate it.

To provide a clear picture of the risks is the developer Andrew Sampson and different users who took part in an articulated discussion on Reddit. Sampson, specifically examined the plugin code Torrents Time highlighting several security flaws that make its risky to use. The first and in some ways more important aspects is the potential for abuse of the Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS), a mechanism that allows a web page to make a resource call from another web page. Using this instrument in a distorted manner, for example, the managers of sites that spread pirated content may start streaming of files other than those that you want to view.

The risks of using Torrents Time are also related to the tracking of your personal information, from the IP address and the nation. If the ultimate purpose of the use Torrents Time is to show illegally distributed content, the risk of being easily identified is so high. To this we must then add considerations relating to the impact on performance: the analysis carried out by Sampson showed the persistent background execution of plugins with an understandable impact on the battery life of the laptop and resource consumption. Moreover, the plugin determines an occupation of the CPU that oscillates from 50% to 80%, probably due to a bug that is still symptomatic of a little code optimized. The developer then puts out a series of attacks that it is already possible to score exploiting weak points in the code and announces that the number is expected to grow.

The Sampson analysis ends with an explicit hint:

Seriously, you remove this software from your computer, if you use it in your site, remove it, if you think you add it, you do not. Further exploits coming soon

This perspective and the assessment of a developer who has adequate knowledge in order to warn users of the plugin. The final judgment is up to the individual course. What is certain is that with the spread of video streaming services totally legal and offered at reasonable prices (see the offer of Netflix which starts from 7.99 euro per month) legal risks and closely evaluated in terms of security associated with the new tools for streaming video, perhaps, are not entirely justified.