P2P software help.

Greeting's

Okay guys I'm sure after readingthe subject most of you must have though there is no help for someone running a P2P software and my views are the same. No matter which P2P software you use, its always going to be a security rick (and a big one).

But the fact is my computer is not only used by me but also by other members of my family. My sister and some of her friends are coming for the summer here and WILL be using P2P software (they did the same last year).

I cannot fight with her and tell her NO but I just want tips on what I should to minimize the risk of running a P2P.. My computer will almost be online 24 hours and there is almost nothing I can do about it.

I have a windows XP home.

Following are some of the things that I have thought :

1. I can take a complete backup of ROOT drive and the other partition which has all the software's on it and just restore them after she's gone. But this will have lot of problem's and I'm not sure if I can do this. ( I can let her download in some other partition. I have 8 partition's. so I can take backup of the one where I have installed all the software's and the ROOT)

2. Take a MD5 of the entire system (I'm not sure how to justify this but the thing is I'm too afraid of what i going to happen to my PC :( )

I don't know any other way. I will of course give her a limited user account but that by no means will keep my computer safe.


Guys I really need help. Please throw in whatever you know.

zt:

Tips for file sharing more safely

• Monitor family P2P use and don't assume that using an Internet filter will protect your family from accessing or downloading unwanted or illegal material. Because most Internet filters cannot block P2P file sharing, it's important to set guidelines and ensure that all family members are educated about file sharing. In addition, while the potential for illegal file sharing is enough for concern, sharing certain types of files, especially computer programs, can also be a conduit for viruses, spyware, and other unwanted software.

• Treat all downloaded files with suspicion and use updated industry standard antivirus software to scan each new file before you click it. Set your antivirus software to automatically scan your hard disk on a regular basis, or do it manually yourself.

• Delete any pirated material found on a family computer, digital audio player, CD-R disc, or other storage device and consider disabling the P2P software's downloading option or blocking outside access to the program by changing your computer's Internet firewall settings.

• Learn all you can about your P2P software and be very careful about which files you make available to others. Most P2P shared files are typically stored in a single folder on your computer (often named "My Shared Files" or similar by default).

• Do not store copies of copyrighted files that you have legally purchased, such as songs from a CD or a licensed retail music site in your P2P file-sharing folder.

• Back up important files on an external storage device or a CD-R disc before sharing or downloading files.

FWIW....if you are going to install a P2P program, I would suggest Limewire it doesn't have the 3rd party crap, most of the others come with. Downloads are fine, and it's easy to configure, if you have firewalls (Software or Router).

First and foremost, I don't understand why you can't simply deny access to YOUR computer by your sister and HER friends? But I'm not in your situation and therefore can't speak on that subject...

Bottom line is, if you are going to use P2P software, you are putting your equipment at risk - not only from the files/virues/spyware/general **** that will be downloaded, but also you could bring the heat from the RIAA and others in the area of illegal downloading of music, etc. This is a BIG risk you are taking...

All that being said, you shouldn't let this happen - but if you must - lock down the accounts for your PC tightly, like you mentioned... Give her an account that only has write access to an absolute minimum on the machine. Use your account for yourself, log out when you are done... Make her use her VERY limited account... Use secpol to limit what can be run, etc...

Use of P2P software is just asking for trouble... I'd fight tooth and nail to ensure that someone else couldn't use MY machine to perform actions that are just asking for trouble...

I want you to understand the risk you are taking - IMO, it's not worth it at all....

PeerGuardian

http://www.afterdawn.com/software/p2...erguardian.cfm

Hmmmm,

Well, there isn't a lot you can do, but you might like to consider a "blacklister" like this:

http://www.bluetack.co.uk/modules.ph...showpage&pid=2

You might also look at this site:

http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=products

RegistryProt will help protect your system.

Ideally, you should get something to block executables running from the P2P as well.

The safest solution is a removable hard drive, and just take your stuff out of the machine when you are not using it. Other users are then free to infect themselves to their heart's content ;)

Hey ByTeWrangler, how ya doin!

Personally I would do one of two things:

1) Lend them one of your Eight partitions - install an O/S of your choice on to it and make sure they always log into that account to do all their downloading.If they do get a virus at least it will only efect their little partition on not yours! When they leave, just format it and no one will ever find out about all the copyrighted stuff they downloaded!

2) Get my hands on a cheap PC - let them download the their hearts content! When they leave, just format it and no one will ever find out about all the copyrighted stuff they downloaded!:D

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you have an AV that does real time /hercustic scanning to ensure any viruses (is that a word!) are detected as soon as they are downloaded. I like the Av that comes with Zone Alarm for this! :D

Either way :- When they leave, just format it and no one will ever find out about all the copyrighted stuff they downloaded!

:D

Greeting's

Nokia - I was doing great until the news came, anyway overall I'm good to go.

Thank you everyone for replying, I know there is hardly anything you can do once you distribute master key to the house to every thug in the area (world). :mad:

I'm going to try out the link some of you have given.

I cannot load a second OS because I only have one Windows XP CD given by Dell. So lets see what I can do here.

Now I am not sure of the law here our IT act has not been changed after the year 2000 and our cyber police site got hacked 3 days after it was launched because it had the same username and password (no one will ever imagine the shame I felt when I said that) anyway ill check that out in any case I don't think deleting using Eraser and then wiping the drive using GUtmann or custom algorithm is going to leave much behind.

I can only take backup of ROOT because the partition with all the software is almost 15 GB so taking that on CD's will take forever. I'll check out the software's that some of you have mentioned and then decide the final step.

Also I want to know if Bittorent or Torrent is same as a P2P software or is it different ? (safer)


dalek - you have mentioned Limewire which I installed on a friends system for about an hour and then starting marking anything wrong. I say lot of searche's being shown as [][][] (squre's), I think it might be a buffer overflow or some unknown exploit. anyway if you use it and know anything about it please let me know.

you COULD install a 2nd internal HDD, set as slave, save all your stuff to that .........
then unplug it till they've gone :eek:

in OE tools > internet options > security > then in the restricted sites click th e'sites' button, and ad as many of the P2P sites that you can get, set the security to HIGH.

not much but something

shave her head, she will NOT want her mates to see her :D

You can still use the CD and install XP to a second partition, (just make it about 800MB - and when its full tell em they cant download anything else cause you have no more room!) :D

Quote:

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dalek - you have mentioned Limewire which I installed on a friends system for about an hour and then starting marking anything wrong. I say lot of searche's being shown as [][][] (squre's), I think it might be a buffer overflow or some unknown exploit. anyway if you use it and know anything about it please let me know.

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I haven't used mine in awhile, but I never experienced what your describing, check out their FAQ maybe you don't have something configured right.

Would also second ©opy®ight suggestion, you would be amazed at who is out there searching for files, almost all of the universities/college's (where most of the downloading takes place I might add), Military establishments (guards with too much time on their hands Lol).....(or bored clerks). Also the usual RIAA, MPAA etc...

Luck...'

Greeting's

I wish I could :

Quote:

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just make it about 800MB - and when its full tell em they cant download anything else cause you have no more room!

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Sadly she's not a blonde :( .

Coming back .... would you rate torrent better then other P2P. Also I see one more thread has come up about P2P software's (New "Dark" Freenet Available for Testing). Will the P2P software work properly if I give her guest permission, install the software for her and give read for ROOT and all other partition except where the files are being downloaded ? Also is this approach foolproof ?

Well, all she needs are the applications/OS and the partition with the downloads. I wouldn't grant access to anything else.

The problem as I see it is that if someone can download and run software that opens files, they can run malware. That is why I suggested something that blocks executables in the P2P application/partition.

I would not rely on a partition to save you either, a lot of crapware is network aware and will find other drives/partitions :(

I would still go for a removable drive or back-up drive if you want to be safe.

Why not install a user friendly free linux distro like mandriva, opensuse, fedora or k/ubuntu and set the free partition as the /home directory. You can limit their write access to that partition and if you get any hostile windows executables coming down the line, linux is not going to be abe to run them and windows will not be able to read from the linux partition.

PS-ubuntu is top of the linux charts at the moment, but the 'which distro' question is a different topic altogether.

Howdy.

just set her limited account up, lock it up nice and tight. And preconfigure firewall etc so that it won't co-operate with the p2p program.
She will download it, but it's no good if she cannot install it. as her account does not have high enough priveleges to do the install. ;)

And if worse comes to worse then just install Emule . just preconfigure the firewall to not allow the needed tcp connections, an thus it will make her downloading of pirated software less enjoyable, as it will take over an hour to download a 3mb mp3 ;)

cheers
f2B