Is there a file download disguise service out there? | The Coffeehouse

Minh
WOOH! WOOH!

My company has recently started to block downloading MP3s from the net (b@stards!)

And I need to download podcasts for the commute home...

Does anyone know of a service that would take a URL, and disguise the Content-Type or file extension?

I NEED IT!

GoddersUK
I CAN has cheezburger and you CAN'T has stop me!

You could try a port other than 80, that's often the only one they block.

Minh
WOOH! WOOH!

In reply to GoddersUK

#Apr 9th @ 12:12 PM

I think the filter they installed look for either file extension or Content-Type... I don't think it's port related... as all podcasts go through http's port 80.

As a work-around, I tried the local cafe's free wi-fi... but it is throttled at such a low speed...

intelman

In reply to Minh

#Apr 9th @ 12:15 PM

RDP to a remote computer, that usually works for me.

Minh
WOOH! WOOH!

In reply to intelman

#Apr 9th @ 12:24 PM

Dang... They blocked the RDP port

dahat

In reply to Minh

#Apr 9th @ 12:38 PM

1. Setup a Windows Home Server at home
2. Install your podcast DLing software on it (or a desktop PC which saves the content there)
3. Enable Remote Access on your Windows Home Server
4. Login to your home server from work at https://yournamehere.homeserver.com
5. Download all the files you want/need through the glorry of SSL

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

In reply to Minh

#Apr 9th @ 12:38 PM

as Dahat suggested, get a RDP server that supports TS Gateway (where RDP is tunneled over HTTP)

GoddersUK
I CAN has cheezburger and you CAN'T has stop me!

In reply to Minh

#Apr 9th @ 12:38 PM

How about Live Mesh?

dahat

In reply to W3bbo

#Apr 9th @ 1:47 PM

You mean like... Windows Home Server? Wink

bureX
Always a step ahead in stupidity.

In reply to Minh

#Apr 9th @ 12:38 PM

Really easy:

- Download WMA files Tongue Out

- Get an unlimited data plan with your provider and use your phone to download podcasts

Easy:

- Remote Desktop connection to a foreign PC (or maybe Radmin will do?)

- Proxy

- Web-proxy (one that supports downloading of files... quite rare)

Medium:

- PHP/ASP script on any supported webhost that downloads any remote file you specify, ZIPs it or changes the file extension, and let's you downlad it.

Advanced:

VPN to your home network

...if they blocked VPN traffic or any kind of GRE packets...

ICMP tunnels to your home PC or server

...if they blocked ICMP traffic...

TCP tunnel on port 53 (DNS) or 80 (HTTP)

SlackmasterK
I write my OWN blogging engines

Create a simple webform with a textbox and a button. Set it to 403 on any but your work IP. Host it at home.
Upon clicking the button, it passes the textbox.text (URL) into:

Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Data.Sql
Imports System.Net
Imports system.io

Partial Class DownloadFile
Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

Protected Sub page_load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
Dim url As String = Request.QueryString("DownloadUrl")
If url Is Nothing Or url.Length = 0 Then Exit Sub

'Initialize the input stream
Dim req As HttpWebRequest = WebRequest.Create(url)
Dim resp As HttpWebResponse = req.GetResponse()
Dim bufferSize As Integer = 1

'Initialize the output stream
Response.Clear()
Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition:", "attachment; filename=download.zip")
Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", resp.ContentLength.ToString)
Response.ContentType = "application/download"

'Populate the output stream
Dim ByteBuffer As Byte() = New Byte(bufferSize) {}
Dim ms As MemoryStream = New MemoryStream(ByteBuffer, True)
Dim rs As Stream = req.GetResponse.GetResponseStream()
Dim bytes() As Byte = New Byte(bufferSize) {}
While rs.Read(ByteBuffer, 0, ByteBuffer.Length) > 0
Response.BinaryWrite(ms.ToArray())
Response.Flush()
End While

'Cleanup
Response.End()
ms.Close()
ms.Dispose()
rs.Dispose()
ByteBuffer = Nothing
End Sub
End Class

Call that function via your page:

    'Initialize the input stream (From app server)
    Dim req As HttpWebRequest = WebRequest.Create(url)
    Dim resp As HttpWebResponse

    Try
    resp = req.GetResponse()
    Catch ex As WebException
    MsgBox("Error 404: Export File not found on server")
    resp = Nothing
    Exit Sub
    End Try
    Dim bufferSize As Integer = 1 ' Buffers larger than 1 byte screw up the file; i.e. 16384 drops half the file

    'Initialize the output stream (To user)
    Response.Clear()
    Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition:", "attachment; filename=download.zip")
    Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", resp.ContentLength.ToString)
    Response.ContentType = "application/download"

    'Populate the output stream
    Dim ByteBuffer As Byte() = New Byte(bufferSize) {}
    Dim ms As MemoryStream = New MemoryStream(ByteBuffer, True)
    Dim rs As Stream = req.GetResponse.GetResponseStream()
    Dim bytes() As Byte = New Byte(bufferSize) {}
    While rs.Read(ByteBuffer, 0, ByteBuffer.Length) > 0
    Response.BinaryWrite(ms.ToArray())
    Response.Flush()
    End While

figuerres
???

I hate to say this but:

it's thier network, they pay for it, they manage it.

get over it.

if you get caught you are risking losing your job.
esp. as they will be able to show that you know the policy and you used time at work to activly hack around the policy.

is this worth losing a job over ??

esp. with the way things are right now.

Minh
WOOH! WOOH!

In reply to figuerres

#Apr 10th @ 4:33 AM

I hate to say this but:

it's thier network, they pay for it, they manage it.

get over it.

No, I will not get over it. Sorry, I'm not going to lemming through life. There are plenty of studies that suggest this kind of draconian lock down of sites like this affect people's productivity negatively.

If a company decided to fire someone for downloading MP3s for the ride home, then that's not the company I would want to work for. The IT market isn't THAT bad.

Minh
WOOH! WOOH!

In reply to SlackmasterK

#Apr 9th @ 7:59 PM

Thanks slackmasterK... that looks like it'll work... I'd change the file name portion to reflect the actual file name, but that looks good.

DCMonkey
Monkey see, monkey do, monkey will destroy you!

In reply to Minh

#Apr 10th @ 7:35 AM

I guess those studies are accurate, given the amount of trouble you are willing to go thorugh to circumvent the policy Smiley

AndyC

In reply to Minh

#Apr 10th @ 7:35 AM

So go to the IT guys and point out that you need to access work related podcast X, Y and Z. Chances are they'll whitelist them and let you get on. Contrary to popular belief, it is rarely the aim of IT guys to make others lives difficult.

SlackmasterK
I write my OWN blogging engines

In reply to AndyC

#Apr 10th @ 3:09 PM

However, IT policies have a habit of being instituted based on the behaviors of people who don't know how to keep their computer safe and running well. If your company has a call center, Gawd help you.

fknight

I get around this by downloading the podcasts at my house. They're not going to spoil or go bad by the time work lets out.

Additionally, I do have to agree that you shouldn't be trying to work around company policy. Having said that, I think employers who *do* restrict Internet access to such a degree should also provide separate wireless access capability - separate from the corporate network - for non-work-related Internet access during non-work hours (lunch, etc.) if they wish to promote morale.

SlackmasterK
I write my OWN blogging engines

In reply to fknight

#Apr 10th @ 5:46 PM

One can always plug in their cell...

Minh
WOOH! WOOH!

In reply to SlackmasterK

#Apr 9th @ 7:59 PM

Fixed a bug & converted to C#

    protected void downloadBtn_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        string auth = authTxt.Text;
        string url = urlTxt.Text;

        if (auth == "" || url == "") return;
        if (ValidateAuth(auth) == false) return;

        HttpWebRequest req = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(url);
        HttpWebResponse resp = (HttpWebResponse)req.GetResponse();

        string fileName = Path.GetFileName(url);

        this.Response.Clear();
        this.Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition",
                                   "attachment; filename=" + fileName + ".zip");
        
        this.Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", resp.ContentLength.ToString());
        this.Response.ContentType = "application/download";

        int bufferSize = 4096;
        byte[] inBuffer = new byte[bufferSize];

        int bytesRead = 0;
        Stream respStr = resp.GetResponseStream();
        do
        {
            bytesRead = respStr.Read(inBuffer, 0, bufferSize);

            if (bytesRead == bufferSize)
            {
                this.Response.BinaryWrite(inBuffer);
            }
            else
            {
                byte[] shortBuffer = new byte[bytesRead];
                Array.Copy(inBuffer, shortBuffer, bytesRead);
                this.Response.BinaryWrite(shortBuffer);
            }

            this.Response.Flush();
        }
        while (bytesRead > 0);

        this.Response.End();
        respStr.Dispose();
    }

    private bool ValidateAuth(string auth)
    {
        if (auth == "666") return true;

        return false;
    }