Downloaders beware

After my article last week on the splendor that is free music or MP3 sharing, I am sure that a few more people are dipping their toes in the pool that is peer to peer file sharing. As I said before, file sharing and swapping MP3s’, is not a new or recent phenomena. I am sure that many of you remember Napster, the name of the website that brought music file sharing to a global audience and international prominence. Napster is no longer with us; at least not in the form that it amassed its’ reputation. For that there may be sadness, but other sites seem determined not to let Napsters’ demise be in vain.
Many file sharing or swapping sites have emerged to fill the void left by Napster. Also, in the name of evolution they actually have exceeded the capabilities of their predecessor. Many of the modern file swapping sites exchange much more than mere MP3 and music files. They have graduated to compressing and sharing music videos, movies, and even software. One of the major file sharing websites is Kazaa.com. At this point, many of you are thinking that I already know about Kazaa, or you are excited because now you have a site where you can begin your file sharing odyssey.
Well, for both of you, here comes the let down. Downloaders beware! What you should be aware of is the risk that you place the files that you download and your entire hard drive in. There are predatory viruses that exist in peer to peer file sharing websites like Kazaa, that were not seen in the golden age of Napster. These viruses attack the very music files that you try to acquire. “Eightball2.zip” is one of those malicious concoctions that will erase all of the music files on your hard drive then will cause your computer to experience multiple crashes. For those that mainly download software, do not feel so smug or secure. “Duload” is a virus that disguises itself as everything from pornography to software. Once on your system, Duload will replicate itself under various names, but all as exe or executable files. If you make the mistake of ever opening one these files, that is when this virus will modify your system registry and your problems really begin. “Lolol” is probably the virus that should muster the most concern. Lolol is hard to identify because it takes on the name of software and videogame file names. The difference comes when you download it. It gives the virus creator the ability to remotely control your computer. This is what I would define as a bad thing. This is why I stress the need for current anti virus software.
A decent anti-virus software should take care of most of these viruses, with the exception of the “eightball” virus. I guess anti-virus makers are not in a hurry to save the music that many work so diligently to download.