You may have heard about the embarrassing security breach a while ago where a file containing the blueprints and avionics package for Marine One(President Obama’s Helicopter) was found on a computer in Iran. Since then, Congress has surmised that the details regarding President Obama’s helicopter were compromised by a government contractor that was using a peer-to-peer file sharing program.
But just two days earlier, the “Today Show” reported that more than 150,000 tax returns, 25,800 student loan applications and 626,000 credit reports became publicly available due to a similar incident with a file sharing program.
P2P file sharing doesn’t just tie up bandwidth. It’s still a major threat to the security of any commercial, educational, or government enterprise. And thanks to some inadvertent clumsiness it is now a threat to national security. It isn’t just a danger to your home or office computer, entire corporate networks are susceptible to many attacks via P2P.
It’s hard to defend the use of P2P when it goes against the basic principles we advocate about securing a computer. In order to share and access files on a P2P network, you must open a TCP port through the firewall for the P2P software to communicate. This essentially eliminates your defenses against malicious traffic coming through it.
When you willingly share the contents of your computer with an anonymous and unknown user, then all the firewalls and antivirus software in the world can’t help you. Likewise, if you willingly download, install, and run any program of cryptic origin, then there is no telling what you are actually doing to your computer.
Although previously thought to be a safe version of P2P, BitTorrent was used as a vehicle for a massive spyware distribution campaign in 2005. Before that, the only danger found in BitTorrent was just occasional random executables. But now it can evidently be harnessed for money-making campaigns complete with affiliates, distributors, and some big names in adware.
I could list a dozen reasons to ban P2P in the workplace, but I think the argument has enough power. Unless there is a legitimate reason to use P2P they usually just tie up bandwidth, distract employees, and make your computers and network vulnerable.
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