Hello, well this is my first post on this site as I endeavor into the world of network security. I am currently typing this as I sit waiting for a copy of Red Hat Linux 8 to arrive at my door with a nice big book accompanying it. The question I am about to ask came about when some of my friends started using the p2p Gnutella software Kazaa. Now, I know that kazaa is filled with spy/ad ware and suggested that they used bearshare instead. I think I just went a bit off topic there but anyway, what I am interested in is the possible security vulnerabilities that arise from installing such software and how it is possible to combat this. Also can anyone shed some light on the rumor that some versions of the Kazza media desktop are infected with a virus that sits in your boot sector for a random amount of time before rendering your system un-usable?

Thanks