What can file sharing applications do for you?

File sharing applications, otherwise known as peer to peer (P2P) networking applications, allow computer users to share files such as music, games, applications or any file for that matter, to and from remote computers.  The way it works is Timmy here in the River City can get on his computer and use a P2P application such as Kazaa, Bearshare or Limewire to name a few, and search for a new song he heard on the radio.  Once the P2P application is installed and setup the user can then search the computers of other users logged onto the program.  Once the song has been found it will show Timmy all the instances it found of that song on different user’s computers and allow Timmy to download the song.  Users of these programs can be found all over the world.   Figure 1 shows a screenshot of Limewire, a popular P2P application.  Not only does it allow you to share files but runs ads enticing you to download other “free stuff”.

Figure 1

 The problem, besides the legality of sharing copyrighted files, is that you really don’t know what you are getting.  It has been reported that many recording companies pay people to stick half versions, or even worse copies of songs that might do harm to a computer, on P2P computers in hopes of discouraging sharing of copyrighted material.  Often times files shared via P2P are labeled something but turn out to be something else entirely and purposely.  Viruses can be attached to files shared with P2P as well as spyware.  In short P2P is a computer security nightmare. 

 Figure 2 shows a screenshot of Kazza.  You simply put what you are looking for in the search field and then there are buttons you can check to narrow down your search area.

Figure 2

Once these P2P programs are installed by default they are set to startup with your computer.  With the program running your computer is basically open to anyone looking for a file through the P2P program.  It is like opening the door to an otherwise secure computer and letting in who knows what.

 Most of the heavily malware infected computers I have disinfected have had some sort of P2P application installed.  Even uninstalling the application does not rid your computer of all the vermin.  Some P2P applications come with bundled spyware that introduce other ITDs (Internet Transmitted Diseases), and then it is like walking though a sticker patch wearing cotton, they are all over the place and removing some is harder than others.  Some of the newer P2P applications advertise that they do not come bundled with Spyware.  Wow, that’s great but there’s still that security problem.  Look at it like this would you open that email attachment from somebody you didn’t know?  Do you know who’s sharing that file with you over the P2P network? 

It was reported by Wired magazine that forty-five percent of the executable files downloaded through Kazaa, the most popular file-sharing program, contain malicious code like viruses and Trojan horses.  Some code was designed to infect every file in a computer user's Kazaa download directory with a virus. Other code would steal users' AOL Instant Messenger password or install a program on their computer to allow the attacker to surreptitiously send spam through it or otherwise take over the machine remotely to steal personal data and files on the computer.

 The following P2P applications are confirmed to have spyware or other unwanted parasites bundled into them:

•  KaZaa (offers a paid version without spyware)

• Limewire (Older versions only)

• Audiogalaxy

• Bearshare (offers a paid version without spyware)

• Imesh

• Morpheus

• Grokster (offers a paid version without spyware)

• Xolox

• Blubster 2.x aka Piolet (Blubster 2.0 and higher and Piolet are adware and bundle other adware)

• OneMX

• FreeWire

• Exeem

• BitTorrent

• Ultra

• FileCroc

• Kiwi Alpha

• RockItNet

• Warez P2P

• MediaSeek (MediaSeek Lite from the same company does not bundle any spyware or adware)

• E-Donkey AKA Overnet (Claims to provide a spyware free paid version)

• Computwin AKA FileNavigator (While it doesn't bundle adware or spyware, this product is itself adware, pops up a full page ad in Internet Explorer upon loading and claims to track computer usage in its license)

• Ares (Official site offers a "Lite" version without the adware bundles)

• Various BitTorrent Clients

 Since these programs have been installed legitimately they have free reign on your computer.  So even though you have antivirus and firewall programs installed these programs have free reign.  If you run any Antispyware program it will more than likely report the P2P application as spyware since they are known spyware carriers.

 While it may be nice to get all that “free” stuff in my opinion and from my experience they don’t offer any value and can end up costing time and money getting rid of the damage they are likely to cause.  Either you can have “free” stuff or you can have a working computer.

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