Live - Drops

Do you put any files on the drive after you’ve installed it?

No, they are empty and waiting for your files. I only leave a readme.txt on there, which explains the project and links to this site. Yes, the sticks are set to read and write and should mount as a plain mass storage drive (get rid of any autorun custom ‘cruzer’ stlye software).

How about security issues? How do you prevent misuse with viruses, root-kits and malicious software?

I don’t take any actions here! Live Drops are placed in public space in the Camberwell. They are public domain. This is part of the concept and part of the game. (in the field of street art it means to place things outside). In general everybody is responsible for the security of their computers and systems. Is the Internet a safe place?!? Malicious code for USB flash drives is a problem in general. They could (and will) be misused for malicious software.  Be aware of that! Secure your system! Boot a virtual machine! Or ask your friend to go first ;-) … (It’s the thrill of it also! Live Drops themselves will be subject to digital and or physical vandalism. Don’t be sad when it happens. Keep growing and install a new drive in maybe slight different location.

How can I make sure not to infect my system?

There are many possibilities to be on the safe side. ie. you could just boot from your system CD in save mode (Win or Mac) , this would prevent any virus to access your harddrive. Or go ahead and get  (Linux) Ubuntu ‘Live’ bootable from CD or USB.

What size of USB flash drive do you use?

You can use any size you want. I’ve used mainly 2GB and 4GB sticks. They are less expensive but old very small storage flash drives are cool too. I guess it is more interesting to have a lot of Live Drops spread over the area, high density than a few with high capacity (USB powered hard drives are thinkable too! The first one who’s cementing one in I’ll buy a beer :-)

Why don’t you use an extension cable!

You can do that if you want. Although I like very much the gesture of plugging the computer directly into a building/wall/curb. I am sure everyone can be gentle enough to not break the Live Drop. When you install one please make sure it is accessable with and without a cable. Leaning on the wall is very comfortable. A cable would be the next step before wireless Live Drops which I personally don’t like as much. (But we can discuss options …)

How about water and rain?

Try to find places which are less exposed to weather. Try to find walls which are protected by overhanging roofs or similar. Often the rain doesn’t hit the wall itself (unless there is a thunderstorm). Experimentation with dryed flash drives after rain need to be done. … As long as the contacts are dry and the board is sealed of we are good, no?

What file format should the USB drive be?

How to make your own

‘Live Drops’ is open for participation! Your are free to go for your own Live Drop! If you want to install a Live Drop in the neighborhood please follow ‘how to’ instruction below and submit the location and pictures when you are done in the form at the bottom of this page.

How to install a Dead Drop

1.     Read the manifesto.

2.     Get a USB flash drive of any size.

3.     Dismantle the plastic cover. (It has shown the stick stays more stable if you leave it on, feel free to experiment!)

4.     Wrap it in plummers tape to seal it off.

5.     Use fast setting concrete to cement the stick in a crack or hole.

6.     Make sure to make the wall look nice afterwards; eventually you’ll need some color for touch up.

7.     Make sure to place it in a way that it can be accessed directly with a laptop. (Not everybody has an extension cable)

8.     USB ports locations on laptops are different from model to model. The ‘front side’ (2 holes of the plug) points up! Is the left side port and right side port on a laptop accessible?

9.     Optional you could use epoxy putty to glue the flash drive to other objects.

10.  Take 3 good pictures! - Overview of the street/place, how does our neighborhood look like? - Approximate location of your Live Drop, medium distance. - Closeup! We want to see your Live Drop!

Submit

Submit your Live Drop location, pictures, description and authorship/credits info at the Live Drop Blog . (This is a first straight forward version)

Live Drops is an anonymous – offline - peer to peer file-sharing network in public space. Anyone can access a Live Drop and everyone may install a Live Drop in and around the Camberwell neighborhood. A Live Drop must be accessible to public easily. A Live Drop inside closed buildings or private places with limited or temporary access is not a Live Drop. A real Live Drop mounts as read and writeable mass storage drive without any custom software. Live Drops don’t need to be synced or connected to each other. Each one is singular in its existence. A perfect Live Drop shows only the metal sheath enclosed type-A USB plug and is cemented into walls. You would hardly notice it. Live Drops don’t need any cables or wireless technology either. Your knees on the ground or a dirty jacket on the wall is what it takes share files offline. A Live Drop is a naked piece of passively powered Universal Serial Bus technology embedded into the neighborhood, the only true public space. In an era of growing clouds and fancy new devices without access to local files we need to rethink the freedom and distribution of data.

Free your data to the public domain in cement! Make your own Live Drop now! Un-cloud your files today!!!

ABOUT

‘Live Drops’ is an anonymous, offline, peer to peer file-sharing network in public space. USB flash drives are embedded into walls, buildings and curbs accessible to anybody in public space. Everyone is invited to drop or find files on a dead drop. Plug your laptop to a wall, house or pole to share your favorite files and data. Each live drop is installed empty except a readme.txt file explaining the project. ‘Live Drops’ is open to participation. If you want to install a live drop in the neighborhood follow the ‘how to’ instructions and submit the location and pictures.

I am a London based media artist and started the ‘Live Drops’ project during my studies at Camberwell College of art and design in London 2015 . Live Drops is part of my Community project.