The P2P Hazard Firewall Protects Your Computer From Peer-To-Peer Dangers

When users download files from other computers on a P2P network, the content they receive may be illegal or could contain malware. Also, they may inadvertently share private information on their own computers by sharing drives or folders or by making files available through the software's default settings. Private tax returns, work documents and medical records can all be downloaded and shared on P2P networks.

A free online safety guide about peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing helps educate students, parents and others about these dangers and provides tips for staying safe while using file-sharing programs.

The P2P Hazard firewall was a dependable and effective tool for safeguarding user computers while they used file-sharing programs on the computer or the P2P network. It was simple to use and easy to personalize, allowing even inexperienced users to benefit from its security features. The firewall worked by monitoring incoming and outgoing data streams, blocking unwanted IPs and ranges.

Hackers are often able to obtain login credentials to P2P file-sharing networks by intercepting e-mails or other communications. Once a hacker has those credentials, they can access the contents of computers on a network and steal sensitive information, including passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers or other personal information.

Companies can help prevent this type of data loss by regularly checking company computers (or any computers on which sensitive information is stored) for the presence of P2P file-sharing software and ensuring that it is not being used. It is also important to educate employees about the reasons why P2P file-sharing networks are off-limits — that way, they will be less likely to ignore company policy and use such networks anyway.