Patent ID: 7979490

Claim:
A method for at least one of hindering, and eliminating, illegal propagation of protected data in a peer to peer network comprising at least one remote client having all or part of data that are searched for executing exchange software configured to distribute the data that are searched for to at least one client of clients in the peer to peer network according to a selective exchange protocol allowing the at least one remote client having all or part of the data that are searched for to make a selection of the clients in the network to which the data that are searched for are transferred, this selection being performed as a function of at least one characteristic of the clients in the network, the clients in the network comprising at least one controlled client, in which: false data are addressed to the at least one remote client having all or part of the data that are searched for so as to influence the selection of the clients in the network served by the at least one remote client having all or part of the data that are searched for, in order to induce the at least one remote client having all or part of the data that are searched for to favor transfer to the at least one controlled client, the at least one characteristic of the at least one controlled client comprising: a progress of a downloading of the data that are searched for, the exchange software being configured to favor the transfer of the data that are searched for to the clients in the network that have progressed the most in downloading the data that are searched for, and wherein the at least one controlled client sends the false data which comprises a false indication about the progress of the downloading that is greater than that of other clients in the network; an item of information relating to an upload of the at least one client in the network, and wherein the false data sent by the at least one controlled client comprises a false indication relating to the upload of the at least one controlled client that is greater than that of the other clients in the network; and speed of transfer of the data that are searched for from the at least one remote client having all or part of the data that are searched for to the at least one client in the network, and wherein the false data sent by the at least one controlled client comprises a false indication relating to the speed of transfer that is greater than that of the other clients in the network from the at least one remote client having all or part of the data that are searched for to the at least one controlled client.