When people complain about having viruses on their computer, they often don’t know how they got them. They just tell me that they use their computer to play games, browse the internet, or listen to music. But as soon as I see that loveable-looking Bearshare icon on the desktop, I know where the viruses probably came from – they downloaded them on purpose.
What is File Sharing
File sharing is the direct sharing of files between two or more computer across the internet using programs such as Bearshare, Limewire, or Morpheus (just to name a few). Designed to be a convenient way of distributing legitimate freeware and open-source code, file sharing has become a big problem for the recording industry and software companies. Most of the peer-to-peer (or P2P) traffic is made up of pirated software, bootleg movie titles, and illegal music downloads.
Shared Files Often Contain Viruses
When you download files using programs like Bearshare, you risk exposing your computer to potential harmful viruses, spyware, and adware. That harmless looking MP3 file may contain a very robust virus that can play havoc with your computer system down the road.
When you download a file using Bearshare, you are basically and deliberately downloading a viruses onto your computer. Now that doesn’t make much sense, does it? But it happens all the time.
How to Keep Bearshare Viruses Out
Almost every time I see Bearshare installed on a computer, I see a heavy infection of viruses. In fact, I can’t recall a single computer with Bearshare installed that wasn’t heavily infected. There are a large number of unscrupulous people on the internet and they want your computer to become infected.
The best advise I can give someone to keep from getting infected by a virus from Bearshare is to simply not download anything using Bearshare. In fact, don’t even bother putting Bearshare on your computer! It will end up causing more problems than its worth.
