We have noticed that many people seeking help from us are coming with infections contracted from the use of P2P programs.
Because of this, we changed our malware forum's policy on the use of P2P file sharing programs.
- If your helper detects the presence of such programs on your computer he/she will ask you to remove them. Help will be withdrawn should you not agree to their removal.
- If we clean your computer of infection, and you return to us a short time later with an infection contracted by the use of P2P programs, volunteer analysts will refuse their help.
We do not ask you to do this without reason.
P2P (File Sharing ) programs form a direct conduit onto your computer, their security measures are easily circumvented, and Malware writers are increasingly exploiting them to spread their wares onto your computer. Further to that, if your P2P program is not configured correctly you may be sharing more files than you realize. There have been cases where people's Passwords, Address Books and other personal, private, and financial details have been exposed to the file sharing network by a badly configured program.
Many of the programs come bundled with other unwanted programs, but even the ones free of any bundled software are not safe to use.
This article from InfoWorld illustrates the dangers of a poorly configured P2P program.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/09/06/...ID-theft_1.html
When you use them you are downloading software from an unknown source directly onto your computer, bypassing your Firewall and Anti-Virus software. Hardly surprising then that many of these Downloads are being targeted to carry infections.