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Z-Library returns, aims to avoid seizures by giving each user a secret URL

This weekend, the pirate e-book site welcomed users back with unique domains.

Last fall, the US Department of Justice pushed the e-book pirate site Z-Library onto the dark web after charging its alleged operators with criminal copyright infringement, wire fraud, and money laundering. Back then, Z-Library users—including many college students who relied on the site as a source for free textbooks—weren’t sure if Z-Library would be able to keep operating. That’s why this weekend, thousands of Z-Library fans rejoiced when Z-Library officially staged its comeback on public-access Internet—by launching a universal login page and setting up secret personal domains for users.

A Z-Library blog post from Saturday viewed by 21,000 users announced the “great news” and prompted users to access Z-Library using their regular login credentials at a new link. Once users log in, they’re redirected to a personal domain they can use to access close to 12 million free e-books on Z-Library without using encrypted networks like Tor. A second domain is also sent by email. At the time of login, users are prompted to check a box promising, “I will keep my domains in secret.”

TorrentFreak reported that Z-Library’s tactic of assigning unique domains creates “a technical setup that anticipates future enforcement action” and will help the site mitigate disruptions by deploying backup domains as needed to avert domain seizures. In November, US officials seized 200 domain names connected to Z-Library, TorrentFreak reported, and to prevent officials from succeeding with future enforcement actions, Z-Library is now depending on users to keep their personal domains private.

“Don’t disclose your personal domain and don’t share the link to your domain, as it is protected with your own password and cannot be accessed by other users,” Z-Library wrote in the blog post.

Ars could not immediately reach Z-Library to comment, but a test confirmed that it is now possible to log in to Z-Library without using Tor or an encrypted I2P network layer. Ars also confirmed that Z-Library is currently assigning two personal domains per user.

Z-Library said in its blog post that not all users currently have access to the universal login page but that the site is working on a solution. For now, any users who experience issues accessing Z-Library to retrieve their personal domains can still “use TOR/I2P to log in to your account, copy the URL of your personal domain and use it in your regular browser,” Z-Library advised.

Time will tell if Z-Library’s strategy will be effective at stopping authorities globally from blocking Z-Library. It’s likely that any authorities monitoring the pirate site are already aware of some of Z-Library’s new domains, TorrentFreak reported. To help users keep tabs on what’s happening with the site, including news on domains, Z-Library set up a Telegram channel.

The e-book pirate site’s comeback will likely not be celebrated by authors, many of whom complained to a US trade representative last October that “accessing pirate e-book sites is easier than ever” and is causing “incalculable and truly devastating” income loss to publishers and authors.

But hundreds of users welcomed the site’s return, with people posting enthusiastic comments on Z-Library’s blog, like “I can’t live without Z-Library” and “this resource is invaluable!”

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