The Torrents Time browser plugin that allows users to stream multimedia torrents in real time inside their browser is plagued by various security issues that range from XSS to MitM attacks, developer Andrew Sampson has discovered.

Torrents Time is a new technology that allows users to instantly download and watch torrented material right inside their browser. Torrents Time benefits from a built-in VPN server and has seen a rise in popularity after The Pirate Bay (TPB) and Kickass Torrents (KAT), the Internet's biggest torrent portals, added live streaming buttons to their sites employing its technology.

Users who want to use Torrents Time have to download its installer, which sets up a local Node.js server and also adds an extension to your browser. Sites that employ it, like TPB and KAT, have to host a few files that allow the plugins to tap into their torrents database and query for torrent seeds and other data.

Torrents Time fails to implement CORS, leaves users vulnerable to attack

According to Mr. Sampson, Torrents Time does not properly implement CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing), a crucial Web security mechanism that prevents resources from being loaded from different domains.

This means that an attacker could create a malicious Web page that mimics a regular page (popup) created by TBP or KAT, and add their own malicious code, which, because of an improper CORS implementation, would be allowed to execute.

Mr. Sampson discovered that he could open a Torrents Time video player inside this malicious page and serve the user the torrent files they wanted. This could let the user think they're accessing a trustworthy Torrents Time video player, when, in reality, the attacker could be delivering malicious code in the background while the user is watching a movie.

A malicious page loading the Torrents Time video player, alongside exploit code

Besides this, Mr. Sampson also discovered that JavaScript code delivered to the user's browser could trickle down to the local Torrents Time Node.js server and query its API for details about the user. This function can be abused by advertisers to randomly check Internet users for those who have Torrent Time installed, and then collect information that can be used to track them online.

Additionally, Mr. Sampson also discovered obfuscated code in Torrents Time source, which he was not able to crack to see what it actually did, and also observed that the Torrents Time servers were also tracking all of its users' activity (IP, location, user agent, cookie, watched torrents, etc.).

Torrents Time runs as root on Macs

But the issues didn't stop here because the Torrents Time app was also running as a root user on Mac, which opens a huge security issue for Apple users if an attacker would like to abuse the app and install malware on their machines.

This is possible because Mr. Sampson discovered that the Torrent Time app could be forced to redownload the browser plugins at command. This process can be hijacked, and users will be forced to download a file from the attacker's own server, probably laced with malware.

If that wasn't bad enough, attackers could use malicious JS code to ping your local Torrents Time Node.js server with exactly 1024 bytes and force your CPU usage to skyrocket and remain between 50% and 80% until the Torrents Time service is shut down or crashes.

"Program later crashes when sending random strings, so possible buffer overflow waiting to be exploited," Mr. Sampson also added regarding this issue.

XSS on The Pirate Bay and Kickass Torrents

But the local Torrents Time issues aren't the only ones. Attackers could also target the server-side files hosted by sites like The Pirate Bay via XSS exploits. The Torrents Time tt.php file runs directly on the main TBP domain, which means attackers could steal cookies if they wanted to.

"There is much more to it, but essentially the whole service is open to multiple forms of attacks, Man in the Middle being the largest," Mr. Sampson explained. "This means anyone could track what you're streaming very easily with the right moves."

As it stands right now, users would be much safer if they avoided installing this application or removed it from their computers until it fixes its security problems.

A malicious page loading the Torrents Time video player, alongside exploit code

For security researchers, proof-of-concept code is available online.

UPDATE: Mr. Sampson's claims seem to be shared by another Reddit user. In the meantime, the Torrents Time has provided an answer to Mr. Sampson's accusations, which you can read below.