One of the benefits of the internet is the ability to find music, software DVD’s and games, and download them onto your own PC.  Why pay for something when it is available for nothing? The temptation is sometimes too great.  Beware though, because many of the web sites that offer free downloads, do not offer these downloads from their servers, but directly from the computers of you and me. 

When you subscribe to sites, such as those offering free music downloads, you may be required to load Point to Point software on your own computer to be able to reap the benefits that these sites offer.  This enables you to join a massive world wide network of computers, and access the data on them.  It also means that any of the computers that you can access, are able to access your data.  You could easily download viruses, adware, spyware, or pornography from another computer without realising it.  Sites that use Point to Point software should be used only if you are 100% confident of your ability to protect yourself by:

• Restricting access on your computer to the data you are willing to share.  Remember there are people who have hacked into the main computers of the CIA from home PC’s, so simply sharing only one folder may not be enough.
• Blocking malicious files from being loaded onto your computer when you download, or allow other people to have access to your data.