File Sharing: How to Protect Your Computer, an Overview

This page contains information about file sharing, the potential security risks involved, and how to share files securely.

This section summarizes what you can do to protect your computer from the security problems associated with the various types of file sharing.

  1. Use antivirus software.
  2. Patch your system regularly.
  3. If you don't need system-native file sharing or printer sharing, turn it off (System-Native File Sharing: How to Protect Your Computer).
  4. Use a personal firewall.
  5. Use different passwords with different sites, to make sure that a compromise of one password doesn't affect every account you own.
  6. Set any peer-to-peer software to ask your approval before downloading or executing a file. (This prevents virus-infected computers from automatically sending you more virus-infected files.)
  7. Set any chat software to accept messages only from people you know and have added to your contact list. (Both viruses and spam are being broadcast to hundreds of chat-type peer-to-peer users at a time, and this helps reduce your computer's exposure to infected computers.)