From: gts (gts_2000@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Mar 28 2003 - 12:30:25 MST
Alfio Puglisi wrote:
> Yes, some P2P programs are full of spyware. But many are not.
> Kazaa-lite, for example, is a better Kazaa without spyware.
> Various Gnutella clients are community-based open source
> programs, where it's difficult to hide anything malicious.
Yes I would go with a gnutella client if I were forced to use P2P (the
cleanest I've seen is called Swapper.NET) but my concern is not so much with
the spyware embedded in the file sharing apps themselves... My main concern
is the high percentage of infected files on the P2P networks and the
security risks involved in opening up one's machine to those networks.
> After picking up the right program, the usual rule of never
> downloading executable programs is enough. Just search for
> pure-data files, like mp3, avi, mpg, etc.
Sure, but as I understand it, (correct me if I'm wrong), file and printer
sharing must be enabled to run any kind of P2P client, including gnutella
clients. That alone presents a security risk, even if you never swap a
single file. Those of us running stand-alone computers have no need for file
and printer sharing, so the risk is entirely unnecessary.
If I were really into file sharing then I would set up a dedicated machine
for that purpose. Any cheap second-hand computer from the classified section
of the newspaper would perform just fine. Cheap insurance.
-gts
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Mar 28 2003 - 12:40:45 MST