Torrenting is an activity that entails downloading several tiny bits of files from different sources at the same time. This can also be considered as crowd-sourcing for media content.
Torrenting files can be one risky endeavor. You could end up getting into trouble that you may not even realize. It’s true, despite the fact that downloading movie torrents and other files seem safe under the enormous camouflage of the World Wide Web.
While torrenting isn’t illegal itself, majority of the content shared in the network are files that potentially violate the rights of copyright holders. It’s actually tempting to believe that torrenting has no consequences since its popular and decentralized. However, there are dangers to it, and these include the following:
Copyright Infringement
What’s copyright infringement? It’s simply the infringement of someone else’s intellectual property. It’s often a violation of copyright law. There are a few things you should know when it comes to this issue. First, you need to have the proper amount of intent to infringe upon somebody’s intellectual property before you can even be considered guilty of the offense. In the US, there are two specific forms of copyright: federal and state.
In order to be able to claim infringement against another person’s intellectual property, it’s necessary to show that you have the intent to do so. A claim of copyright infringement must also have some sort of evidence of the actual infringements that were done. This can be hard to show as most cases involving copyright infringement will be brought to state courts.
If you’re accused of infringement, it’s important to remember that you can argue that you’re not guilty of this crime. However, if you’re found guilty of infringement, you may be fined or imprisoned depending on the laws in your particular state. Your IP address can be traced back to your internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP will then receive a settlement letter, which they’ll forward to you. Settlement letters will usually ask for several thousand dollars. Copyright infringement because of torrenting may also result in a court battle.
Vulnerability To Online Hackers
Rouge hackers online mainly rely on peer-to-peer networks like torrenting sites to gain access to an individual or organization’s critical data. For instance, when you download anime content from NYAA torrents, your IP address can be exposed. Hackers, therefore, can easily gain access to your network. That’s why it’s essential to use a VPN when torrenting. You can learn more about how to use torrenting sites like NYAA safely and privately here.
There have been several cases of hackers stealing confidential information from banks, hospitals, and other sensitive information from companies in the past. One of the most dangerous attacks has been when terrorists or other criminals have used social security numbers for fraudulent activities.
Most people have no idea that identity theft is even happening, but this does happen. Recently, two major airlines, American and Continental, have been hit by identity thieves who were able to steal social security numbers and passwords from their systems. This could lead to the loss of jobs for thousands of employees.
A lot of credit card companies and banks use the internet to communicate with their clients about their personal information. When an attack such as this happens, the internet connection can be compromised. It can be a simple attack such as a phishing e-mail. It can also be more complicated such as stealing a bank routing number or getting hold of an individual’s personal information, which can be used to steal their identity.
Malware Risks
Torrents are actually common sources of malware as well as viruses. Malware can be a really difficult term to understand for those who don’t use the Internet on a regular basis or haven’t used it before. Malware can be used as a noun, meaning a virus, spyware, or any other form of malicious software that can be a cybersecurity threat. Malware has a few different definitions that may confuse some people, but if you know what malware is then you’ll better understand the way it affects computers.
Malware can be defined as a program that installs itself onto your computer without your permission. The main problem with malware and viruses is that they can infect your system with a ton of unnecessary information that can cause your system to run slowly, freeze up, or crash all together. This is the main reason why so many people are constantly trying to get rid of malware by using different anti-virus programs. Although these programs are effective, they can get quite expensive if you choose the wrong program or if you’re not careful about which program you choose to run when your computer is infected.
Loss Of Important Data
When you join a torrenting network, you could expose yourself to the risk of losing personal data. Data loss is a serious error condition where data is affected by the failure or errors in processing, transmission, storage, or backup. Data systems use backup and recovery procedures, as well as backup equipment to recover lost or deleted data.
Data loss can happen to any system. It can occur due to natural calamities, human errors, and computer failures. In case of a natural calamity, data loss might occur due to a virus attack or a severe power outage. In case of human errors, it could be due to mistakes such as deleting or the overwriting of data files accidentally. Computer failures are usually caused by physical damage or failure of the hard disk. In both cases, data recovery requires expertise and tools from a data recovery company.
The most common reason for data loss is a virus attack. Viruses attack computers by sending an email or downloading some software that attacks the computer. Of course, they can also come together with the content you downloaded from a torrenting network. Computer viruses are different from Trojans, which use a programming language that hides itself and steals data from the computer. Computer viruses attack the computer by altering the program files and causing the computer to crash. These malicious programs spread easily through email, file sharing, and other online applications.
Conclusion
Downloading torrents provide Internet users with an easier and cheaper way of accessing files. However, it also has drawbacks, such as the ones mentioned and discussed above. The only defense you can have against these mishaps is using a VPN, protecting documents with passwords, and regularly scanning your files.