|
UD IT Security Home
IT Help
Center
Computer Security at UD
UD Security Tool Chest
News & Alerts
Accessing UD Systems
Reporting Incidents
UD
Home
|
|
|
|
Having a P2P application like Limewire or BitTorrent
installed on your computer puts you at risk for copyright
infringement even if you don't think its running or haven't used
it to download while at UD. Stay safe - delete your
P2P software. |
|
Improper Use of "FREE"
file-sharing programs can result in ...
- Potential legal liability if
the files being shared - music, movies, software - are copyrighted.
- Copyright holders can tell
which IP addresses (computer network location numbers) are offering
copyrighted files for sharing and have been asking courts to require
internet service providers, such as the University, to disclose personal
information about who is using infringing IP addresses.
- Legally obtained copyrighted
material (e.g., CDs or DVDs you have purchased and copied onto your pc for
your personal use) illegally distributed via file-sharing programs is a
violation of copyright law.
- The University will comply with
legally-issued subpoenas asking for alleged violator identities.
- Those found guilty of breaking
United States Copyright law face penalties ranging from $750 - $30,000 per
file - $150,000 if the infringement is willful.
- Infection by worms, viruses,
trojans and other "malware" that can allow your computer to be controlled by hackers from anywhere in
the world.
- Hackers routinely attach
infectious code to many popular "free" software files traded via
peer-to-peer networks to remotely take control of vulnerable computers. (More about
"malware").
- If your system gets infected
and disrupts the University network, even without you knowing about it,
you will be subject to University judicial sanctions. Remember - you are
responsible for the security of your system and will be held accountable
for what it does.
- General computer slowness and
privacy issues
- How do many web sites offering
"free" software support their development costs?
Through advertising income from marketing firms that
attach Spyware /
Ad-ware programs to your system which piggyback on the "free"
software installation! This software often tracks the sites you visit and
sends this information to spammers all over the world.
- Spyware/Adware can grab
personal data you enter in forms and send it all over the world.
- Many Spyware/Adware programs
are "self-updaters", ie. they can change their function on your computer
at the whim of the designer, without your knowledge.
- Certain Spyware / Adware
programs re-install themselves after the user has removed them. Once on
your system, this can lead to the installation of a glut of
Spyware/Adware, which can degrade your computer to the point of making it
unusable or unable to browse the Internet.
- Improper removal of spyware
may damage your internet browser and render it unusable.
- Bandwidth abuse and network
slowness for all.
- Bandwidth
abuse can cause your network connection to be temporarily
disabled.
Act Responsibly...
- Use Legal Options to download
or purchase music, movies and software online.
- Remove peer-to-peer
file-sharing programs
- Windows users: Close the
file-sharing program and then un-install
it.
- If removing KaZaa, also remove
associated programs "Peer Points Manager" and "P2P
Networking".
- Macintosh users: Limewire
removal example.
- Remove and Prevent
Spyware / Ad-ware from your system by using
UD-recommended
utilities.
- If you insist on using a
file-sharing program, configure it to disable file sharing. See University
of Chicago information or review the file sharing client's User Guide
or FAQs.
- Review the file sharing client's
user guide or FAQs for further information on disabling or limiting
file sharing.
- General Recommendations:
- Use Spychecker.com before installing
file sharing software to determine to what extent it includes Spyware /
Adware.
- Say NO if given the option
during file-sharing client installation to install other programs.
- Disable the Auto-Start Feature
(sometimes called "Launch on Startup") to prevent the program from
automatically starting when the computer is booted up.
- Completely close the program
when not actively using it.
- Scan downloaded files before
opening to verify they do not contain viruses.
- If you are having difficulty
removing file-sharing programs, Spyware/Adware, or configuring safe
sharing, please contact the IT Help Center at 831-6000 for referral to a
consultant.
- Other popular file-sharing programs - Duke
- Disabling
Peer to Peer File Sharing from the University of Chicago
- iMesh from
Duke - Security, Traffic tabs
- iMesh from NCSU
- XoLoX 1.12
XoLoX
1.21
- Direct Connect from NCSU
Direct
Connect from UChicago
|