Want to download music, movies or software for free? Despite high-profile lawsuits, illegal file sharing online remains fairly common. But legal troubles aren’t the only risk for illegal sharers and downloaders.
Confidential and personal documents, financial files, images and more could be available to anyone connected to the sharing network. How? It’s inherent in how file sharing works.
File sharing was originally intended to help people move data across computer networks. In the simplest sense, one person makes a shared folder on his computer available to others on the network. Then, users connected to the network have the ability to access files in that folder.
One way that file sharing is made possible is by using peer-to-peer programs. This specialty software lets groups of computer users directly connect to each other’s hard drives to access files. Years ago, peer-to-peer software moved to the Internet, which is really one huge computer network. This allowed strangers from all over the world to share files.
Today, programs with such names as LimeWire, KaZaA, BitTorrent and BitComet can be used to download movies, television shows, music, software and more. However, there are serious problems with these programs. First and foremost, downloads of copyrighted material are illegal; you could wind up in a lawsuit. Second, you are opening your computer and perhaps your personal data to the Web.
Maybe you don’t care that your vacation pictures are viewed by the file-sharing community. But you definitely don’t want all your Word documents, financial software files and other personal data accessible to strangers.
Each file-sharing program differs, but they generally work the same way. After installation, they establish a folder to store downloads.
One example is LimeWire. Anyone anywhere using LimeWire has access to everything in that folder. You also can designate other folders for sharing. It’s awfully easy to select a folder that contains private data.
Any files stored in shared folders are fair game to others. For example, let’s say you downloaded a song. The song is stored in the shared folder. Now others can download that file from your computer. Some peer-to-peer programs don’t create a special folder for shared files. They use the My Documents folder and its subfolders. That’s where most people store personal data and images: a disaster waiting to happen.
Shared folders are inherently dangerous. It’s easy to store files in the wrong folder. All the security software in the world won’t protect you if you give strangers access to your files.
Here’s another horror: Many files contain viruses. Hackers know viruses can be spread through peer-to-peer networks. They name the file containing the virus after a song. When opened, no song plays. But your computer gets infected.
The bottom line: Avoid file-sharing programs. They can endanger your privacy and your wallet. There are plenty of legitimate and legal pay sites that let you download music, videos and software.
Kim Komando hosts a national radio show about computers and the Internet. Contact her at gnstech@gns.gannett.com.
