Pure Python Data Mangling or Encrypting

[Randall Smith]

On 06/24/2015 08:33 PM, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Jun 2015 13:20:07 -0500, Randall Smith <randall at tnr.cc>
> declaimed the following:
>
>> On 06/24/2015 06:36 AM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
>>> I don't understand how mangling the data is supposed to protect the
>>> recipient. Don't they have the ability unmangle the data, and thus expose
>>> themselves to whatever nasties are in the files?
>>
>> They never look at the data and wouldn't care to unmangle it.  The
>> purpose is primarily to prevent automated software (file indexers, virus
>> scanners) from doing bad things to the data.
>>
>
> 	Which leads to the question: what is "doing bad things".

Storage nodes are computers running the software in discussion, that 
store chunks of data they are sent (recipient) and send it upon request. 
  Their job (as related to this software) is to accept, store and send 
chunks of data upon request.  So losing data is a bad thing.

The storage node software is cross platform and should run on anything 
from a dedicated Raspberry PI to an old Windows PC.  Data integrity is 
insured using encryption and hashes generated by the original data 
owners.  Normally, a data chunk would look like random bytes, because it 
is encrypted.  However, the storage node cannot prevent the client 
(uploader) from sending unencrypted data.  The purpose of this 
obfuscation is to protect the storage node, as many potential users have 
expressed hesitation in storing other peoples data.

Example: A storage node runs a Desktop OS with an image indexer. It 
receives an unencrypted nasty image or movie. The indexer picks it up 
and shows it in the person's image or movie "Library".

Does that clear things up?


-Randall