PIX 520 (OS ver 6.1(4)) Block P2P Traffic (specifically Bittorrent)

[trmg]

Hi All,

I know that Bittorrent has it's good uses, and we've used it for good. However, we have an employee who likes to torrent movies and television shows. Recently, we got a cease and desist e-mail from HBO because somebody torrented "The Wire". Guess who!

Anyway. What I'm trying to find out is if we can block bittorrent traffic and/or possibly all P2P traffic using our PIX 520 firewall. It's running OS version 6.1(4).

Any/all help is much appreciated.

Thanks!!

 

[Supergrrover]

The only real way is in get a proxy server/filter like websense or similar. Bittorrent can use port 80 to communicate so blocking all outbound ports except ones you use doesn't do the trick.

You can use any linux flavor and set up a proxy for just the hardware cost.


Brent
Systems Engineer / Consultant
CCNP, CCSP

 

[trmg]

Thanks for the reply. That's what I thought. I've been researching newer PIX models and the new ASA line, and it looks like they are able to recognize Bittorrent and most P2P packets and drop them. However, we're not in the market for a new firewall for a while.

Thanks!