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File Sharing
What are file-sharing programs?
Programs like Limewire, Kazaa, and Morpheus allow you to exchange any sort of computer file (typically music and video files) over the Internet with other people who use the program. They are very popular with teenagers for swapping music files. The exchange is completely anonymous, you don’t have any idea who is supplying the file that you want, or who is downloading the file that you’re offering. The programs themselves are neither illegal nor deliberately malicious, but inevitably carry serious risks nonetheless.
Why are they a risk?
There are three potential dangers with this type of program. Firstly, if you or members of your family use them to swap copyright material (in practice this means almost all music files), you may be prosecuted. You can be traced via the IP address of your computer, and some people have already been convicted in the UK. Secondly, a high percentage of the files that you can download through these programs are infected with malware, which could be used to take control of your computer for illegal purposes. Thirdly, the fact that anyone can copy music files from your computer means that any anonymous person with the same program can access the hard disk of your PC, steal your data, spy on you, use your computer to send spam, or make it into an illegal download server for… well, whatever they want. It’s like leaving the front door of your house open. We strongly advise against the use of such programs on any computer. Your teenage children will complain, but the alternative might involve a visit from the police.
What should I do if I have one of these programs installed?
The answer is very simple. Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs and Features (Windows Vista), click on the program in the list, and click Uninstall. Let the uninstall program finish, the restart your computer. Next, open up your antivirus program, make sure it’s up to date, and then run a full scan of your computer. Quarantine or delete any threats it finds.
See this: http://cbs13.com/local/limewire.child.porn.2.1346842.html
