Does Torrent security bother anyone?

[Bahger]

Just asking because I had heard that Torrent downloaders were notorious for infesting PCs with adware, spyware, malware and other assorted crap and, sure enough, during my download of the recent P-51 update, my trusty anti-malware monitoring software, Malwarebytes, alerted me to malicious intrusions every four minutes or so. I trust Malwarebytes to intercept this garbage and I run another program, Spyhunter 4, every night to scan and mop up what's left, but still...

 

I'm wondering if ED or any of you, have concerns about this.

 

EDIT: I use the uTorrent client, by the way. It's a very good program but it does appear to be a portal for dreck.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Bahger

[Sel94]

I used torrenting for my first time to download P-51, I was a little worried at first but now it seems fine, I have run multiple scans with Malewarebytes and MSE and they've found nothing, and it's an overall good way to download things. I guess you just have to be careful with what you download with it, but I'm sure no one in our community would do something malicious. Also, I feel good when I seed :)

[HiJack]

If you use sites like the pirate bay you are at risk. Downloading ED's torrent file for DCS products should be ok.

[cichlidfan]

If you use sites like the pirate bay you are at risk. Downloading ED's torrent file for DCS products should be ok.

 

Agreed. It is all a matter of the source.

[EtherealN]

Yeah, it's not the download application that is the problem, it is the source.

 

This goes the same whether you're getting your software through Torrent or FTP.

[Rusty_M]

I think the misconceptions come from the general perception that torrents=piracy. Many people, especially those offering illegitemate material are unscrupulous. As stated, if you trust the source, you'll likely be OK. I know I trust ED not to infect my computer.

[HiJack]

Having a good antivirus system running is a must on any computer :D

[MartiUK]

It's not the torrent software that gives you the virus, it's what you are downloading. Go and try downloading any of the latest linux distros, notice anything? Torrent downloads. And I'm sure they would never have viruses in them ;)

[jacksos101]

I use uTorrent as well, have done so for a while and trust them implicitly. Yes, you just have to be careful which torrents you use. ED is definitely trustworthy, but for other torrents you should always be cautious.

[Wolfie]

You guys should also be careful where you are downloading them. There should be a hash check on it. If its not the same number as the original ED file, its not the same file, no matter what its named. Spammers and hackers are notorious for altering files and then re-uping them. Just because its on a good torrent site, doesn't mean its the real file, even if the megabyte count looks about right. Be sure you get the torrent file from ED's site, and then look close at the web address it takes you to to make SURE its really ED's site. I've noticed a lot of phishing scams going on of late, that lead you to bogus sites that look like the real thing, but aren't. Always take a close look at the address in the address bar. There's a fake Pirate Bay one floating around for instance. Looks just like the real thing, till you see the address doesn't end in .se . I'm still not extremely comfortable with .torrents either as everyone is in to it, and we all know what that attracts. REALLY GOOOD HACKERS!

Edited May 6, 2012 by Wolfie