Are Peer to Peer (P2P) File sharing downloads safe for your computer?

Question

I have heard they are bad for your computer. Please give a detailed answer if possible. What is the safest Filesharing program?

Answer 1

Of course all programs and even the Internet can be unsafe.

Messenger is a safe file sharing program because its for person to person sharing. It seems like your talking about big programs with many files for example kazza or lime wire.

From what all P2P programs can cause problems most of the time when your downloads programs or files like .exe. Pictures and videos are normally pretty safe even though viruses can infect thous files also. Having a good updated anti virus program will help. Also scan all files picture or video before you open them. Make sure your PC is as virus free as possible before you take a chance of adding more viruses too it. Before I got Norton I had many viruses but I knew how to get rid of them manual using regedit. After Norton I don't think I have been getting any viruses at all. I am smart at what I do but I only uses lime wire it seems to be very good. I got a free versions of lime wire pro off some site.

But even the none free versions is great. So the answer is yes they can cause damage though viruses and some P2P programs will try and run secretly and use your bandwidth. But most of them like lime wire will kinda hint that they are doing this and you can disable it in the options. So overall if your smart and got a anti virus program that is good. Then you should be OK.

Answer 2

in a word NO. They give the user your IP address and open a port for them to connect to, both of those are invitations for hackers. The best defense is a good firewall, "hiding" behind a router, and up-to-date antivirus software (Using somethign other than windows is good too, Linux or OSx are much safer). They all work the same way so there isn't really a "safest" one, but i personally stay away from the really public ones like Mozilla cause they have more hackers.

Answer 3

there isn't really a safe filesharing proggie that exists.. you just have to make sure that you screen any programs that you download with a virus scanner or an adware scanner.

I normally don't download ANY programs from p2p.. that is just way too risky

Answer 4

Yes, basically not using them would be the best thing to do. Use iTunes (paying for media is not as bad as it seems), look up pornography pictures on net and look at pornography at pay-2-play sites. It would decrease the rate of your attacks, ever since if ridded limewire i have had no viruses. Just do those three simple solutions, iTunes gift cards are good and coinstar has where u can exchange your coins for no fee if u turn it in to a iTunes giftcard, that is the easyiest thing to do compared to using a credit card or debit.

Answer 5

Well nothing is the world is free for sure.....you have to pay something if you want to use one ......all file sharing programs come with some free budled dlls which tracks your surfing activity and displays result at runtime which results in pop ups during browsing.some works as trojans and sends your personal information such as your credit card info...ur address ...ur social security number etc...so dont use P2P software if u use that system for your personal use.....
hope that helps
Lax

Answer 6

most likely you'll get spyware with p2p programs ... there is no safe filesharing program but if your going to use it you should probably scan everything with a virus program

Answer 7

These are pretty risky programs. Make sure you pay attention to the size of the files you're downloading. One's that contain viruses are usually too small.