How To Have Fun And Keep Safe When Using Peer To Peer Software
by Terry Brazil
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Start Enjoying Peer To Peer Software All Over Again
As you may have found out by now using peer to peer software can be very fun and good way to get your favourite music, movies, games, and whatever else you want to download. I am sure that you have also heard though that using peer to peer software can openly invite computer problems like adware, spyware, trojans and viruses. Not to mention some files may be illegally distributed and could cost you some very hefty fines. I however want to show you how to safely use peer to peer software just the way it should be.
The Problems With Public Peer To Peer Software
There are several problems that need to be addressed with public peer to peer software. The biggest of them is that they are not monitored. As soon a free peer to peer software program is released it starts building up steam and more and more users join. Some of these users sole purpose in lives are to make others miserable. People will put things like trojans, spyware, adware, and viruses in their files and then distribute them to others. This causes a huge chain reaction as it spreads throughout that particular peer to peer software community. This completely ruins it for everybody.
Here Are Descriptions Of What These People Put On Your Computer
Trojan: A destructive program that masquerades as a true application. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but they can be just as destructive. One of the most insidious types of Trojan horse is a program that claims to rid your computer of viruses but instead introduces viruses onto your computer. These are installed once the file is open and starts every time you turn on your computer. These programs can even allow someone to take complete control of your computer.
Spyware: Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet; however, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.
Adware: A form of spyware that collects information about the user in order to display advertisements in the Web browser based on the information it collects from the user's browsing patterns.
Viruses: A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
As you can see you would never want any of this stuff on your computer. These are the most common reasons peoples computers crash and need to be reformatted resulting in the loss of valuable data. There is really only one way to avoid this happening to you. That is to join a private peer to peer network. Many of the people that want to such destructive things will not bother going out of their way or paying to do so. Why would they ever want to do that when there are millions of people to wreak their havoc on much easier.
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