WARNING - Windows Speed & Music Sharing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tecknomage
  • Start date Start date
T

Tecknomage

My niece had problems with her PC being very slow. She has a daughter
who is into music sharing.

What my niece and her daughter didn't know about music sharing sites,
is that the site automatically connects your PC in the background and
makes a list of the music files on your PC. This reading of music
files was what was causing the PC to seem slow every time they started
their PC.

In addition, she had 400+ various on her system, at least until I
installed Norton Antivirus.

THE WARNING IS: Be aware that music sharing sites do this (connect to
your PC in the background), and that using non-dialup Net connection
(online the moment your OS loads) makes this issue even worse. Any
computer that logs onto YOUR PC in the background is dangerous. Note
that some online gaming sites will do this too. Firewalls are suppose
to prevent this IF you DO NOT set them to allow specific sites to
automatically connect to your PC. Also, unless your ISP runs virus
protection on ALL files coming through their system (before they get
to you), you are very open to attack.

By the way, Firewalls only prevent automatic connection from the
outside, they do not prevent you from connecting to a site. In other
words, Firewalls prevent call-in but still allow call-out.


==== Tecknomage ====
"Patriotism means to stand by the country.
It does not mean stand by the President."
President Roosevelt
 
Teckno

#1.. The computer is probably riddled with spyware et al..
#2.. P2P programs can be set to share an empty folder..
#3.. Third party software firewalls do cover outgoing stuff..


--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/user







Tecknomage said:
My niece had problems with her PC being very slow. She has a daughter
who is into music sharing.

What my niece and her daughter didn't know about music sharing sites,
is that the site automatically connects your PC in the background and
makes a list of the music files on your PC. This reading of music
files was what was causing the PC to seem slow every time they started
their PC.

In addition, she had 400+ various on her system, at least until I
installed Norton Antivirus.

THE WARNING IS: Be aware that music sharing sites do this (connect to
your PC in the background), and that using non-dialup Net connection
(online the moment your OS loads) makes this issue even worse. Any
computer that logs onto YOUR PC in the background is dangerous. Note
that some online gaming sites will do this too. Firewalls are suppose
to prevent this IF you DO NOT set them to allow specific sites to
automatically connect to your PC. Also, unless your ISP runs virus
protection on ALL files coming through their system (before they get
to you), you are very open to attack.

By the way, Firewalls only prevent automatic connection from the
outside, they do not prevent you from connecting to a site. In other
words, Firewalls prevent call-in but still allow call-out.


==== Tecknomage ====
"Patriotism means to stand by the country.
It does not mean stand by the President."
President Roosevelt
 

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