What are File Sharing Tools
File Sharing Tools like Kazaa, Morpheus, Bearshare, iMesh, LimeWire etc. are fun to use and play around. They provide you instant access to thousands to music files, videos, songs, software and many other things. They are hugely popular among the teens and growing up age children.
One of the most popular file sharing tools are peer-to-peer networks, or P2P networks. Some of the most popular networks are FastTrack, Gnutella, and eDonkey network. With these networks, the user downloads a program to their computer that allows them to connect to the network. Then with this program the user can search the shared media on other users’ computers and download this media from them across the Internet. These networks allow the sharing of any type of digital content, including songs, DVD-quality movies, computer programs and video games.
Risks of File Sharing Tools
The ethical issues come mostly from the concern that practitioners of file sharing may infringe property rights. There is a huge debate going on for long about the legality of sharing copyright protected material through file sharing tools.
But, as a PC Security blog, that is not our concern here.
We are more concerned about the potential harm, that can be caused in the form of malware and other threats, which get freely distributed and installed through these tools. A lot of the files available on peer to peer networks have malware hidden within them or are not the files you were expecting at all.
It is an established fact that more than half of the traffic routing through these file sharing programs is related with porn and is often used by the teen minds. They are generally rash in their online behaviour, often do not care about their Internet Security and as such, are perfect targets for the malware distributors on the prowl.
It is very easy for them to bundle a malicious code into a porn clip and start distributing it freely over such file sharing networks.
How to Avoid or Block File Sharing Software
File Sharing Sentinel is a freeware utility, which allows you to protect against the hazards posed by file sharing utilities. File Sharing Sentinel will provide you blocks the installation of most of the popular File Sharing Software, and if one is already installed on your computer, then it will prevent the operation of P2P Software.
[Download File Sharing Sentinel]
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Content Filtering Tools Series
Others Posts in the Series Include...
- Free and Simple Filter to Block Porn Sites, Pop Ups
- Free Child Internet Protection with DansGuardian
- OpenDNS - Free PC Security from Internet Threats
- K9 - Net Content Filter for Website Filtering
- Block or Restrict File Sharing Tools like Kazaa, iMesh & Limewire
There are many advantages to peer to peer filing websites, however it should be noted that the disadvantages should also be noted. Many people still remember the popularity of such as Napster.com which helped facilitate file sharing between web users. Unfortunately this led to problematic issues with copyright and through Court action the site was forced to shut down and revamp itself with a newer structure that fell in better accordance with copyright laws.