[SOLVED] Folding is encrypted... right?

**af3** · 07-01-2008, 12:40 PM

I'd hate to see someone falsing results on a project like this. That would just be wrong and disturbing. Does this distributed computing software use encryption? I hope it does.

Does a client eat up a ton of ram, cpu and upstream bandwidth? Can quotas be set? Does it require ports to be forwarded? Just curious, I may install it on my laptop unless it makes the fan go nutz.

**mattlock** · 07-03-2008, 12:09 AM

It would be hard to cheat. Points for work units are predetermined and the WUs have deadlines and are verified.

The program loads your CPU pretty heavily, but it's a low priority and the amount of CPU available to it is ajustable. RAM usage isn't too heavy. As for bandwidth, it downloads a file less than 5mb (larger if you configure it to do so) and when the WU is complete it connects again and to upload the results. I accept "Large WUs" and it takes about 15mins to upload results and download the next WU on my DSL.

Port forwarding was not required for me.

It will likely cause your fans to run at a good clip, since your CPU pretty well loaded at default settings.

If you decide to join the fight, we are glad to have as part of the TSF Team.

**af3** · 07-03-2008, 05:36 AM

Is the data you are processing ENCRYPTED?

By using the terms "falsing results" I was talking about evil persons maliciously sending corrupted data back to the research facility. I don't care about POINTS, I am interested in helping fight Cancer.

What good would this effort be if the data could be tampered with?

**mattlock** · 07-03-2008, 08:34 AM

I don't know if the results are encrypted or not, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to delibrately hamper the these research results. The reason I thought you were talking about points, is that's the only logical reason anyone would have to tamper with F@H. Competion often brings out the worst in people.

If you would like to find out if the results are encrytped you can check the F@H forums. Normally, I would find the answer and post it here but I'm strapped for time these days. Let us know what you find.

http://foldingforum.org/

Regards,

**af3** · 07-03-2008, 08:39 AM

Yesh, butt there is mean pplz in dis worlt.

I hope they are, it would blow my mind if they completely overlooked it. They would have to toss out all the results, or at least most of them since they started the public folding project! I'll have a look and ask them if I can't find anything. Thanks!

**Glaswegian** · 07-03-2008, 12:01 PM

Hope these will answer your questions...

http://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.ph...ryption#p11504
http://folding.stanford.edu/English/FAQ-main#ntoc56

**af3** · 07-03-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

FAQ wrote:
What about security issues?

We have worked very hard to maintain the best security possible with modern computer science methodology. Our software will upload and download data only from our data server here at Stanford. Also, we only interact with FAH files on your computer (we don't read, write, or transmit any other files, as we don't need to do so and doing so would violate our privacy policy). The Cores are also digitally signed (see below) to make sure that you're getting the true Stanford cores and nothing else.

How is this possible?
We take extensive measures to check all of the data entering your computer and the results we send back to Stanford with 2048 bit digital signatures. If the signatures don't match (on either the input or the output) the client will throw away the data and start again. This ensures, using the best software security measures developed to date (digital signatures and PKI in version 3.0), that we are keeping the tightest possible security. Finally, the client/screen saver are available for download only from this web site, so that we can guarantee the integrity of the software. We do not support Folding@home software obtained elsewhere and prohibit others to distribute the software.

I'm going to install this weekend!

**Glaswegian** · 07-03-2008, 01:31 PM

Welcome to the TSF Folding Team!!

07-01-2008, 12:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 757 OS: Windows XP SP3 My System	[SOLVED] Folding is encrypted... right? I'd hate to see someone falsing results on a project like this. That would just be wrong and disturbing. Does this distributed computing software use encryption? I hope it does. Does a client eat up a ton of ram, cpu and upstream bandwidth? Can quotas be set? Does it require ports to be forwarded? Just curious, I may install it on my laptop unless it makes the fan go nutz. __________________ You are currently using 0 MB (0%) of your 7171 MB, what's wrong with you?

07-03-2008, 12:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
mattlock moderator hardware team Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,818 OS: XP SP2, Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon My System	Re: Folding is encrypted... right? It would be hard to cheat. Points for work units are predetermined and the WUs have deadlines and are verified. The program loads your CPU pretty heavily, but it's a low priority and the amount of CPU available to it is ajustable. RAM usage isn't too heavy. As for bandwidth, it downloads a file less than 5mb (larger if you configure it to do so) and when the WU is complete it connects again and to upload the results. I accept "Large WUs" and it takes about 15mins to upload results and download the next WU on my DSL. Port forwarding was not required for me. It will likely cause your fans to run at a good clip, since your CPU pretty well loaded at default settings. If you decide to join the fight, we are glad to have as part of the TSF Team. __________________ Matt Everest-Thermal Paste Instruction-Power Supply Info-Sensorview PSU Calculator-Speedfan-Bench Test Help TSF Fight Disease. It's Free!

07-03-2008, 05:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 757 OS: Windows XP SP3 My System	Re: Folding is encrypted... right? Is the data you are processing ENCRYPTED? By using the terms "falsing results" I was talking about evil persons maliciously sending corrupted data back to the research facility. I don't care about POINTS, I am interested in helping fight Cancer. What good would this effort be if the data could be tampered with? __________________ You are currently using 0 MB (0%) of your 7171 MB, what's wrong with you?

07-03-2008, 08:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
mattlock moderator hardware team Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,818 OS: XP SP2, Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon My System	Re: Folding is encrypted... right? I don't know if the results are encrypted or not, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to delibrately hamper the these research results. The reason I thought you were talking about points, is that's the only logical reason anyone would have to tamper with F@H. Competion often brings out the worst in people. If you would like to find out if the results are encrytped you can check the F@H forums. Normally, I would find the answer and post it here but I'm strapped for time these days. Let us know what you find. http://foldingforum.org/ Regards, __________________ Matt Everest-Thermal Paste Instruction-Power Supply Info-Sensorview PSU Calculator-Speedfan-Bench Test Help TSF Fight Disease. It's Free!

07-03-2008, 08:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 757 OS: Windows XP SP3 My System	Re: Folding is encrypted... right? Yesh, butt there is mean pplz in dis worlt. I hope they are, it would blow my mind if they completely overlooked it. They would have to toss out all the results, or at least most of them since they started the public folding project! I'll have a look and ask them if I can't find anything. Thanks! __________________ You are currently using 0 MB (0%) of your 7171 MB, what's wrong with you?

07-03-2008, 12:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
Glaswegian Moderator/ Rangemaster TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team; Oor Wullie; TSF Surgeon and Resident Comic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 21,344 OS: Win XP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 10	Re: Folding is encrypted... right? Hope these will answer your questions... http://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.ph...ryption#p11504 http://folding.stanford.edu/English/FAQ-main#ntoc56 __________________ Iain - Defender of the Haggis and all things Scottish. I don't help by PM - post in the Forums. Ad-Aware::SpywareBlaster::SpyBot::SpywareGuard::SnoopFree::AVG Free::HOSTS File::HijackThis::Donate::5 Steps For Infected PCs

07-03-2008, 01:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Glaswegian Moderator/ Rangemaster TSF Academy; Analyst, Security Team; Oor Wullie; TSF Surgeon and Resident Comic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 21,344 OS: Win XP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 10	Re: [SOLVED] Folding is encrypted... right? Welcome to the TSF Folding Team!! __________________ Iain - Defender of the Haggis and all things Scottish. I don't help by PM - post in the Forums. Ad-Aware::SpywareBlaster::SpyBot::SpywareGuard::SnoopFree::AVG Free::HOSTS File::HijackThis::Donate::5 Steps For Infected PCs