Malware on limewire? Security question

[milkyway]

What problems can malware cause on limewire or other p2p programs? I heard that malware could change what files you are sharing and actually share all your personal files? Is this true? How likely is this to happen?

 

[iParanormalx]

Malware, short for malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. Malware can come in many forms anything from an idle process on your PC that uses up RAM and CPU to an agressive trojan designed to infect your PC and obtain your personal information.

I read a blog post from a security developer that said said "30% of all PCs have viruses." So if you look at that likely hood - if 30% of the PCs have malware - you have the same chance too.

If you must use P2P software then scan it before you open it.

https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/

 

[milkyway]

So does malware change p2p settings? Would it change your save folder settings or share files that wasn't originally shared

 

[carnageX]

So does malware change p2p settings? Would it change your save folder settings or share files that wasn't originally shared

Malware can change various things - it all depends on what the specific variation of malware you're talking about was intended to do. Most of the time they won't just change settings of a specific app, unless that application is likely to be on a large percentage of systems (such as a common internet browser).

Honestly... STOP USING LIMEWIRE. It's junk, old, and dead.

 

[milkyway]

I havent used limewire in a couple of years. I just was doing a report on malware. I read that it could change all your p2p settings and make your financial files available? I only read that on one site and didn't know how accurate it was? So it's not likely that someone would make a virus to change limewire sharing/save folder settings?

 

[carnageX]

I havent used limewire in a couple of years. I just was doing a report on malware. I read that it could change all your p2p settings and make your financial files available? I only read that on one site and didn't know how accurate it was? So it's not likely that someone would make a virus to change limewire sharing/save folder settings?

Like I said, it all depends on the intent of the malware. Back when Limewire/those kinds of P2P software were popular...sure, it could be likely that they would change your sharing/directory settings... but I wouldn't say very likely.

A piece of malware's point would be to exploit other security flaws that exist on the system so that it can leak your info out, get you to click on something to download more malware/give out your credit card info or other account info, download more malware by themselves without your intervention, or just leave backdoors open and let other malware in at later times.

 

[Trotter]

The biggest malware threat when using current P2P is the contents of the file(s) shared. Many are pre-cracked and can generate positive hits on many AV programs, but quite a few files bring along passengers (malware).

Anything and everything downloaded via P2P should be scanned with every available scanner available, and that includes both AVs and anti-malware scanners. Knowing the source of said files can be a bit of added protection but nothing is 100%.

Let the user beware.

 

[milkyway]

Let's say you were using the defualt settinga and no personal files were shared. Is there a way that someone would create a virus or malware to share my documents folder or some other folder on the limewire network? Or how would they go about it

 

[Joe C]

P2P files could (and some did) contain a Trojan that would install a downloader program that would install anything possible, from spyware, viruses, keyloggers and even rootkits. This downloader would run in the background and your not aware of it's doings until it was too late.
Then you see peeps posting that P2P's are ok but they need help because they don't know how they got their pc infected

 

[milkyway]

Would this cause files to be added to your shared folder that wasn't there before?