Using P2P (Peer to Peer) Applications Safely

Using P2P (Peer to Peer) Applications Safely

Most people think that the only way to get infected by a virus or worm is by clicking on links from websites or running suspicious executable files. Malware such as worms and viruses do get spread that way--but those are not the only ways. Another way to allow malware to enter your system is through peer-to-peer (P2P) downloading, though many antivirus firewall software programs are able to instantly detect suspicious activity in P2P applications.

Peer-to-peer networks, also known as P2P, consist of people who participate in sharing a part of their resources which are immediately available to other people without using stable hosts or servers. P2P was popularized by file sharing networks such as Napster. A peer-to-peer network allows users to attach, transfer, and share their files to another machine in a direct and immediate way.

Peer-to peer applications or software are widely used by people. Most often than not, P2P is used when you want to search and download movies, songs, and other files. Examples of common P2P applications are BitTorrent, LimeWire, Kazaa, Morpheus, Bearshare, Tribler, and Pando.

These applications allow you to get large files easily. They distribute these large files and you are just a click away from getting your needed files. Nevertheless, there are some dangers in using peer-to-peer applications. While it offers easy file sharing between systems, viruses, malware, and Trojan horses are free to be downloaded too. P2P allows distribution of files without asking strict permission from the person or the company having the copyright. So there is really a need to be conscious and doubtful of the files being uploaded and shared in P2P networks or applications.

Here are some of the tips you might want to know in using P2P applications safely:

Be on guard of the file size of your music file. You should keep your music file size relatively small.

You also need to use "privacy protection" features in your P2P application. Recording companies might catch you downloading their songs without permission and they can sue you for distributing their files, too. Using privacy features could make you safer.

Learning how things are operated in a file sharing system could also help. It can help you avoid downloading malicious files. If you download software applications and programs using P2P, you should instruct your antivirus firewall software to scan the downloaded files before you run or execute them, just to be sure that they are not malware in disguise.

You also should know the risks in file sharing. Aside from being sued, you might also download malicious files and spyware from file sharing systems. These might cause severe damage to your computer when downloaded into your system. Also, your children might download something pornographic into the system.

It is very important to be careful in uploading and downloading files that are distributed by file sharing systems. There is no full guarantee that you are fully safe from the risks that come alongside using P2P applications. One way to use P2P safely is to use its built-in security features. Another way is to make use of antivirus firewall software to monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic using the P2P connection.

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